Tamiya Handy Drill collets?

Timmythekid

Sr Member
Picked up a Handy Drill the other day, and (apart from the trigger lock, which split the minute I tried to screw it together), love the little guy. Except for one thing. This thing is PERFECT for drilling holes for FO, but the collets won't hold micro bits! Who thought that one through???!! Tamiya doesn't offer smaller collets for it, and my dremel collets don't fit (the shaft is way too small). I just need something to hold a 0.3mm - 0.5mm bit - does anyone know if there's something out there that will fit the Handy Drill?
 
The old Pro Edge pin vise set has collets that drop right into Tamiya drill. I'm not sure regarding anything newer, but pin vise tend to be of the same size, if you have a good LHS that does repairs, etc. you may be able to try a set out before you buy it.

The only mod besides dropping in you need to insert a shim behind the collet to keep the smallest bits from disappearing into the opening.

Another solution for slow speeds with small bits is if you have an old battery powered Dremel, you can use an external power source to bring the speed down (presumably a regular Dremel would work too, but I'm not sure if the motors are rated differently). If got mine as low as 1.1 volt of input where it's about 45 RPM and can chuck a #80 bit.
 
Check my build thread. I showed how I mounted my .5mm bits. Oh, I'll just tell you! I glued the bit into a section of aluminum tube.
 
Check my build thread. I showed how I mounted my .5mm bits. Oh, I'll just tell you! I glued the bit into a section of aluminum tube.

Actually, when my pin vise collets didn't work, I first tried to go at it the way you suggested in your thread, because it's an elegant solution! Problem I ran into is I'm thinking of going smaller with my FO, and the smallest tubing i could lay hands on, while it holds the 0.5mm bit snug, has the .35mm bit swimming and I don't think I can get it centered well enough.
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Salemsfguy, had a look at that set - if I can figure out if that smallest one will grip something that small, it may be a winner!

Thanks, guys!+
+
 
Should - I make the tamiya collet shaft as 6mm on my calipers, that specifies 5.6mm. Only thing I'd wonder about is they list the smallest opening as .5mm - too big for the bit I'm going to use. Suggestion from the local shop was actually pretty brilliant; el cheapo exacto knife blade holder looks to be 1/4"...might just work.
 
Does it definitely work with the Tamiya?

I just built my drill last week and have been using it no worries so far with the .5mm part. The only trouble is getting the drill bit centred and tightening it up in the drill because it is so small and I have big fingers....:D
 
Hell with it - Sword of Exact-0 collet didn't work. Guess I'll try to cut a spacer out of some 6mm aluminum tube with 1mm walls. That's a 4mm inner diameter, and a teeeeeeny bit narrower than a dremel collet, but only by about 0.25mm - maybe I can squeeze it in there. If not, might just have to bite the bullet, drill with a 0.5mm bit and hope the .25mm fiber I've ordered doesn't look too weird in the larger holes, because NOBODY makes a collet for #80 bits!
 
Okay, duh-doi, feeling a little dumb now. Just in case it's useful information to anyone else in the future, I can absolutely confirm that the Dremel 1/32" collet that is part of the collet 4 pack from them will clamp down a #80 bit just fine. It obviously sits a little wobbly in the shaft, but once the nut is tightened, it's all good. Adding my little brass spacer makes it rock solid, no slop, no wobble. Now....DRILL BABY, DRILL!!!!
 
Okay, duh-doi, feeling a little dumb now. Just in case it's useful information to anyone else in the future, I can absolutely confirm that the Dremel 1/32" collet that is part of the collet 4 pack from them will clamp down a #80 bit just fine. It obviously sits a little wobbly in the shaft, but once the nut is tightened, it's all good. Adding my little brass spacer makes it rock solid, no slop, no wobble. Now....DRILL BABY, DRILL!!!!

Did you read my post?Thats what I said. A 1/32 dremel collet and a spacer works without any harmful wobble. I even posted a previous post in another thread of mine with nice and clear pics.
 
Yes, but I thought you were using a .5mm bit, which, as I said, I found was fine in the collet I had, but I'm going smaller with my FOs. The other reason I was still trying to find a solution is that the 1/32 collets I had on hand are for an off-brand rotary tool, and have a fairly rigid hole in the center that wouldn't clamp down enough to grip the #80 solidly. My error was assuming all 1/32 collets would be similar. The actual Dremel brand one obviously isn't. Huzzah!
 
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