Dremel

[willsie01]

Seems to be a variety of Dremels, Which should I be looking at for DIY and woodworking.

 

[Droogs]

A Dremel may not be what you need. Could you give us more details on what type of woodworking you intend to do?

 

[sunnybob]

A dremel is a model makers tool. It is not strong enough for any conventional woodwork

 

[willsie01]

I surmised they aren't high powered but I wondered if they'd be up to cutting the figure of eight shapes of acoustic guitar soundboards and backs, which are thin sheets.

 

[Droogs]

A palm router would probably better for you. something of the type like the Makita MOF700 series or one of it's clones such as the one made by Katsu or the similar Bosch 700

I use a dremel type machine in a Veritas plunge base for very intricate inlay work but would never think of using it for a complete round trip of a guitar body. Not really designed for that kind of work

 

[willsie01]

I'll take a look at the tools you mention.
Talking about inlays: there are inlays in the fretboard of guitars and a rebate around the hole in the soundboard for the rosette. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Yojevol]

Seems to be a variety of Dremels, Which should I be looking at for DIY and woodworking.

Do you mean variety of actual Dremels or the multitude of Dremel lookalikes? If it's pure Dremels, for general work it's a choice between corded or cordless. My first experience of these tools was a corded one borrowed from a friend. Having used that a few times I decided to buy my own and went for a cordless. Despite Sunnybob's comment above, there is no reason why you shouldn't use it for intricate operations on wood. I have been using mine quite lot recently and have found the battery capacity a bit limiting so I've purchased an after-market one of twice the capacity.
The Dremel tools and accessories tend to be expensive but there is a huge market from other suppliers.
It's one of those tools that you might buy for a particular purpose but then find many other applications that you never envisaged.
I'm certainly glad I've got mine.
Brian

 

[akirk]

I have the latest version (8000?) in battery form and it is in constant use, esp. for small hard to reach areas, was using it today to help sand down an old stool - big sander for 90%, dremel for the rest...

not played with it as router, though I do have the plunge adaptor so need to try

 

[samhay]

I have a 400. Dremels are a useful (but not essential) for a few guitar building tasks, including cutting the rosette and various inlay rebates and can, at a pinch, use them for cutting the binding and purfling channels, although a palm router is probably a better choice for that.
If you don't have a router, this is probably a better first purchase than a Dremel.

 

[Cheesehound]

I've had a Dremel, which was replaced under guarantee. Unfortunately the replacement soon developed the same problem (very noisy, with much vibration).
I now have the Proxxon equivalent, which I would highly recommend. I bought it from Axminster Tools.
It is much quieter, with far less vibration, and is easier to hold. I would say that it is much better engineered than either of my Dremels.
Hope that helps.

 

[RueFondary]

I have a basic corded Dremel (3000). I use it very very occasionally, but a bit like and oscillating multitool (aka Fein multimaster), it can be very useful in a few odd situations, such as cutting openings in (plastic) project/electrical boxes or for enlarging/sculpting holes in hard materials (where using a file would be very slow or have access issues). I don't think I've ever used if for woodworking though.

 

[AES]

I too have a - VERY old - corded Dremel. I think it's great and have never had a moment's problem with it.

OTOH:

1. A couple or so years ago I found a Dremel "Trio" router/cutter thingy (I don't think they're made any more - probably just as well!) as a "shop-soiled ex-display unit, no carry case". After a quick chat with the manager I got it for 75% off the displayed price - roughly 20 quid equivalent if I remember rightly. BUT not only is the collet chuck a "silly" (unique to Dremel) dia, but after not too much use the bearings are starting to get noisy - not a major job I'm sure, but currently "lying on the side for a one fine wet day" job! Also, when in router mode, the depth adjustment is just is just plain "carp"! But with care, it does do the job/s I've asked it to, and being no "professional" myself I don't work to a deadline.

2. Over the years there have been several posts here by dissatisfied users, particularly regarding the battery-driven drill models (which I've never tried).

I've also heard rumours (on here amongst other places) that Dremel has been "taken over" (or otherwise changed things) with some other company (Black & Decker???), and that most/all of their stuff is no longer made in the USA.

YEARS ago I also had a Dremel "Moto Tool" "sort of scroll saw thingy" and still own and regularly use a small disc/belt sander by Dremel. My own experience of both of those, and of the above mains drill, is that the quality of all these tools was/is excellent.

But based on points 1 and 2 above, my GUESS is that with Dremel nowadays, "fings ain't wot they used to be"!

BTW, Proxon drills (and their other tools) have a very good reputation here - Switzerland) but are also VERY expensive here (their little mains drills are roughly double Dremel prices).

So would I buy Dremel again?

I doubt it - in view of the comments above - but as above, with a bit of work and a pair of bearings, I reckon my above Dremel "Trio" (and the disc/belt sander) will outlast me now (I'm 75). For 20 quid I cant grumble (and at the time, those "Makita-look-alike" palm routers weren't available). "Smug so-n-so" I hear you say!

But as said, I think Dremel's "bean counters" (plus no doubt their "marketing flower arrangers") have significantly the quality of what was once a generally excellent product range.

BTW, I also have an Aldi/Lidl (I forget which) mains mini drill which I use almost exclusively with a flex drive shaft (which was included within the "kit"). Whilst it's clearly not as good a piece of tooling as my Dremel mini drill, it's already outlasted the 3 year guarantee, and as it was a really silly cheap price (about 25 quid equivalent???) I don't think it will owe me anything if it blows up tomorrow.

Many people here decry the Aldi/Lidl tools generally, but my experience has been generally good (for the price) and with a 3 year warranty, if you haven't got the budget for a Proxon, maybe worth a try next time they have them in stock?

HTH

 

[sunnybob]

Another example of insufficient info in the first post, The question was for general woodwork and diy. A dremel is useless for general woodwork and not much better for diy.
But delicate guitar work is the same as model making work, so my original comment still stands.
We ALWAYS need more info on a question post.

 

[AES]

I'm not sure that I completely agree with sunnybob here.

For "general/hard" house restoration-type DIY (or for an on-site chippy) I couldn't see much use for a Dremel drill.

But depending on the material I would have any problem at all with going around a guitar body with my Dremel Trio "router-thingy" (ONCE I'd got the depth of cut set correctly!!!), and as another example I used my mains Dremel (with cut off disc) to cut off 3 x 12 mm bolts in-situ (because I could get my angle grinder in there).

But in 90%+ of cases, for "general work" I can't see much use for a Dremel-type drill myself - and from all I've read here I GUESS those little Katsu palm routers (or the "original" Makita) would be MUCH better than my "Trio" for light routing work on such things as guitars (never done any work in that area, my "background" is in model aero - MUCH lighter than general woodwork.