Serious Tool Question... Good answers only!!

Here is my 2 cents worth: I have been a modeler for over 35 years, both as a hobby and as a profession. While I'm sure there are many good reasons for all sorts of different motor tools, all I have ever needed was my trusty Dremel Multi-Pro. Personally, I would not recommend the cordless variety, simply because I wouldn't want the battery to die in the middle of whatever I'm doing. Sure, you can get spare batteries, but it's just like my cordless drill, with which I do have a spare battery, sooner or later, you are left without power. As for price, I could buy 4 Dremels for $227 US, whatever that translates to, I don't know. Then there are things like the flex-shaft attachment, lights, buzzers, whistles, etc...these are a matter of personal choice. You do need varible speed however, this is a very useful feature to have. Too much speed and your sander will melt your plastic, too little speed, you'll be there all day on the tough stuff like metals. Hope this was somewhat helpful.

Get the Dremel. They make a model that works with their variable speed control unit. They also make a that has a variable speed from 5,000-35,000rpm built into the hand piece; for styrene, 5,000 rpm still has the potential to melt plastic. Opt for the unit with the variable control. Mine has lasted about 30 years now with no problems.
Gip Winecoff

Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to mention that Dremel has a big line of available bits, polishers, cutoff wheels, sanders, grinders, etc. You'll never go wanting for accessories. I've even chucked some dental bits into my Dremel that my Dentist gave me.

Gip Winecoff

Leopold and Styrene have hit on the one important part, variable speed A dremel at the even the slowest speeds will melt plastic. The "cats ass" hook-up is to have a foot pedal on-off switch with variable speed. I don't have one, i know they are out there.

Get the flexible shaft attachment, hook-up the motor in a stable spot and use the flexible shaft. POOF you're instantly a dentist, ready to wreak havoc.

Good luck

I also have a variable speed Dremel (with the extension tool for easier work) but to be honest, I have never used it in a model project. If I need something drilled, I use my pin-vise. I have all the polishing wheels, sanding disks, bits and even some routers but never tried it out on an actual model.

Now, as for other projects around the house, it's priceless. Especially when you don't want to use a huge drill.

Dremel or Minicraft. I have the minicraft tool here in the UK, but found one and used it in the US too. The basic tool, with tons of bits, cost nothing more that $30, but the stock transformer it comes with is not useful and you'll need the bigger variable speed transformer (MB751) to do any good work with plastic. 0 to 20,000 rotations per minute or something silly like that. I only use the lower 'gears' so to speak.

Best tool I ever bought!

ive got the Dremell digital profesional with flax shaft it seems to go slower than the sliding speed controller and is a good tool, ive not used it on a model yet but have used it on making Dioramas
there is a Dremell web site that shows all there stuff,
like Leopold say the cordless one isnt recomended

I've had my Dremmel for many, many years. Mine is one with ball bearings and has a dial in the handset for the variable speed. I believe it runs slower than the newer sliding controller type. Again, go with the seperate varible speed controller.

I use mine quite often for grinding and polishing. I never use if for drilling (I might if I ever get around to building a wooden ship model). You just can't beat a GOOD pin vise when it comes time to drill with a small bit. If I had the flex shaft and a slow speed, I might try it, but not in the standard configuration.

Good luck with it.

Bill

Thanks for all the help guys, I better check out the website now!! I think I will have more qustions than answers though!
Ian

Iano;
Would seriously consider the Dremel due to its quality and availablity of bits and other accessories. I would also go for the variable speed type.

Wayne

I have a Dremel and a B&D and both of them are great plus you can use all the dremel bits and accessories in the B&D

Go with the Dremel. However, money is part of the answer you might check out the Sears catalog. They had a tool which was almost an exact twin for the Dremel which was somewhat cheaper. As far as the smaller battery powered units go, I have one of the smallest that Dremel makes and I seem to do about 90 percent of my work with it. I just bought an extra battery and always have one battery in the charger so I can swap them outwhen needed. It also runs slower at its highest speed than the cord operated unit does at its lowest setting. If I am going to be grinding for a long period or do some very heavy grinding I always use my cord unit.

I had two Dremels (one was my late father's own) and I sold one; I could sell the one remaining too and consider Proxxon which is NOT full of plastic; Dremel has a lot of problems laterally, I mean that it is a pain in the ****** to make a precise drilling with a tiny bit; I have less problems with a suspended Microlux motor with flexible ; did you know that a lot of American ( and other ) luthiers used Dremel for drilling and routing, but that they have to change their accessories for serious ones ? (metacrylate and brass)you could go see Stewart Mac Donald who are suppliers for luthiers (http:www.stewmac.com)

I have a Dremel single speed with a router speed controller and it works beautifully. The multi speed is too fast on its slowest speed. I like this better than a foot pedal because it's too easy for me to lean on the foot and increase the speed. The router speed control (available at any home improvement store where routers are carried) is set and stays constant and SLOW. Sometimes as low as 200 rpm. The router speed control does not work with variable speed tools.
Good luck
Paul.

I have the Dremel Variable Speed and wouldn't ever want to be without it.

Dremel seems to be the industry standard. If you do go with a variable speed controller, it's best to use the single speed Dremel tool. The flexishaft attachment is worth it's weight in gold.

I bought a Dremel with a shit-load of different bits. Come to find out that I only use a few of the bits and the rest are all decoration. The cut-off wheel is great, the little cutting burrs and the sanding drums are very usefull (just used the burrs last night to carve a pilot up) and the buffing wheel has been useful before. So what does this mean? It means get the Dremel but buy the individual bits you like and screw the other crap.

I've got the two speed, cordless Dremmel. It does all I ever need and I have no complaints about it.

I would recommend the Dremel variable speed. Yard sales are a great place to tool up your hobby bench. Swanny is right except for S bomb. You will find out you will need only a few tool bits. If you buy a large kit most of the bits will just collect dust.

I like my single speed Dremel with the foot control and flex shaft. I also have the drill press attachment. Great versatility.

Until recently i've been using a Performance Power Pro(english budget range) tool which did all i thought i needed. Recently tho i inherited a Foredom which is just amazing. I didn't buy it so i've no idea of price and i'm not totally used to it yet so i couldnt list all it's capabilities. what i can tell you however is that it is on a permanent flexi-shaft and is operated by foot peddle. foredom produce a large range of own brand accessories and the in-built chuck is marvelous! hope this has been at least loosely informative!

hi there , i've got first a dremel to but the variable speed was busted so i got myself a powerplus dremellike drill ( as good as a dremel but half the price) now i have a second drill, its a low budget little drill on a transfo. I have removed the original transfo and replaced it with a transfo from a modeltrain set , now i can drill verry verry slow and go in reverse also ( even the slowest speed on a dremel is often to fast to drill holes like with a 0.5mm drillbit) . Happy building

I wouldn't give up my Dremel tool for any amount of money ... well maybe ... but, would stop off at the hobby shop for another on my way to the bank to deposit the difference