Thread: I bought a dremel tool and seriously messed up a blade

The only thing I would use a dremel for is to wire brush between the scales where a buffer can't reach. I really think there are better tools for any other job.

+1 on all of what Souschefdude has said. Great advice about the drill press stand.

Like him, I also find the wire brush to be a great attachment. It's the first thing I use, all the time. Second, if you have the 4000 kit, it comes with cutting attachments. This works very well if you don't have a shop or band saw....like me. It's basically a style of drill bit, with a guide, and it works.

Hand sanding is key. It's good practice, and a good skill to have.

As per Glen's advice, I use wd-40 on my higher grits (after 600). One pass, 600 dry, one pass 600 with lube. One pass 800 dry, one with lube, and so on, until 2000. The blades come out lovely.

Keep your dremel, a man should never give up his tools.

He who dies with the most toys...wins.

Good luck,
Maxi

You can use a dremel with the "abrasive buffs", the fine one, and a light touch. They are part number 511E. They come with a coarse (180grit) and medium (280 grit) grit buff in one pack. Mostly I use the medium one. Otherwise, I only use the felt buffing wheels and wire brushes. When using a felt buff, keep it moving and as ment9ioned above, and keep in mind the rotation. ALWAYS use safety glasses!

I have just started dremel work and it seems OK as long as you take the much-emphasised safety precautions (robust safety specs, uncluttered work area etc). Mainaman and ToxIk have posted excellent accounts of preparation of sanding sleeves for the drum accessory and how to approach blade restoration.

I have kept well away from the edge of the blade and used the tool as I would a fountain pen with very little pressure, using the flexible projecting lip of the sanding sleeve as recommended. I guess fool's rush in where angels fear to tread but so far I am unscathed...

Dremels can be very handy when unpinning scales. If you use it with a very small round diamond bit you can dish the pin below the washer - helps a lot when the pin has flared out and 'grabs' the sides of the hole near the top of the scale - dishing it here helps relieve the pressure and enables you to drift the pin out with a small drift bar.

Regards,
Neil

Reading my own post here I have had one of those light bulb moments and realised the fundamental difference between Mainaman's method and that of ToxIk. Mainaman's sleeve is some 2" long whereas ToxIk uses a short section (this is what I have been using so far).

I really must concentrate reading off the screen; it's a poor excuse but being something of an old-timer I prefer the written page, tending to skip when reading the computer display

i just used my dremel in it's stand to polish some handmade domed washers by cutting the head off a small screw, nipping the pointy end a bit and then screwing the washer on. dremels are very handy.

Originally Posted by souschefdude

No, I would keep the dremel. Buy the stand for it that makes it a drill press ($47). Great for sanding scales to rough shape, drilling Pin holes, wire brushing jimps.
But that is just me, you can do those things with other methods, depends on your financial situation.

I respectfully disagree -- take the $47 you would have spent on the dremel stand and buy a small bench drill press at harbor freight (I got one /w a coupon for $43 out the door...) or on craigslist for a used one... you'll thank yourself later. The stability of the "dremel workstation" isn't particularly great since it is all plastic, and the dremel only screws onto the stand at one end and is not stabilized on the other. I owned one for a short period of time and after I decided to bite the bullet and get a "real" drill press I kicked myself for even trying the dremel workstation in the first place.

I also agree keep the dremel though -- it is great for unpinning as Neil mentioned. Its the first tool I grab when I need to unpin a razor.

Originally Posted by Undream

I respectfully disagree -- take the $47 you would have spent on the dremel stand and buy a small bench drill press at harbor freight (I got one /w a coupon for $43 out the door...) or on craigslist for a used one... you'll thank yourself later. The stability of the "dremel workstation" isn't particularly great since it is all plastic, and the dremel only screws onto the stand at one end and is not stabilized on the other. I owned one for a short period of time and after I decided to bite the bullet and get a "real" drill press I kicked myself for even trying the dremel workstation in the first place.

Exactly my experience, Brad! It looked like an awesome piece of kit, but it only took 5 minutes to teach me its true limitations. For precise work it is simply too unsteady. Heaven knows, a drill bit wobbles about a lot by itself, it doesn't need a non-rigid stand to help it any! How any engineer thought a marriage between a plastic gripping arm and a round column (Dremel - are you listening - make it all metal or at least a square-section column!) would be stable is being me.

I now have a cheap all-metal, variable speed pillar drill. Not that the Dremel stand isn't still in service - I have an inquisitive lot of spiders in my workshop, and they love it - how could I deprive them of such a high-tech play area?!

Regards,
Neil

Plastic does not make for a stable drill press. And a wobbly drill is far from ideal.

Also, if you are new, handsanding is the way to go.
And even if you are experienced, for restoration it is still the way to go imo. I still use it for getting excellent results. Look in the wiki or do a forum search for my handsanding howto.

Stay away from power tools for doing the work, for now.
Just my 2 ct for now.