Dremel Moto tool advice

[silverbear]

Since I've been fooling with motorbicycles a favorite tool is my Dremel, given to me used by my brother some years ago and much used since. It died yesterday maybe from over use. First the variable speed gave out so that it only ran at full speed. I could live with that and did. Yesterday whatever connects the motor to the shaft which holds the bits stopped connecting. I have shed my tears and am now ready to move on. I looked on ebay at the Dremel offerings, 54 pages worth of attatchments, Motot tools new & used and some clones. What I had was a model 395 Type 3 and it worked well enough. My questions involve whether to go for the same thing again, a different model someone has had good luck with or even an alternate make. The clones are really inexpensive and being a cheapskate are tempting. On the other hand I will be using one often and need it for bike work if nothing else so I'd like to buy one and be done with it. In buying Dremel am I paying for a label or are they really worth more? Any opinions are much appreciated.
SB

 

[dvddtz]

Mine has replacable brushes,and that is what it was when mine died.You can get them from a home improvement store or mabey Walmart.

 

[DOC BOLM]

Over the last 10 years i have 5 dremal tools go a.w.o.l,so i buy a new one.The other day i found all the missing ones.Now i am dremal poor.If you get a new one get the flexshaft.

 

[silverbear]

The motor works fine on this one. The first trouble was the variable speed switch so that it only ran at full speed and now it is the connection between the motor shaft and the shaft which holds the bits. Motor still runs fine, but nothing happens at the business end.
SB

 

[Cannonfish]

I bought one made by Ryobi. I got it at a pawn shop many years ago, and ever since it has been happily roto-tooling its way through all manners of home improvement projects and bike projects.

I'm not sure that Ryobi is necessarily the first choice in roto-tools, but I couldn't be any happier with this one.

 

[Norman]

I'd steer clear of buying a dremel off ebay. Go buy a dremel or a sears dremel tool you might pay more but if you have a problem they will in most cases warranty it if you have a problem with the tool.
Most home improvement stores, and wallyword type stores, sell dremels
Lowes
home depot
walmart
sears
I have a dremel from sears it is a dremel in sears clothing works fine variable speed it is getting worn out been dropped and I think the shaft got bent as it vibrates. Plus it 10 years old
I also have a cordless variable speed dremel from walmart it work fine except not a powerful as an (120 volt ac power cord) powered dremel variable speed.
After christmas I bought a dremel at Lowes variable speed. I think I paid around $74.00
for it. It came with accessories most of which I don't use. I try to find the ball bearing motors with variable speed..They last the longest.
When I built the airplane I wore out the same dremel 3 times in 20 months due to using it on fiberglass. I'd send it in for rebuild good as new then it would get ate up from the glass dust.Brushes and bearing even killed the variable speed control once I over heated it more than once it got its guts worked out of it.
it now lives with my son in semi retirement he is not nearly as hard on it as I was.

 

[2door]

I had an old 60s vintage Dremel Moto Tool that finally died after years of service. I bought a new one, Dremel, with the built in variable speed control. The speed control died in less than a year and Dremel wouldn't fix it free, wanted me to upgrade to a newer model.(at my cost) I bought a Sears, single speed and built my own speed control from a reostat I scrounged from a commercial toaster. It's going on five years and still running strong. LOL, I think I probaly have more stones, burrs and accesories for Dremels, collected over the years, than my dentist has for his torture machine.
Tom

 

[fuzzball]

SB - The little coupling piece that gave out on yours is available separately. My Dad replaced his a couple of years back and I remember it was a cheap and easy fix. Our local Ace Hdw. who sells them has repair parts like that in stock. If you're leaning towards new, I bought the 300 series last fall at the same Ace for $69. It's the more basic model but had the same amp motor as the deluxe kit. Mine came with a few of the popular bits and a right angle attachment. You could do better at a big outlet store, but for me that's an hour drive.

 

[Gareth]

It's broke. It can't get any more broke. Might as well open her up and take a look see. Sounds like and easy fix if the post above mine is right...

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

Most major auto parts stores have knock off dremel kits for only $20 that include many different bits!

 

[silverbear]

It's broke. It can't get any more broke. Might as well open her up and take a look see. Sounds like and easy fix if the post above mine is right...

My thinking exactly. Just put my boots on to go out to the shed to poke around through the tools to find a little star bit to open her up for a look. While I'm at it I'll take look at the variable speed switch wiring and may bypass the switch so that it runs full speed when plugged in (no switch). Then I'll make up a little variable speed box from a light dimmer and plug the dremel in to that. I'd figured on opening it up even before reading the post before yours... thought maybe a fix would suggest itself if I stared at it long enough. Nice to know that the part is available so that I can do it right.
From having looked at what's out there in the dremel world I can see that one of those flex shafts would sure be nice. Dremel must have been making a variation of this tool for a long time as I recall my machinist grandfather having one that had a long shaft and a foot control too, if I remember right. He liked good tools. Me too, if I can afford them. And I like the idea of fixing instead of throwing away. Thanks for all of the advise, everyone.
SB

 

[Mac]

Definately get the tool with the flex shaft, the part you hold is much smaller, I cleaned out the casting on one of my PK motors yesterday, I don't think I could have done it with a standard tool. I was at Mardens (Salvage retail store here in Maine) today I bought a 170pc grinding/polishing kit for 13.99. Yea I know 50 of those things I will never use, kind of like the star tips in a 220pc tool kit, LOL!
Anyway, my 2 cents worth.

Mac

 

[Blakenstein]

Dremol or clone????- sales man at Sears said he'll tell me a secret...."it's all Dremol"
My roto tool is a Job Mate- the Dremol extension shaft fits my Job mate.When I told this to sales man, he told me secret.

I've had my roto tool for only half a year,and have already used it 17 times!!!-I write down every time I use it and what I use it for.

When u use it, always blow it out through the cooling vents.

Before you turn it on, make sure ur rpm is set at the HIGHEST-then after it's running, you can turn it down,if u really must.

 

[Dan]

SB, I really dunno much about them. I have a dremel that works great. But if you use it a lot and your old friend is with us no more and can't be repaired. I would think going high end would be the way to go. The cash saved on cheap tools is long gone before we are cussing or replacing them.

You really do some great work. If you can't get her working again and being an admirer of your work, I vote high end, best you can get. (Notice how freely I vote with your money? lol)

 

[BarelyAWake]

Dremel 4000-3/34 Variable Speed Rotary Tool or: Dremel 4000-2/30 Variable Speed Rotary Tool

While at first 74 bucks might seem a touch on the rich side, not only is the new Dremel 4000 a serious tool, cutting through 1/8" plate steel faster than a pneumatic die grinder (thinner cut-off wheel) the kit comes w/enough bits to defo make it worth it (most places sell 'em fer $100ish anyways). The above links are to a respectable business (it's where I got mine FTW) and seem to be the lowest prices available on the 'net: Dremel 4000-3/34 Variable Speed Rotary Tool - Google Product Search

While you can ofc get the "knock off" fer less, they are NOT the same - not even close... (the 'Master Mechanic' one is however the same to the best of my knowledge) but hey somethin's better than nothin' fosho! The 4000 is for those that jus' don't wanna mess around, here's brushes for the 4000 at least: Dremel 90930 Carbon Motor Brush Set, 2-Pack

BTW - for those new to Dremels, try not to buy single replacement bits ifn ya can avoid it, at around $3 each or more it adds up quick (meh, don't ask how I know lol), particularly when you can get FAR more fer yer pennies when you get a selection of bits in a "kit" for 'bout $11;

Dremel 684-01 20-Piece Clean & Polish Rotary Tool Accessory Kit
Dremel 686-01 Sanding Grinding Kit
Dremel 687-01 52-Piece General Purpose Rotary Tool Accessory Kit
Dremel 688-01 69 Piece Rotary Tool Cut-Off Wheel Set
Dremel 689-01 11-Piece Rotary Tool Carving and Engraving Kit

or the "big" general purpose kit fer $20;
Dremel 697-06 Rotary Tool Accessory Kit

/end shameless plug

 

[rkorson4209]

Over the last 10 years i have 5 dremal tools go a.w.o.l,so i buy a new one.The other day i found all the missing ones.Now i am dremal poor.If you get a new one get the flexshaft.

Flex shaft is a must have. I never use mine without it.

 

[Humsuckler]

i own 2 rotary tools i have a plug in dremel multi-pro model 285 two speed, (15,000/35,000 rpm) and a "king" brand variable speed. the king is the one i prefer. it has more balls. however the dremel is alot smaller and nimbler than my king. then again i treat the king like its a 4 1/2" angle grinder.

its all in the selection you build, and as for the ****ty little bits. buy the biggest kits you can find on sale... because whenever i take mine out i chew up a couple on any good project lol

..... which reminds me. i have to replace that ****ty angle grinder i bought......

 

[civlized]

I have a namebrand Dremel and a harbor freight knock off. The harbor freight kit had a full size and a mini tool. The full size seems to work as good as the dremel, so far. The mini tool worked for about 5 seconds. My Dremel has been working since 1996. I bought the harbor freight job mainly for the bits. It was $15, 2 tools, hanger, flex shaft, and I don't know how many bits. I still vote for the namebrand Dremel!

 

[silverbear]

SB, I really dunno much about them. I have a dremel that works great. But if you use it a lot and your old friend is with us no more and can't be repaired. I would think going high end would be the way to go. The cash saved on cheap tools is long gone before we are cussing or replacing them.

You really do some great work. If you can't get her working again and being an admirer of your work, I vote high end, best you can get. (Notice how freely I vote with your money? lol)

Dan,I want to thank you in particular for your kind and complementary words. And thanks to all who have given good counsel. Since not all was possible to follow, I picked and chose. I did decide that the flexible shaft was a very good idea and also concluded that the variable speed is problematic. So, last evening I won an ebay bid on an older model 232 flexible shaft single speed for $21.00 with the idea of having a backup in case the other one dies again and to have the advantage of the flexible shaft when it will be especially handy. One of the uses I have for the dremel is "punching" stitch holes in the harness leather I'm using on gas tanks... with a drill bit. The smaller business end of the flexible shaft will be really nice for that. Today I went to an Ace and two other hardware stores in hope of getting that part for the one that died. No deal. I went on line to see if I could order it and it isn't even shown on the parts list. So, after staring at it for awhile I removed the broken part which was no more than a kind of vinyl tubing with ribbing molded in. I removed it and found that a section of clear vinyl hose I use for gas lines fit with some friendly persuasion. It took a couple tries getting it all back together, but it now works again. I didn't do anything about the variable speed switch and won't until the time comes that it doesn't work again. So, I'm back in business and thanks to the good folks here I now have a better idea of what is good and what is bad in the world of Dremel. I hope this has also been of value to someone else contemplating the purchase of one. Whatever you choose, Dremel or another brand, a small rotary tool of like kind is very handy for motorbicycle work. I consider it indispensable and will be glad to have a second one in the toolbox. Stayed within budget, too.
SB

 

[Venice Motor Bikes]

I have a real Dremel... It's lasted for over 5 years now. I originally got it to modify my R/C nitro car engines.