Burned up my new dremel tool

[BrianM]

So my trusty old Dremel gave up this weekend and I ran out to buy a brand new dremel tool 400.

15 min into cutting some fiberglass, with a fiberwheel, it stoped and let out all the Magic smoke. Dead, dead, deadsky.

Home Deopt was nice enogh to give me a refund, and now I'm wondering what to do.

I've used dremel's on my props for years, my first lasted 20 years, 2nd went 5 years. 3rd 15 min. Is this a trend? Or did I just get a bad one?

Is there a better choice out there?

BrianM

 

[micdavis]

I win.

I gave Brian that Dremel from a batch I was given for free.

Mine still works.

BTW, we got those in 1981, so it's 27 years. WOW. We're freakin' old.

 

[hankey01]

I'm on my 3rd or 4th dremel now...different brands every time..

I've learned to expect it.

 

[defstartrooper]

Last one i bought was a generic brand from a local hardware shop been using it 4 or 5 years now cost me a quarter of the price of a dremel has good speed control and the motor's just as powerful, i'd rather spend the money on good quality attachments than the tool itself.

 

[Noeland]

So, we're talking "dremel" brand here, or just some off brand rotary tool that burned up?

Dremel is a brand nam, rotary tool is the, um, tool.

I use a black and decker plug in model that I've had for going on 6 years. Came with a nice carry case with storage for the odds and ends.

Before that I had 2 dremel brand and each of them burned on me at about the same time. One was plug in, one was battery powered.

 

[phase pistol]

By sheer coincidence, my own Dremel conked out today too.

Or WAS it a coincidence.

 

[HellGhost]

Flexshaft Power Carvers... Foredom its the last one you will ever buy. I use it to carve bone weekly and you can get things like a foot control. . Wecheer are not as good but about 1/2 as much this cost about the same as a dremel.
there are alot of out there that were made for professional carvers that will do this stuff much better then a dremel.. look around.

 

[hansicle]

I must second that. I had a few dremel tools, even bought a flex shaft attachment (Which broke) so I bought a Foredom grinder, with a flex shaft and foot controll. Best investment I've made.

 

[Rylo]

I've put more than a couple Dremels down over the years. I still miss Edward.

It's never easy....Sorry for your loss. :cry

 

[frightzone_4_you]

I have purchased 4 dremels in the past year... I have given up on those tools! Their motors are so cheap... They should call them disposable dremels instead :lol

 

[asok]

My first Dremel lasted about 5 years, until I dropped it. :cry Then I bought a another nice one and killed it in about 2 years. So, I just go an spend about $30 on a cheap one. That way if it stops, I have not lost much.

 

[zorg]

i have a dremel too which seems to work fine (touches wood)

but i still have my trusty cheapo i bought more than 20 yrs ago. its held together with tape and i usually have to hit it off the bench to get it to go..

it did pack in a few weeks ago but i opened her up to discover the insides were packed solid with dust, i cleaned her out and away she went.

ahh good ol' betsy

z

 

[Gigatron]

I've been motorin' with a Black&Decker RTX for a few years now with narry a hiccup. It takes all of Dremel's bits and attachments.

-Fred

 

[vaderdarth]

I'm on dremel #3 all used within about 8-9 years. Not too bad. I use them for pretty heavy cutting, cutoff wheels and 3-6mm thick aluminum etc... Cut bolts off, then alot of sanding and cutting of plastics and resins. So far so good. This last one seems alot stronger and will probably last quite a bit longer. I'll never never understand why the heat vent is next to the operators hands.............it will peel the skin right off if you let it get too hot. Why not vent it near the back???

Dave

 

[BrianM]

Flexshaft Power Carvers... Foredom its the last one you will ever buy. I use it to carve bone weekly and you can get things like a foot control. . Wecheer are not as good but about 1/2 as much this cost about the same as a dremel.
there are alot of out there that were made for professional carvers that will do this stuff much better then a dremel.. look around.

This is exactly the advise I was looking for.

Don't know if I can go flex-shaft though. I end up working in too many odd position to have to drag the motor around. The Wecheer looks good however.

Thanks.
BrianM

 

[BrundelFly]

I have sent back my new one back Twice.

IT comes back quick, and with free stuff.

The NEW Dremels SUCK. I have an OLD one that is TAPED and beaten...but it STILL WORKS!

In fact, Im gonna check out the CARVER tool mentioned above. OR buy OLD dremels and rebuild them with NEW BRUSHES wish is usually all they need.


The old ones were built like tanks.

 

[HellGhost]

Actually I just found this one...It seems to have been built with the larger 1/3 hp motor. This allows a 26,000 rpm, that is fast I mean dentists use 30,000.
Also you have got to remember sure you can get a small motor to spin up to a similar speed but does it have the torc to maintain that speed when its cutting.
It as most do has "Sealed Ball Bearings" which is what you want so it doesn't get clogged with the dust of what your working with. (that is what kills most of the dremels). And it has a two year motor warranty. I think I'm going to buy this as a back up

PS I still recommend the Foredom for those that can afford it!!

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/product_info.php/cPath/1_256_601/products_id/2971

This is exactly the advise I was looking for.

Don't know if I can go flex-shaft though. I end up working in too many odd position to have to drag the motor around. The Wecheer looks good however.

Thanks.
BrianM

 

[wuher da brewer]

I hated my dremel 400. After it going out the first month and sending it in for repair, it often smelled, over-heated, and smoked the rest of its short life. Afterwards, I went back to Craftsman. Its only one speed, but it gets the job done. No stench of burning, no smoke, just reliability.

 

[Darth Detroit]

This is exactly the advise I was looking for.

Don't know if I can go flex-shaft though. I end up working in too many odd position to have to drag the motor around. The Wecheer looks good however.

Thanks.
BrianM

Nonsense.
When I had mine, I hung it on a frame I canned from a projector screen. So it hung like an I.V. at about eye level. I still have some of my bits.

 

[BrianM]

I hated my dremel 400. After it going out the first month and sending it in for repair, it often smelled, over-heated, and smoked the rest of its short life. Afterwards, I went back to Craftsman. Its only one speed, but it gets the job done. No stench of burning, no smoke, just reliability.

I've noticed the 400 is rated at 2amps while the rest are 1.25amps.

I wonder if all the extra current is what makes them smoke under load?

It turns out they still sell my last "5 year lasting" tool.

Dremel-395D-MultiPro-Variable-Speed.

However, I'm leaning toward the Wecheer 256, but they are hard to find without $50 of accesories I don't need.

BrianM