# Dremel Torque



## jeff (Jan 14, 2014)

Well, after 40 years, my Dremel model 380 bit the dust. I bought it at the hardware store where I worked as a kid. I eyeballed that thing for months before I finally decided to buy it. I remember it was $62, and over the next year I bought every single burr, bit, disk, and gadget they made for it.

Anyway, I bought a model 3000 on Amazon to replace it. What a disappointment. This thing has almost no torque at low speed. I have a small buffing wheel in it and when I touch it lightly to the rouge, it stops! My old one had plenty of torque over the whole speed range. It has reasonable torque at full speed, but not like the old one at all. 

Does anyone have a modern variable speed Dremel who can give me an opinion? I don't know if the one I have is defective or if my expectations are out of whack.


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## BRobbins629 (Jan 14, 2014)

I use a Foredom tool. Actually have several handpieces with the heavy duty motor, but even the lighter duty ones are fine - for buffing and general purpose, the handpiece with the small jabobs chuck works great.  You can either use a variable speed controller or a foot pedal.  Jewelers use these all the time and all the dremel burs will work.


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## seamus7227 (Jan 14, 2014)

I have a model 395 and i love it. With that said, im not sure what model supercedes this one.


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## NewLondon88 (Jan 14, 2014)

I have an older Dremel, probably around the same age as yours.
And I have newer ones. 

Yes, your new one has a defect.
The design.

New ones got no Moxie.
It's as if the new ones don't want to offend the part by
drilling a hole in it or buffing it. Easily stops with finger pressure
on the chuck. The older ones were no Foredoms, but they did
a decent job for what they were, and properly oiled and cleaned
they'd last forever. Or close.


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## jeff (Jan 14, 2014)

BRobbins629 said:


> I use a Foredom tool. Actually have several handpieces with the heavy duty motor, but even the lighter duty ones are fine - for buffing and general purpose, the handpiece with the small jabobs chuck works great.  You can either use a variable speed controller or a foot pedal.  Jewelers use these all the time and all the dremel burs will work.



I considered the Foredom, but the more portable tool fit my immediate needs. Plus the Foredom costs 4x as much. I'd love to have one, though.


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## jeff (Jan 14, 2014)

NewLondon88 said:


> I have an older Dremel, probably around the same age as yours.
> And I have newer ones.
> 
> Yes, your new one has a defect.
> ...



Well, at least my expectations aren't defective!


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## NewLondon88 (Jan 14, 2014)

I just went and looked.. it is a Model 2, so it's a bit older than
I thought. But I haven't really been a fan since Bosch too over.
and the tools got a lot lighter, too


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## robutacion (Jan 15, 2014)

Hi Jeff,

Your assumptions are most correct, I also had an old Dremel model that did work very hard and lasted me many, many years but and like anything else, it died...!

I have since burnt 3 other Dremels that where the last model at the time of purchase.  Expensive like hell, these tools are no longer used to last but, to be replaced as often as possible, this is what our modern society is all about in these days, unfortunately.

An I wonder, where all the Dremels are made today, I'm afraid I know that answer but I would prefer to be wrong.

If I remember correctly, one of the Dremel models I purchase in a local hardware store for about $100 or there abouts and this has to be 10 years or so, was a little black(ish) unit that I don't recall the model that didn't had a start-stop button as such but, a lever that would go up and down and that was the start, at the top and would accelerate as the lever was pushed down until it reached its maximum speed, to switch if of, you would need to bring the lever all the way up.

It lasted quite a while but I pushed it a little too hard and burnt it, by then, they were no longer available and other model has surpassed it, that turn out to be a piece of rubbish, all together.

Anyway, many years later, and while searching for some of these type tools, I found someone in Japan that was advertising the very same unit that I just mentioned about that worked quite well for me, it was offering free shipping and the item was priced at AU$28.00

The most amazing thing about it all is that, it has the "Dremel" name on it, exactly the same as the one I purchased in the local store, I got suspicious about it and decided to buy one, just to have a look.

About 3 weeks later the unit arrived and I checked it out and compared with the old one that I still had packed away, they looked exactly the same, I'm telling you.  I started using it and after 12 months the unit was still working perfectly so I decided to have a look as see if the eBay Seller was still selling them, we was in fact, and at the very same price as 12 months prior so I order 3 more, this was about a year ago and the original is still working fine.

To be honest, I don't know how good they are/torque in low speed, I use these tools always at their highest speed, many chainsaw chains sharpen with a diamond round head and hundreds of bandsaw blades sharpen with the heavy duty grinding disk.  These are where the tool most get used but, I used it also in many wood working projects, such as removing wood from rifle stocks in preparation for bedding and barrel floating, just to mention a few uses.

I just checked I the seller no longer has them available but, I had the listing saved under my Sellers purchases, you may find someone else selling them, I don't know so, here it is;




Cheers
George


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## KBs Pensnmore (Jan 15, 2014)

*Dremel's*

I've got the 3000, and thought it was great until it had done about 10hrs work, the motor sounded like the brushes were shot, so I took them out to check, still perfect. 5mins later it stopped, never to go again.
Am going to try the 4200, at nearly $200 it better be good!!!! Trouble is I've got all the Dremel bits, drill press, router and router bench for it plus a Pen Wizard????:frown:
Don't know what the price of the Foredom is but I'll bet it's not cheap!!!
Kryn


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## edstreet (Jan 15, 2014)

Forget Dremel, they are around 1/8 HP if that.  They also burn up easy, designed to that is.

NEW! 1/2-HP HANGING BASIC SET-Wood Carvers Supply  This is more like what you are looking for.  It's 1/2 HP and takes everything up to 1/4" bits.

Foredom's run in the 1/6 - 1/4 HP range and for light use.


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## hard hat (Jan 15, 2014)

Have you looked at the proxxon rotary tools? They are also sold by LMS and are rated for continuous duty. I personally have no experience with them but they do look like a good alternative to the continuing decline to the dremel name. 

http://m.mhcrafters.com/site/mobile...oxxon-(110-dsh-120-Volts)-Professional/Detail


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## BRobbins629 (Jan 15, 2014)

edstreet said:


> Forget Dremel, they are around 1/8 HP if that.  They also burn up easy, designed to that is.
> 
> NEW! 1/2-HP HANGING BASIC SET-Wood Carvers Supply  This is more like what you are looking for.  It's 1/2 HP and takes everything up to 1/4" bits.
> 
> Foredom's run in the 1/6 - 1/4 HP range and for light use.



I have Foredom 1/3 HP TX and for several years used it as the spindle for my CNC.  Many times ran it continuously for 6-10 hours.  Did change the brushes once, but never burned out and had plenty of power.


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## HamTurns (Jan 15, 2014)

After burning up my last Dremel I went in search of a replacement and found Proxxon.  It's a lot more solid than the Dremel and has plenty of torque at low R's.

I bought this one; PROXXON - Professional Rotary Tool IBS/E

With all of the different collets it comes with all of the bits, burrs, and sanders I had fit it.

The way I use if most of the time is with the flex cable.  I hang it up on a hook above me and just hold the tool on the flex handle.  Works great.


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## skiprat (Jan 15, 2014)

Jeff, did it die an eventual horrible slow noisy smelly death or did it just suddenly stop? Sudden stop is good!! 40 year old tools were made in the era were they could be fixed. As they used standard parts ( bearings, brushes, etc ) they didn't have to be shipped across the globe and could be fixed by any decent appliance repair shop. 
I'm a LOT younger than you :biggrin: so don't have any 40 year old electric tools but I do have a 35 year old electric lawn mower that I bought when I was an apprentice and it has travelled the globe with me. 3 blades, two cords and a swap of a South African plug to a UK plug and it's still going strong.
Don't give up on the old Dremel just yet!!:wink:


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## Dalecamino (Jan 15, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Jeff, did it die an eventual horrible slow noisy smelly death or did it just suddenly stop? Sudden stop is good!! 40 year old tools were made in the era were they could be fixed. As they used standard parts ( bearings, brushes, etc ) they didn't have to be shipped across the globe and could be fixed by any decent appliance repair shop.
> I'm a LOT younger than you :biggrin: so don't have any 40 year old electric tools but I do have a 35 year old electric lawn mower that I bought when I was an apprentice and it has travelled the globe with me. 3 blades, two cords and a swap of a South African plug to a UK plug and it's still going strong.
> Don't give up on the old Dremel just yet!!:wink:


Oh!  Don't listen to this guy Jeff....it's fried...it's toast....it can't be fixed. But, I'd be more than thrilled to take it off your hands :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## skiprat (Jan 15, 2014)

LOL, how do you sleep at night Chuck?? :biggrin:


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## Dalecamino (Jan 15, 2014)

skiprat said:


> LOL, how do you sleep at night Chuck?? :biggrin:


:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: I sleep very well sir :biggrin: Thank you for asking :biggrin: Even better if Jeff sends me that broken Dremmel :wink::biggrin:


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## jeff (Jan 15, 2014)

skiprat said:


> Jeff, did it die an eventual horrible slow noisy smelly death or did it just suddenly stop? Sudden stop is good!! 40 year old tools were made in the era were they could be fixed. As they used standard parts ( bearings, brushes, etc ) they didn't have to be shipped across the globe and could be fixed by any decent appliance repair shop.
> I'm a LOT younger than you :biggrin: so don't have any 40 year old electric tools but I do have a 35 year old electric lawn mower that I bought when I was an apprentice and it has travelled the globe with me. 3 blades, two cords and a swap of a South African plug to a UK plug and it's still going strong.
> Don't give up on the old Dremel just yet!!:wink:



The smoke leaked out! I think the electronic speed control fried. Brushes look fine, rotor turns freely.


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## dogcatcher (Jan 16, 2014)

I have WeCheers, better than Dremel, cheaper than Foredom.  But my pride and joy of a buy is a Harbor Freight hang up rotary, I treat it like dirt, but I can't kill it.  I do "stuff" with it that would kill a Dremel, I know I have killed a few.  It isn't a WeCheer or Foredom, but I have had great luck with it.

Now that I have spoken highly of it, it will probably be smoked tomorrow...... But I will have gotten more than got my money's worth out of it.


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## nava1uni (Jan 16, 2014)

I have a dremel 4000, bought it off Craig's list 4 years ago and use it for everything and it just keeps working.  Have a chuck on it for quick and easy bit changes.  Might look on Craigs list.  People buy them for a project, have them setting around not using them and decided to get rid of them for almost nothing.


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