[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

On 3/9/2017 6:10 PM, Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

Before I retired, I used to use "real" brick ****house dremels at work
and cheap clones at home. A couple of years ago when mine died, I found
you could buy a genuine one for under £40 (admittedly not built like the
old industrial ones), so I got one of them. The electronics died
recently, I replaced the triac but at that point I realised that the
field coils had failed as well. Although spares were available, I'd lost
confidence and binned it. After a bit of research I bought a Proxxon. It
failed within a week, fortunately no problem replacing (Amazon?
Axminster?) Nicely made, but one downside is that it only runs at 15,000
rpm rather than 30,000 like a Dremel. (I really would *not* buy one that
was not variable speed, unless you only use it for drilling or polishing).

Shortly aftewards someone posted a Draper kit offer for, iirc, around
£25 with quite a few accessories so I picked up one of them too.

I probably use the Draper more than the Proxxon. (One failing with the
latter is that the switch is placed where it is easy to operate
unintentionally when you pick it up).

Like the multi-tool, I don't use them all that often, but for the
appropriate job they are indispensible.

You might want to think whether you want corded or cordless. I had a
cordless Tandy one in distant days, good apart from the usual NiCad
limitations. These days I only have corded, but if I was using one more
often I would probably go for cordless.

newshound wrote:

Before I retired, I used to use "real" brick ****house dremels at work

I've got a 20+ year old model 395 (variable speed up to 37,000 rpm)
which I tend to use more since buying the klik arbour/wheels rather than
the old cut-off wheels.

I've also bought a keyless 3 jaw chuck to use tiny drill bits, though
the collet chuck generally lives on it unless I'm doing drilling.

I suppose the model 3000 is the closest current dremel.

On 3/9/2017 7:42 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
newshound wrote:

Before I retired, I used to use "real" brick ****house dremels at work

I've got a 20+ year old model 395 (variable speed up to 37,000 rpm)
which I tend to use more since buying the klik arbour/wheels rather than
the old cut-off wheels.

I've also bought a keyless 3 jaw chuck to use tiny drill bits, though
the collet chuck generally lives on it unless I'm doing drilling.

I suppose the model 3000 is the closest current dremel.

The klik arbour wheels are great, if a bit expensive. I was very happy
that my client supplied them when I was doing a very awkward job in
their workshops a few years ago.

I use both collets and chucks.

On 09/03/17 18:10, Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

I have had Black & Decker (very similar if not identical to
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decke.../dp/B0001OZHF8)
for over 20 years. Only used very occasionally but works well. I also
have a Dremel I inherited a few years ago, and might be of similar age.
To be honest, I can't see much difference in use between them. But they
appear to use slightly different size collets, so the tool shafts aren't
interchangeable. I don't know if that is still the case with the newer
models

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote:
On 09/03/17 18:10, Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

I have had Black & Decker (very similar if not identical to
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decke.../dp/B0001OZHF8)
for over 20 years. Only used very occasionally but works well. I also
have a Dremel I inherited a few years ago, and might be of similar age.
To be honest, I can't see much difference in use between them. But they
appear to use slightly different size collets, so the tool shafts aren't
interchangeable. I don't know if that is still the case with the newer
models

My cheapo Duratool one (from CPC) comes with several collets so seems
to be able to use most size tools.

--
Chris Green
·

Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

Get a compressor and use die grinders, much better.

"F Murtz" wrote in message
web.com...
Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Get a compressor and use die grinders, much better.

Do you need anything special compressor wise ?

Just missed out on one last weekend, $60, walked straight past it at a
garage sale.

On Fri, 10 Mar 2017 20:24:57 +1100, F Murtz
wrote:

snip

Get a compressor and use die grinders, much better.

I have an electric (240V) die grinder but whilst it's suitably fast
and reasonably powerful it's bigger and heavier than most air powered
die grinders I've used and wouldn't really compare it with any Dremel
sized tool.

Air powered die grinders are ok, apart from the hose and the large /
loud compressor. ;-)

I still have my original 12V Dremel with the variable output 12V power
brick and a few other similar tools and have found I have used the
positive features of each for different things.

Like, if I want 'small, adjustable and light' I'll use the original
Dremel. If I want something with a bit more oomph I'll use the 240V
Powerbase alternative.

Cheers, T i m

On 3/10/2017 9:24 AM, F Murtz wrote:
Another John wrote:
[On topic!]

I'm thinking of replacing my old, cheap Dremel-like multitool with a
better version (for a start, mine only has one speed, i.e. bloody fast).

On looking at Amazon, I find that there are various versions of Dremel
(including versions not made by Dremel?? What's the "Lumberjack" (25.99)
?)

Do DIY-ers have a recommended model? I do not do a lot of fine, small
work. However, I do have a job on the shelf which will involve trying to
make a facsimile of a moulding for an old piece of furniture, and it's
for this that I thought I'd upgrade my kit. (Iv'e got the moulding
made, by a kind friend with a router: I need to engrave the pattern.)

Cheers
John

Get a compressor and use die grinders, much better.

Yes if you have much metal to remove (say, tweaking a cylinder head), no
if you are using it for something like jewellery.