Dremel Thoughts...

[rootnuke]

I have a Dremel. After using it a little I found I liked the old fashioned way better of hammer & chisel. Since I purchased my Dremel it has spent alot of time on the shelf. I found it hard to hold and the hot air coming off the motor distracting.

However I have recently purchased a flex cable attachment that has changed my position on Dremel. The hand "pen" as I call it is easy to hold and there is no hot from the motor blowing air out the sides.

10% is now my Dremel usage. Hammer and chisel are still it for me. But for those that had the same issue, check out this add-on...
add-on here

For specific applications you may find it a handy item around the shop. :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

I have used a Dremel and found it works well for some tasks but can create disaster if not handled correctly.
I have the flex cable attachment and the "router" base attachment.

The router base is rather flimsy but is useful when inleting lock plates.
I use a razor knife and small chisels to actually make the cut for the lockplates edges and chisel inward (towards the center of the lockplate) for about 1/8-3/16. The remaining wood inside the chiseled cut gets slowly routed out to obtain a uniform depth.
This is also handy for removing the deeper wood where the sear, tumbler, bridle and spring want to live.
I also use it to cut the notches for the underlugs because it gives me a precise control on depth.

The Flex cable makes it much easier to use for freehand use and for removing wood for the ramrod thimbols.
Without the flex cable, it's hard to get the burr or grinding wheel parallel with the ramrod groove because the motor is in the way. Using the Flex cable you can get the cutting tool almost parallel for a much better job.

My only real complaint with the Dremel is the cost of their cutting tools.
I did find a 20 gallon pail of circuit board drills at a local scrap yard. These not only have spiral flutes, but the outside diameter has little teeth cut on it like a side cutting end mill. They were available in 1/32, 1/16 and 3/32 diamter and are made of some of the toughest Cobalt High Speed Steel I've ever seen. The owner wanted $5/pound for them. One pound sure is a lot of very useful little burrs.

 

[Deadeye]

In my shop in a yrs. time I will wear out 3 or 4 Dremel tools. I send them back to Palm Springs and they either rebuild them or give me a cut in price on a new one. I use them a lot and have all the attachments.
You can't do everything but it's amazing what can be done with a dremel. I 'd hate to be without it.

 

[LSU TIGER]

I agree with Zonie. Great for some things, but not for others. I use mine lately for cutting the slot for a trigger to travel in to hit the sear. :m2c:

 

[jh45gun]

Dremels are wonder tools in the hand of some one who knows his limits or is a professional. In the hands of some one who does not know how to use them they are a disaster waiting to happen. Just ask any gunsmith. They have seen lots of dremel misuse. I like and use one for metal cutting and shaping but I go slow and carefull and if it needs real fine work use the dremel for the course stuff and hand work on the final stages. Jim

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

Just got a NEW Dremel tool in the mail after sending my DOA 20 year old model to them for repair. Their "repair charge" of $38 covered replacing it with the latest #395 Variable-Speed MultiPro model and I am going to get the flex tool soon. What a great company to deal with :thumbsup:

 

[Randy]

Creating clearance for the moving parts in a lock mortice and working around the sear lever and trigger are great places to use a dremmel. However, if you have a good selection of chissels and gouges the work can be done by hand nearly as fast. I seem to be finding less and less uses for mine in gunbuilding. The more precise and authentic you want to be the more power tools get left on the shelf. I still think it's a great tool for removing wood on those hidden places. If mine quit workin I'd surely buy another.