Rotary Tools

Hello!

I'd like to get a little oscillating/rotary tool, not for any special reason, just because I WANT ONE. So I have some questions:

1) The only brand I know is Dremel. Is one brand better than another?

2) Are the ones that work by air better/different than the ones that are electric?

3) Are the attachements/accessories brand specific? Or can you buy one brand and use them on another brand tool?

Thanks Tool Experts,
cynthia
 
Last edited:
I don't have one, but I believe that Fein is considered the best and the originator. I believe their patents expired and many are now copying it.
 
Cynthia, I am a tool pig, and I have to admit, I don't know what an oscillating tool is.

I mean, my jigsaw oscillates, but I don't think that's what you mean.
 
I have a dremel, and a Harbor Freight.

The accessories are not interchangeable.

I've got the variable speed HF.

For a harbor freight tool, I'm shocked at how substantial and smoothly it works.

The dremel works fine too.

They are really handy tools.
 
Ahhh, Well that's a completely different story....

As far as I know the bits come in just a couple of different shank sizes and you get get different sized collets to hold them. Pretty much interchangeable, but the only one I know of is dremel.

I have a corded version and a cordless. I really like the cordless one. Handy to be able to take places where you might not have a cord...

You can even get little mini router bases for them to do things like routing for inlays...
 
I have an older model rotary tool from Craftsman that hangs from a hook on my work bench. It uses all the tools from Dremel and has a flexable attachment that lets me work without hanging onto the big body of the tool. Janet just reminded me that we also have a dremel as well and a oscilating carver from ryobi.
 
Cynthia,

About a year ago, I was in the market for a rotary tool to replace a 20+ year old rotary tool that had finally worn out. I purchased a Dremel tool at one of the big box stores as a replacement. Took it home and it vibrated so bad that it was unusable. It appeared that there was too much give in either the bushings or the bearings (I really believe that Dremel tools like the ones shown in your link are only bushings and not bearings). I took it back to the store and exchanged it for a replacement. That one worked better, and I was able to finish up the project that I was in the middle of when the old one died. But the replacement also vibrated quite a bit more than the one that I had used for 20+ years. I may have used that new Dremel for a total of 30 minutes. A few months go by and I have a need for for the rotary tool again. Started using the new Dremel, and after about 20 minutes of use, it got hot, sparks flew, and the smoke escaped. Now we all know that once the smoke escapes, the electric tool will never work again.

At that point, I was not interested in spending the time and energy required to get the unit fixed under warranty.

I started looking for a higher quality replacement. My search lead me to the Proxxon 38481 IB/E Professional Rotary Tool (here). I have been very happy with this unit. I have used it quite a few times since I purchased it and it is very smooth and when free running is almost vibration free.

I also have several air powered rotary tools. I have 2 large ones (Similar to these straight and 90) that will accept 1/4" shank tools. They are very heavy consumers of compressed air. It does not take long for a single tool to pull down the pressure in the tank (60 gallon tank, 11 CFM compressor). They are also very noisy when in operation. Add the noise they produce to the noise that the compressor makes and it can get really loud in the shop. To the point of needing hearing protection (to keep what hearing I have left). I tend to use these when I'm doing heavy duty metal shaping or really heavy wood cutting.

I also have a 1/8" shank air powered rotary tool. It is similar to the one shown here. It does not use nearly as much air as its larger cousins and it is not as loud either. I found the sound of it running reminded me of being at the dentist office. It is louder than the Proxxon when it is running. The 1/8" shank air unit also does not have much torque and would tend to stall very easy. Another reason that I purchased the Proxxon.

You will need to be careful if you are going to use air powered rotary tools around wood projects. Almost all air powered rotary tools that I know of require oil lubrication in the air supply. This oil is carried through the air supply and exhausts out the front or back of the tool. While it will not be that heavy, you might want check before you start to finish to ensure that the oil has not contaminated the wood surface.

And yes, the air tools are from harbor freight. I have had good luck so far with their air tools and they are not at all expensive. I just can't see spending a lot of money on something that I don't use that often. I deceided to spend more on the Proxxon since I always tended to go back to the electric rotary tool due to the convenience, and noise from the tool and compressor.

There are other options such as flex drive units and I don't have any experience with one of those. If I was going to look at doing carving with a rotary tool, I might look into one of the flex drive units.

So, I believe that what is best for you is largely dependent upon what you intend to do with it and how much you intend to use it.
 
I have 2 dremels. 1 corded and 1 battery. They both have very little torque. Fast but no power. I have used them 2 or 3 times in 10 plus years.

Yup, zero torque, so definitely light duty items, but the speed is what does the cutting anyway...
 
Now that I understand the question....I do have a Craftsman labelled tool but its definitely made by Dremel. I use it a little, and like it a lot. The little spinning brush is great for cleaning the inside of a brass plane adjusting wheel. Gets into all the little places. The cut off tools are sometimes just what I need to cut through some nasty little piece of metal. I bought a HF one once for about $6, but it is weak and useless, and was way over priced for what it is.
 
I have two dremel tools. One is going on maybe 30 years old and is smooth as silk. The newer one isn't as smooth. If you don't hang it up or weight it done it will vibrate off the work bench. I use the flexible shaft with the new one for that reason.
 
I have a small Dremel that came in a kit. It doesn't get used much but, when it is what you need, they are really handy. Costco had a kit of bits/wheels. etc. that I bought once upon a time. I haven't gotten through all of them yet. The EZ-Lock mandrel and cutters are quite a step up in quality from the general items if you have something serious to do. I have a stand for one that was handed down from long ago. Never have used it. If I did it again I would look hard at the one that you hold like a pencil.

P.s. My gosh but their website is slooowwwww.
 
Hi,

I have two Dremel Rotary Tools. The first one was for Christmas when I was a child...Since I am 85 you can figure that tool is a few weeks old. Approximately 40 years ago my wife bought me a new one. It's in a plastic box (like electric drills, circle saws, etc. come in).

Both of them run fine. The "new" one's speed control is inconsistent. It holds whatever speed it is running. However, you never know what speed you are going to get when you set the control. However, it is more comfortable to hold than the "old" one.

I am a tinker type person. I am into everything. In spite of that I would be amazed if I use that type of tool once a year. When I use one it is usually to cut into a piece of metal: Make a new slot in a screw, cut off a frozen nut, cut something off without having to dismantle a machine to get to it, etc.

Oh, I almost forgot---I had a small one (brand X) that was sold by Sears 50 or 60 years ago. It was very comfortable to use. It had more power than the Dremel. It was easier to change chucks too. It was plastic (Bakelite. If you are old enough to know what that is you have had a lot of time to get really intelligent.) and got dropped one time too many. I gave it to a friend who glued it back together. As far as I know he has been using it ever since.

Would I purchase another one if mine were destroyed in a fire or whatever? No.

Oh Again, I also had one of the motor thingies with the flex shaft. It was a gift. I was apalled...it cost $135.oo 40 or 50 years ago. That was when my dress shoes cost about $12.oo. 135 was very serious money.

The thing you need to watch for is: A little history first. Original Dremel. I could not figure why the place you had to hold it was so far back from the part of the tool doing the work.

"New" Dremel. Fingers are closer to the cutting part of the tool. However, both of them felt like trying to write with a pencil that you could only hold up by the eraser. With the tool I liked, my finger tips were right where the spinny tool came out of the chuck...as close to the working part of the tool as you could get and still be holding something that wasn't spinning.

The flex-shaft unit (sold in stores that sell tools to people who make jewelery) is held much like a carving tool. However, the stiff shaft puts a lot of "pull" on your hand when you are working. It does not seem like pull until you are actually trying to cut between two places you don't want to mark up or when you don't want to ruin the finish right next to the place where you want to work. THEN it seems like a lot of pull.

Enjoy,

Jim
 
Last edited:
I have a Dremel from many years back... it originally came with a flex cord that would allow you to hang the tool and use the flex tool to work up close... the cable in the cord tool came out and had to be tossed... I priced a new cord tool and it was more expensive than the original whole set up. I have a bunch of attachments that allow me to use it as a drill press, router etc... they're in the shop, but danged if I know for sure where.
 
Mine is a Ryobi that my dad gave me about 15 years ago. It still works great, but if I forget to blow out the dust once in awhile it won't start. A good blast of air and a knock on the workbench and it fires right up. I probably have 100 bits for it. I use it for carving, cutting, polishing, sanding and skin removal from time to time.
 
Top