Dremel died

flor1

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My second dremel in less then a year gave up and died this week I can send it back under warrenty but looking to get some thing different for now. Looking for recommendations for something that works and is dependable. Thanks
 

greerhw

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My second dremel in less then a year gave up and died this week I can send it back under warrenty but looking to get some thing different for now. Looking for recommendations for something that works and is dependable. Thanks


I have a dremel that is over 25 years old and works like a charm. Like the old saying "They don't make them like they used to"

Keep it green,
Harry
 

R_F

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I was given a dremmel some years back as a Christmas gift....it died with the 5th use....I'll never buy another one
 

Tachigi

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Try a foredom...have had mine for 8 years and have abused it severly, still is going stong. Collet sizes range are 3/16, 1/8, 1/4 so no need for a makita on the big stuff. Foot control for exact control...great if you have to get the bit in and out with out damaging surrounding area. Also controls rpm for a better result. They also have different hand pieces which are great for different situations ...look HERE
 

greerhw

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Try a foredom...have had mine for 8 years and have abused it severly, still is going stong. Collet sizes range are 3/16, 1/8, 1/4 so no need for a makita on the big stuff. Foot control for exact control...great if you have to get the bit in and out with out damaging surrounding area. Also controls rpm for a better result. They also have different hand pieces which are great for different situations ...look HERE


I'm going to ask my wife to get me a Foredom and a Ichiban for Christmas and the chances are I will probably get an obscene gesture when I tell her the prices for both.

keep it green,
Harry
 

Tachigi

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I'm going to ask my wife to get me a Foredom and a Ichiban for Christmas and the chances are I will probably get an obscene gesture when I tell her the prices for both.

keep it green,
Harry

Harry, let me make an analogy that you maybe able to identify with. A dremel is as to Cutty Sark as foredom is to a 30 Year old Highland Park Single Malt Scotch. Something tells me she doesn't dictate what scotch you drink;)

A dremal is a fine tool if you don't do a lot of carving and want a throw away and a tool with limited flexibility. However, If one day you ever use a foredom on a bonsai that you wanted to do some serious carving on. You'd think you died and went to heaven and wonder why you waited so long.
 

greerhw

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Harry, let me make an analogy that you maybe able to identify with. A dremel is as to Cutty Sark as foredom is to a 30 Year old Highland Park Single Malt Scotch. Something tells me she doesn't dictate what scotch you drink;)

A dremal is a fine tool if you don't do a lot of carving and want a throw away and a tool with limited flexibility. However, If one day you ever use a foredom on a bonsai that you wanted to do some serious carving on. You'd think you died and went to heaven and wonder why you waited so long.

Tom, I'm a tool freak, I'm the Tim Taylor of bonsai, I own tools that have never been out of the box and probably won't unless Marco wants to use them. I will probably end up with a foredom and a Ichiban. When I go to workshops, I lay everything out as a smoke screen, so people will think I know what I'm doing. That's precisely why I don't send her to the liquor store.........

keep it green,
Harry
 
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GOZTEK

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Hey, finally i can reply to someone i own a hardware store back in Malta so i know a thing or to about these. We do dremel but if you want to change to something better i have seen some peeps using hand held routers, i have seen them used on trees they are a bit bigger then the dremel but more powerfull and very easy to handle. We usually get it in Ryobi brand i don't know if you get this brand there, this is a very good brand :)
 

Dav4

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Hey, finally i can reply to someone i own a hardware store back in Malta so i know a thing or to about these. We do dremel but if you want to change to something better i have seen some peeps using hand held routers, i have seen them used on trees they are a bit bigger then the dremel but more powerfull and very easy to handle. We usually get it in Ryobi brand i don't know if you get this brand there, this is a very good brand :)

My Ryobi is still going strong after 12 years. I will say I don't do alot of carving( several hours worth every few months), and I have a Makita die grinder for the heavy duty work, but the Ryobi has done a good job for me over the years.

Dave
 

rockm

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"Harry, let me make an analogy that you maybe able to identify with. A dremel is as to Cutty Sark as foredom is to a 30 Year old Highland Park Single Malt Scotch. Something tells me she doesn't dictate what scotch you drink"

If you can drink 30 year old Single Malt, then you're probably not worried if your Dremel kicks it...

FWIW, I have had the same Dremel for well over a decade. If you're burning them up that fast, it may be how you're using it rather than the tool. I'd suggest that investing in a more expensive tool might just lead to a more costly failure...

You can't make a tool do something it's not supposed to, or make it perform its task faster by pushing it...
 

rockm

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"Harry, let me make an analogy that you maybe able to identify with. A dremel is as to Cutty Sark as foredom is to a 30 Year old Highland Park Single Malt Scotch. Something tells me she doesn't dictate what scotch you drink"

If you're drinking 30 year old Single Malt, then you're probably not worried if your Dremel kicks it...

FWIW, I have had the same Dremel for well over a decade. If you're burning them up that fast, it may be how you're using it rather than the tool. I'd suggest that investing in a more expensive tool might just lead to a more costly failure...

You can't make a tool do something it's not supposed to, or make it perform its task faster by pushing it...
 

greerhw

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"Harry, let me make an analogy that you maybe able to identify with. A dremel is as to Cutty Sark as foredom is to a 30 Year old Highland Park Single Malt Scotch. Something tells me she doesn't dictate what scotch you drink"

If you can drink 30 year old Single Malt, then you're probably not worried if your Dremel kicks it...

FWIW, I have had the same Dremel for well over a decade. If you're burning them up that fast, it may be how you're using it rather than the tool. I'd suggest that investing in a more expensive tool might just lead to a more costly failure...

You can't make a tool do something it's not supposed to, or make it perform its task faster by pushing it...

I will confess, I bought batter powered rechargeable Dremel and it's not worth much. It doesn't have much power and the charge doesn't last very long, so I use it on my dogs nails.

keep it green,
Harry
 

rockm

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Well, you got what you paid for. Battery powered dremels aren't good for much other than trimming toenails.

Get the plug in variety...and the tungsten burr bits...
 

Tachigi

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If you're drinking 30 year old Single Malt, then you're probably not worried if your Dremel kicks it...
it...

You don't drink a 30 year old Single Malt, you put it on an alter and worship it. :D

You can't make a tool do something it's not supposed to, or make it perform its task faster by pushing

Exactly my point.....dremel is a fine tool for light carving. If you want speed or are doing some some intense stuff...you need to look for other options
 

greerhw

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Well, you got what you paid for. Battery powered dremels aren't good for much other than trimming toenails.

Get the plug in variety...and the tungsten burr bits...


Reread my post, I've had a plug in for over 20 years and it's working fine and I use tungsten bits and wire brushes. The trouble is the good brass brushes only last one tree.I also have a Proxxon carver and a Merlin chain saw, this baby will remove a lot of wood in a hurry.

keep it green,
Harry





http://www.chippingaway.com/WoodCarving/PowerCarvingTools/Merlin-MiniatureCarver.htm
http://www.minicrafttools.com/38642.html
 

Gnome

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flor1.

Here's a knock-off of the type of tool that Tom posted earlier.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40432

The quality control on this brand is not exceptional but I own this very tool and it has performed well for me. I guess every company produces a 'lemon' now and then. I have a second handpiece for mine that has a reciprocating motion and functions like a chisel. BTW there are several companies making this class of tool, look to jewelry supply houses, that's what I primarily use mine for, silversmithing.

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/index.cfm?cat=11&sub=2&catalog=1&CFID=2618658&CFTOKEN=43826063

Norm
 

rockm

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"The trouble is the good brass brushes only last one tree."

Well, THAT's true--if that long. Gotta LOVE those flying shards of copper wire when they embed themselves in your forearms :D

"I also have a Proxxon carver and a Merlin chain saw, this baby will remove a lot of wood in a hurry."

I have an Arbortech to move alot of wood quickly--and i've burned up two electric chainsaws (which are the equivalent of battery-powered dremels :D ) sawing roots around collected trees.
 

greerhw

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"The trouble is the good brass brushes only last one tree."

Well, THAT's true--if that long. Gotta LOVE those flying shards of copper wire when they embed themselves in your forearms :D

"I also have a Proxxon carver and a Merlin chain saw, this baby will remove a lot of wood in a hurry."

I have an Arbortech to move alot of wood quickly--and i've burned up two electric chainsaws (which are the equivalent of battery-powered dremels :D ) sawing roots around collected trees.

I only have one or two big trees, everything else is Shohin or Chuhin, so not a lot of heavy carving to do. My big Itowaga is the only one that gets serious carving. The Proxxon is German made and will do most of what a Arbortech will do for less than half the price, it just doesn't have the interchangeable chuck.

keep it green,
Harry
 

flor1

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Thanks to all that replyed. I'm going to go with the Foredom and hopefully be done with it once and foreall. Now I've just got to figure which model and who to order from. Thanks again
 
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