Dremel, Beware

I’ve had my Dremel for yonks and guess many of you will also own one or something similar. Such a handy little tool. That is until it goes bang.

Basically the carbon brushes were reaching the end of their useful life when one or both of them disintegrated and in doing so ripped one of the commutator strips off of the armature.



So instead of replacing a brush set at just over a fiver plus P&P I now have to add a new armature bringing the total to nearly forty quid. It doesn’t take five minutes to check how the brushes are wearing, saving not only the crinkle but the inconvenience as well.

 

I buy the cheap chinese version as a boxed kit. They have a variable speed controller that usually fails so you end up with only on and off but I don't find that an issue.

Any problems, bin and start again at around £20 - £25 all in.
Something like this....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/29494167...QlJ5hyEQKC&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

When i bought mine it was a special deal in B&Q comprising a quality toolbox, mini circular saw attachment, 90° drive attachment and, of course, the tool itself. Before that i had a Black & Decker version which didn’t hold a candle to the Dremel. Thinking about getting the router attachment for it.

 

In what way do you feel the Dremel justifies the cost?

Any hard, heavy duty style work, I use my air powered Chicago Pneumatics die grinder which will take a lot of abuse and has done so for many years.

 

I have a Woolworth branded knock-off one, which shows how old it is! May have a look at the weekend to see if the brushes are accessible or not. Being a cheapo they may not...

 

That's exactly what I bought and what I did when the variable speed controller packed up. I couldn't get a replacement pot that fitted so I just bypassed it so it runs at full speed. I've also changed the brushes once as they were getting close to the limit. Dremels have been around for decades and are quite versatile with loads of accessories but WAY overpriced IMO.

 

Just had a thought. For any of our Aussie readers who were not aware and may be confused at my post... Woolworths in the UK was a homewares/hardware/all sorts of things pseudo department store. A great place to get pick-n-mix sweets too. They were on every high street around the country and were a really handy place to get a new kettle or small pack of wood screws, before out of town retail parks became a thing and along with the Internet killed off the high street mainstays like Woolies. It was NOT a supermarket like your Woolworths.

Carry on.

 

What are you disagreeing with @Dawsy ?

I find air powered tools take more hammer and abuse than electric, whether battery or mains; Do you find different?

 

@Dawsy I thought you were disagreeing with the air versus electric idea.

I wanted to buy a new air impact gun in the early 90's. The Snap-On van called every week and so I asked him if I could test his gun against a CP 1/2" gun of my business partner.
A 16mm bolt was put in a vice and rattled tight with one and loosened with the other.

The CP ( Chicago Pneumatics) won with ease so I sent the sales guy on his way and bought accordingly.

Fast forward thirty odd years I still have it and other than giving it the odd dribble of lube now and then, it has performed brilliantly.
A mate with a Ducati asked if I could undo his back wheel around 240 nm IIRC
For the first time the CP gun failed but I do have a Snap-On 4' long strong bar that sorted it.

He bought a Milwaukee 1/2 battery impact gun, £400 worth. Now that is a tool and beat the CP with ease.

How things move on

The CP air die grinder is now around 40 years old and still going strong, will the same be said by future generations about the current (pun) electric options?

 

Dremel and other similar tools were/are designed primarily for "hobby" use in model making, craft work, light DIY etc and can't be compared to air tools and modern, heavy duty battery tools in the garage.
I'd put my Milwaukee tools up against any air or other powered tool, quality kit that will take real abuse.

 

I agree with you about the Dremel. It's aimed at people who don't have a shed full of high tech, high powered gear. It's very versatile, I use mine for cutting, drilling (small holes), polishing, cleaning corrosion etc. I'm sure there are tools that could do a better job but the Dremel works well for what it's intended. The Dremel 3000 (which I have) is around £50. Yes, you can find cheaper multi-tools, but mine is still going strong after at least 10 years, so I'm happy with that.

 

I bought the M18 CHIWF12, 950NM of tightening torque and up to 1491NM of untightening. I've yet to find anything it can't handle and easily spun of rusted, 27 year old M14 suspension nuts/bolts on the SUV.

 

Yes I think he bought this one which sounds very simiar;

https://www.screwfix.com/p/milwauke...ss-one-key-impact-wrench/445ge?ref=SFAppShare

 

Mine is the 300 series launched in 05 so is well over 10 years old. I have all the air tools but the compressor gave up the ghost. Just about to buy my self a 50 litre vertical one and they stopped selling it. Not having much luck with tools at the moment.

By the way, another warning, this time about Ferrex discs from Aldi for your angle grinder. They don’t quite fit my B&D angle grinder with the shield fitted.

 

Back on to the dremel subject, I chose sealey as it was still a robust tool at better money. Works well no end of time so long as you respect its limits vs air tools

 

Thanks for the reminder. My Dremel is probably ten years old. Just checked the brushes. Good for now.