Basic Dremel

I have an upcoming job that will require a dremel. I know very little about them. How much would a basic unit cost?

Thanks,
Glenn F.

If you bu ya true Dremil tool it can cost well over $50 or you can buy say a H-F one and spend as little as say $10 or so for a small set. I have 3 of the cheap sets and they do what I need. I started with the small set and have since gotten one of the big sets

It's worth the extra money to get a variable speed Dremel about $69.95 at lowes

I plugged my basic into a sewing machine foot control. Not only cheap put you can change the speed on the go.

My first dremel was the single speed. They are okay. You can't use a wire brush with the single speed. If you do the brush will fly a part very quickly!

My second Dremel I bought the variable speed and would not consider buying anything else.

That would work

I've worn outa couple Dremmels. They are not that durable considering the price. Instead go to a True Value hardware. They have a slightly larger version (think brand is Master Mechanic) that is far more durable. Variable speed, 110v. Costs about $30 on sale. Battery operated ones are a big disappointment. My Dremmels (and knock-offs) are some of my most used tools. Buying the little cutoff tools about every time I hit a walmart. Seems like they would get the hint and stock more than a card or two.

By no means go with the foreign knockoff "Genesis" Will not hold the tools no matter how tight you try to get them.

Whats the job... Basic Dremel consumables are cheap and give no service,, good consumables are EXPENSIVE and worth the extra exspence...

I agree with OLD, I have two variable speed Dremel model 395 rotary tools, and I have had to replace the plastic coupling inside the housing.

I purchased a HF rotary tool very reasonably and prefer it to the Dremel, the output shaft has less side play.

I bought a single speed Dremel around 30 years ago, and it was handy, but had limited uses. 20 years ago I bought one with a digital speed control built into the handle. I use it for more things than I ever dreamed of, and use it a lot. I have never had a problem with it.

Do you have air? If you do you can buy an air grinder for a lot less
and they are fairly rugged.
See link.
Die Grinder

I have die grinders. Guess I didn't realize different tips were available. I've just used cut off wheels on them. I will look into this.

Thanks,
Glenn F.

GEE< Hobo,

I have a DREMEL, used it as an overhead router for years. Eventually the bearing on the collet end became worn out. I returned the tool to DREMEL and they completely overhauled the tool at no charge. They even paid the return postage.

Later I purchased a electronic speed model and gave it away because the controller never held speeds vary good.

So, for me, the basic old model of Dremel has been a great tool. However, I am in wanting of the flexible shaft model for engraving some silver plates.

John,PA

(quoted from post at 19:49:35 11/09/15) GEE&lt; Hobo,

I have a DREMEL, used it as an overhead router for years. Eventually the bearing on the collet end became worn out. I returned the tool to DREMEL and they completely overhauled the tool at no charge. They even paid the return postage.

Later I purchased a electronic speed model and gave it away because the controller never held speeds vary good.

So, for me, the basic old model of Dremel has been a great tool. However, I am in wanting of the flexible shaft model for engraving some silver plates.

John,PA

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I have no problem with the tool its the cheap tooling. I buy the upgraded tooling it pays for itself, stuff like cut off wheels etc...

I think you can get a basic Dremel kit (tool, assortment of bits, sanders, cut-off wheels, etc.) for about $70. It may also include a flexible shaft. The Christmas specials should soon be out.

I have Dremels, but I also have a Foredom tool, a more powerful unit which uses flexible shaft only. Does everything Dremel will do and more. It has a foot-operated speed control. Cost is considerable higher.

Dremel has incredible customer service. Recently, within the last 60 days, I sent to them a failed variable speed unit and they replaced it, out of warranty, free of charge. No questions asked. Absolutely stellar company and for that, they have my vote and business.

(quoted from post at 15:47:11 11/09/15) Dremel has incredible customer service. Recently, within the last 60 days, I sent to them a failed variable speed unit and they replaced it, out of warranty, free of charge. No questions asked. Absolutely stellar company and for that, they have my vote and business.

Click to expand...

Your experience was the opposite of mine. I had an ancient single speed Dremel tool that, between my dad and I, we had obtained just about every attachment ever made for it. It finally died ina blaze of sparks and flame one day. SWMBO bought me a top of the line variable speed model as a replacement. Not a single attachment would fit. The noses were entirely different. All my letters and emails to Dremel were ignored. I'm not a big fan anymore.

Not many jobs that a dremel can do better than a 1/4 die grinder unless it is very small and intricate.

You should be able to buy a Dremel sized chuck to fit the small die grinder.

Interesting. I'm gonna get some attachments for my die grinder.

Glenn F.

Glenn F: exactly what are you planning on doing? That knowledge would help us direct our answers toward what might work best, rather than just guessing. Until we know that, I'll throw out a few general points: the two basic standards for shank size are 1/8" and 1/4". While there's tons of others, those are the usual suspects and by far the most common. There are hundreds of types of bits available, with carbide burs probably being the most commonly used. I've linked Enco's selection of burs below--close to 200, often available in sets--page through the catalog for more, I just linked the first page of several. I buy cheap 1/4" air grinders and always have a couple with various attachments ready to go--a cylinder bur, a cone bur, a cut-off wheel, a wire brush, etc. etc. so I can just grab it, pop on the quick-connect, and grind away. I also have a Craftsman multi-speed rotary tool ("dremel") that sees a lot of use for fine cut-off work where the air one is overkill, and the cut-off wheels (buy good, reinforced ones--they'll last several times longer than the cheap ones and won't snap and fly everywhere the first time they catch) work great for profiling and general clean-up work as well. I've also got a big 1/4" electric die grinder and while it has more power than the cheap air ones it's also susceptible to heating up if overloaded or used for long periods, which the air ones won't do. You can also get "pencil" air die grinders, which typically take 1/8" bits and will take the place of a dremel if you have air available, but, depending on how their trigger mechanism works, all of the air ones can be more difficult to regulate speed on than a multi-speed dremel.
carbide burs at Enco

At this point I just have a voltage regulator bracket I need to carve up a little, but I'm sure other things will come along.

Glenn F.

Carbide bur in your air grinder should work fine for that unless you need something small or intricate. Buy decent ones--this is another case where the ten-for-a-buck china-mart ones just aren't worth the frustration. Not that you can't get good import ones, you just have to step out of the bargain-basement bin to get them. $6.49 at Enco gets you an Atrax cylindrical bur with 1/4" shank (prices go up in a hurry with increased cutter diameter, of course) that will hog metal like there's no tomorrow--one just like it stays in one of my grinders at all times. Plenty of other solutions to the problem, but that's a pretty common way to go.
Enco carbide bur

Thank you Tim, for your detailed responses and link. I am going to get one of those carbide burs. It could save me a lot of rat tail filing down the road.

Glenn F.