The Evil Dremel.

[sussexmuzllodr]

I had one for years never failed. Used it until the commutator finally wore through. Brought a new one. It has not lasted a year requiring me to send it in for repair. I just use it for trimming screws and metal parts and such. I guess you can file it under they dont make them like they used to. At one point they went to a cheaper speed regulator which I think is the weak point on it.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Have had the same problem. The old ones last a long time. The new ones not so much.

 

[rchas]

planned obsolescence.... I thank my stars I inherited my father in law's Foredom rotary tool. They are pricy, but you only buy one.

 

[HSmithTX]

Best one I have had in a while is a Dremel brand cordless lithium battery unit, has outlasted at least 2 Dremel brand corded types. Poor thing has 150 hours on it if it has a minute and probably a lot more than that, still runs like a champ, and battery lift is still surprisingly good. It has become my primary and the corded unit only comes out when the battery is charging.

 

[NeilMacleod]

Most things dont last anymore. standard Blenders lasted me 6 months (daily use) till I bought a upscale one. Blenders used to last forty years.

 

[Dude]

I've got three Dremels, one with a non functional speed control. Got it working on high speed only, which is fine. If I want speed control, I'll pull out one of the others.

I just recently put together an older Foredom from parts sourced on ebay. The last piece is a variable speed foot control, and I don't know if the electronic will work on this older version. It does look bullet-proof!

 

[billraby]

Consider yourself lucky that the Dremel died early. Now you can go get a Foredom. Dremel should never be anywhere near a gun.

 

[Eterry]

I went to lodge and a brother said he cleaned out his father's shop. He had a trunk of old tools. I bought 2 old planes, then saw a metallic flex cord under a rag. He said he'd sell it for $40. I now have a Fordham foot control.

So do they use proprietary tools?

 

[Abarnes]

I spent over an hour one morning re connecting wires in the motor of mine, only to have the front main bearing go out before I could finish my project. But Dremel brand cutoffs are way better than the cheep ones!

 

[ZUG]

I got a Dremel that is marked Craftsman packed in a red tote box with attachments. It must be 20 years old and it is running like the proverbial top. I also inherited a Dremel cordless one that must be at least 12 years old and was used almost every day for about 2 to 3 hours a day and it works great. I use it mostly for light duty stuff every once in a while. The corded one is for the heavier jobs. They do good for what I need.

 

[VAN]

I got a Dremel Model 380 variable speed in the 1980's and use it a lot. Only problem is when the carbon contact brushes wear down but that is a quick-change repair. I read posts about ruining gun stock work but never had a problem and use them on all my stock inlets at least once. You cannot just thrust an unguided routing tool into an inlet, at least I can't. I use the proper guiding accessory, to keep disaster away. Here is my little collection of Dremel tool accessories that let me control where the rotary tool wants to go. The one used the most is the handheld routing guide. I get everything started in the inlets with chisels then lastly clean everything up with the routing bit using the two-hand hold on the guide. This Dremel flex tool comes in handy too.

 

[Robby]

I went to lodge and a brother said he cleaned out his father's shop. He had a trunk of old tools. I bought 2 old planes, then saw a metallic flex cord under a rag. He said he'd sell it for $40. I now have a Fordham foot control.

So do they use proprietary tools?

My flexible shaft tool is not a Foredom but I have a Foredom collet type hand piece that accepts various collets just like a Foredom or Dremel, I also have a hand piece with a keyed chuck, both are slim, trim, easy to use and snap right on to the flex-shaft.
Robby.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Consider yourself lucky that the Dremel died early. Now you can go get a Foredom. Dremel should never be anywhere near a gun.

Bill no wood. Just brass and screws and such.

 

[John May]

I've got a couple, the oldest is at least 20+ years old and is a different colour/tool to the new one, it even weighs more in your hand! It was long pre speed controller and is used with a 400W dimmer switch set-up for slowing it down. Even then it is lethal for anything other than polishing rough castings! Never let it near a stock!!

 

[Old-Duckman]

I agree with several previous posts, one planned obsolescence (now called product lifecycle) is a sad reality. Two, Foredom is the only way to go, buy once, cry once.

And lastly Foredom or Dremel, either one should be used sparingly. When I was teaching jewelry making I kept my students far away from any flex shaft tool. I would tell them that there was no better way to ruin a piece quickly than to use a flex shaft. I stick to that opinion. Invaluable at times but more often than not you can accomplish the same task with hand tools with far less chance of damaging what you are working on.

 

[cebusey]

We used them at work to do a lot of final fitting for prototype parts and the battery ones seem to live forever. They gave me the last one when the factory shut it's door and it is still going strong. You used to be able to buy every repair needed and i have rebuilt more than a few - it was cheaper than a new one unless you needed a new battery

 

[Eric Krewson]

I was once a serious duck decoy carver, I used a Dremel and a foot controlled Fordom tool, the Dremel was handier, the Fordom was much more powerful for hogging off wood. I learned never to turn a hobby into a business with orders to fill, the formerly fun work becomes drudgery. I put down my tools in 86 and never picked them up again. My unfinished ducks are just like I left them in 86. I do keep two almost finished heads on a shelf by my workbench to remind me never to turn a fun hobby into a business again.

They are a little beat up from being tossed around the shop for the last 37 years but you can see what I made.

That said; my first Dremel lasted through at least 25 years of HEAVY use, it was American made. My replacement, Chinese made, lasted 6 months before the collet lock stripped and rendered the tool useless. Sending it for repair would have been a risk, it may cost nothing or it may cost $50, one had of send it in to find out. I found throwing it in the trash was a better option.

I bought a $9 elcheapo variable speed rotary tool from Harbor Freight to use until I can get something better, 3 years out and the elcheapo is still working just fine.

My huge Fordom set-up is combersome to set up and use so it stays on the shelf under my workbench.

 

[45man]

I mount my old one to my lathe for some jobs. It is a single speed but years ago I built an external speed control that tames it.
Well, it quit when grinding a pilot on a drill bit. The nylon coupler cracked and the spare cracked too. I found surgical tubing works fine and I finished the job.

 

[MSW]

for true ... the Dreaded Dremel can get you into trouble a whole lot faster than it can get you out of trouble. I don't go near guns with them (don't ask me how i know but experience teaches expensive lessons).

useful for other stuff, though

 

[PathfinderNC]

Consider yourself lucky that the Dremel died early. Now you can go get a Foredom. Dremel should never be anywhere near a gun.

Some are better with one than others.