rotary tools

wolfman1011 · Post by **wolfman1011** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:55 pm

I need a Dremel like! i wanna do some mod on my case (cut fan grill, etc) but i whant this tool to do other things around the house too...

which one too choose??? Everybody knows that dremel is the reference in this category but what about the black & decker, craftman, mastercraft, etc...

They are all pretty much in the same price range exept for dremel that is around 20$ more than others... I'm ready to put around 100$ on a kit and i whant power, reability and versatility. i am very interested in the black & decker RTX and the Dremel MultiPro. the only diffrence i can see between them is the rpm ( RTX = 8 000 to 30 000 and MultiPro 5 000 to 35 000) is that difference worth 20$ ? Do you have good or bad experience eith one of them or any advise?

black & decker

http://www.dremel.com/html/home_fr.html

Thx

chylld · Post by **chylld** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:00 pm

welcome to SPCR, wolfman1011!

if you're going to get a rotary tool, i think the dremel is the best choice. it's just simply the best product out there and you can buy tons of fittings for them.

if you're just modding your case though, i'd recommend getting some wiss tin snips which cost a fraction of the price of a dremel. they cut through steel and aluminium like scissors through cardboard. also, they give much cleaner edges than a rotary tool would, and you don't have to worry about cleaning up metal shavings afterwards. also, it's much safer.

having said that, i wouldn't mind a dremel myself

the word 'dremel' is almost part of the english language now and for good reason!

ahrbruz · Post by **ahrbruz** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:50 pm

Welcome to SPCR!

I've had a Craftsman 'badged' dremel for several years; it's the basic kit that comes with a few accessories, and has variable speeds to 30,000 rpm. Have never experienced any problems with it, and cutting wheels, bits etc. are readily available at Sears, HomeDepot, Canadian Tire. etc.

Quite versatile around the home, and ideal for computer mods.

Enjoy.

wolfman1011 · Post by **wolfman1011** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:11 pm

Thx for the warm welcome guys

chylld: I'm not gonna use it only for for my case modding (i will use it for many purpose) but the "wiss tin snips" youre talking about are really interesting me anyway... Would you have a link for me to give an idea of what the look like? Its true that it would be less trouble for cleaning after removing the fan grill of my case (and none of my 12 pares of cutters are cutting anymore)

ahrbruz: i didint really check out the Craftsman but with what you just said about it i will take a closer look at it next time i go to the store.

thx.

ahrbruz · Post by **ahrbruz** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 7:16 pm

Everything you wanted to know about snipping but were afraid to ask:

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewforum.php?f=15

chylld · Post by **chylld** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:15 pm

and here's a pic:

as long as the brand is wiss, it's good

don't settle for cheaper brands, i made that mistake and found out the hard way.

wolfman1011 · Post by **wolfman1011** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 2:55 am

Thx alot you have been a great help

I will be in the wiss club soon

As for the dremel, i will continu to check out price and specs, i have not decided wich one to buy yet...

trodas · Post by **trodas** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:02 am

Well, i have no idea about the dremel whatsover - i did not own one, all i need is done big, nice looking holes for fan/jest for fanless ventilation to my case(s). I found that wit this toy:

Took me creating this:
http://ax2.wz.cz/show.php?p=silentpc&id=19&c=7&d=1&v=v2
...as you can see, perfectly round hole less that minute. Cool.

This one:
http://ax2.wz.cz/show.php?p=silentpc&id=17&c=7&d=1&v=v2
...i created ba the hard way - drilling so many holes and then hand-made polishing the result to become a round one... Took me more that 2 hours of hard work, so i suppose that holesaw is better for holes that dremel, however dremel have much more choices.
If i was you, i got the Black&Decker one, just for the name and reliability of their tools, as well, as additional things that one sure can buy for them easier

silvervarg · Post by **silvervarg** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 8:58 am

I have got the Black & Decker tool.
It works great, and I believe all dremmel like tools use the same tool diameter. I have used the tool for cutting in my hard and sturdy steel case, and quickly realized that I never want to get close to the edge of the speed values while I use it for cutting or trimming.
So I see no point in paying extra to get the original Dremmel.

EndoSteel · Post by **EndoSteel** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:58 pm

wolfman1011
Power: not less than 125W.
Speed range: 10 000 - 30 000.

Almost any device within these specs will do and the original Dremel, imo, is the last one to be considered - there's nothing special about it to approve the cost. If you have some extra money, spend them on a flexible shaft for the B&D instead.

wolfman1011 · Post by **wolfman1011** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 3:42 pm

silvervarg wrote:I believe all dremmel like tools use the same tool diameter

Youre absolutly right

there is a standart that almost every cie uses for the bits and other attachement...

EndoSteel wrote: there's nothing special about it to approve the cost. If you have some extra money, spend them on a flexible shaft for the B&D instead.

Thats exactly why i puted this thread up. I dont see why not a Black & Decker instead of a Dremel, but i wanna be sure that i didint miss something before i buy another brand... And yes the flexible shaft is one of the acessory that i will defenetly buy

I'm going to canadian tire tonight to take a closer look at the black & decker RTX and the craftman...

And BTW, i just bought a paire of wiss snips and i cant wait to try theme

(model M1RS for 17$)

snutten · Post by **snutten** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 5:50 pm

Just do not buy the rechargeable battery Dremel. I did. Thought it'd be practical. But it's far too weak and the battery runs out of steam in no time.

Edward Ng · Post by **Edward Ng** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 7:00 pm

But I believe there is a digital model from Dremel that you use a small
dial to set a speed that you can see on the LCD; when you start cutting, it
automatically raises torque to maintain the set speed...

Do any other brands offer such a feature? For the most part, they slow
down when you start cutting and you either just work with it or manually
juice it a little more, which seems difficult.

The unfortunate part is that, if memory serves me correctly, the digital
model is battery-powered; that's why I haven't gotten it yet. I want AC!

-Ed

EDIT: Fixed so you guys don't have to scroll (at least, to read my post

).

trodas · Post by **trodas** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:04 am

I want such nice AC thing too, but into US are different voltage and Hz - 110V and 60Hz, where we have in Europe 230V and 50Hz...

I gotta look somewhere in Europe for such thing, i might need it once...

lenny · Post by **lenny** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:29 am

Edward Ng wrote:But I believe there is a digital model from Dremel that you use a small dial to set a speed that you can see on the LCD; when you start cutting, it automatically raises torque to maintain the set speed...

The unfortunate part is that, if memory serves me correctly, the digital
model is battery-powered; that's why I haven't gotten it yet. I want AC!

Never saw the battery powered one, only the AC version.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... B0000302Y0

Or go to Amazon and search on "dremel digital" if link doesn't work.

$90, picture doesn't show it but it says "40 bits and accessories" which probably means 35 sanding discs.

Damn, now I'm tempted... *sigh*

Edward Ng · Post by **Edward Ng** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:50 am

Oh, schweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!! I gotta' get me one of those!

wolfman1011 · Post by **wolfman1011** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:41 pm

I just goat my Dremel... Beware its a long story

I when to one of the hardware store near my house to buy the Black & Decker RSX because it was the most interesting one for the price... It was impressively ergonomic, the quick release clip is very nice, the power vs torc and speed was pretty good too, and finally the price was 40$ less than the Dremel.

For 100$ it was comming in a case with a flexible shaft and 52 bits of all kind. + a 5 year warranty.

So after buying my self that gift i when to my stepfather house for super with my girl friend. The minute i arrive i had to unpack it and play with it just like a little kid on Christmas

My step father being a tool man himself heard me and came to see what i was doing (its not very hard to hear believe me

) After showing him my new acquisition he told me that they just changed is Dremel at is job and the one he had before was sitting in the garage waiting for me

They change the dremel of all the worker every year at is cie and the old ones they can keep it for free (normally they are pretty scrap... they use them every day very intensively). but him he had brook it 3 months before the annual change, so they replaced it with a brand new one immediately, and than 3 months after, the annual change came and they gave him a new one again without realizing that the one he had was only 3 months old...

I can tell you that I'm going to the store to get a reimbursement tomorrow and i will keep the almost brand new Dremel multipro that he just gave me for a big 0$ + he gave me a big plastic bag of brand new bits

and he told me that he would bring me a Dremel case with a flexible shaft monday

I'm just freaking out!!! I'm so exited i want to trim, cut, grind, sand and polish everything around me. I'm telling you, if you need a dremel don't buy one call me i will come and do the job for free

Thx allot to all of you for your advise and your great attitude towards new member of the forum

Now that i have the black & decker and the dremel in front of me i can tell you whats my opinion on theme:

The black & Decker + versus Dremel Multipro
- very, very well designed grip (its in my opinion one of the factor that set this tool out of the plot)
- better "quick clip" release system (you don't have to hold it down)
- on/off button well placed and separate from the speed adjusting button (you can turn it on and off without changing the speed setting)
- all dremel bits fits him (but not the accessory)
- price Vs value is the best i have found.

The Dremel MultiPro + versus black & decker
- Less noisy and less vibration
- a little more power, torc and speed
- adjustment of the speed is more flexible and accurate
- A gigantic wall of accessory (i have the impression that there is an accessory to do everything possible and impossible for that that tool)
- you can change almost every part of the tool (brush, shaft, etc)
- Lighter in weight

All in all i feel that those are 2 very good product. And to be honest, i still would have buy the black & decker after having tasted the Dremel Multipro. But for 0$ the choice was not very hard

trodas · Post by **trodas** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 5:50 am

Heheh, congratulations for so cheap buy and greatly working toy

Gooserider · Post by **Gooserider** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:05 pm

Well, the top dog brand in rotary tools is FOREDOM, (sp?) but you are talking $eriou$ industrial tool quality and price for one of those. My Dremel experience was not good, as mine died w/o warning after only a fairly short use. My initial replacement, which I still use occasionally, was a home made thing I got at a fleamarket consisting of a flex shaft connected to a sewing machine motor and foot pedal.

However, most of the time I prefer to use pneumatics, and if you have a good air compressor, I consider them a FAR superior solution to any electric tool.

For small shaft bits (1/16") I have a mini-die grinder from Harbor Freight, frequently on sale for around $30, that is about the size of a fat ballpoint pen, and is as comfortable to use. For larger bits (1/8" and 1/4") I have either a straight or right angle die grinder which is bigger and has more torque.

Gooserider

tay · Post by **tay** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 6:09 pm

Those are some nice mods trodas. Looks like a true silent pc to me, but I have a few q's.
Risky stuff though with the HDD getting no cooling? And how well do your copper strips work?

josephclemente · Post by **josephclemente** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:01 pm

Gooserider wrote:Well, the top dog brand in rotary tools is FOREDOM, (sp?) but you are talking $eriou$ industrial tool quality and price for one of those.

That's what I use, a FOREDOM Flex Shaft series CC setup.

But for case modding, I usually use nothing more than a $10 Nibbler from Radio Shack. No electricity needed, no dust (just little metal rectangles.) I can mod in the middle of the night.