Okay, I know I’m going to get beat up on this one. I have two fully equipped Dremels hanging from my pegboard that I have not used in over 2 years. Between them and all the accessories, maybe $200+ worth of tools. And I build guitars, with a lot of delicate sanding, so I am using flexible shaft driven Dremel type 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2” sanding drums all the time. What do I use? About two years ago, (27 months, to be exact), I walked out of a Big Lots with some $19.99 off brand dremel kit with a flexible shaft. Big Force, Power Force, I don’t know. Made in China or even some worse country, if there is one. Flexible 28” shaft, variable speed, nice chuck. I hung it above my bench, and installed a little holder for the flexible shaft and it’s handle/collet in the ceiling so I would not bang into it. Now, over two years later with countless hours on this thing, it is my go to tool for almost every miniature sanding need. From shaping pickup holes in wooden pickguards, to grinding out stainless steel washers to fit, to knocking off burrs of screws and grinding into shape all sorts of things, this tool does it all. It’s silver in color is about all I know. Threw the box a couple days after I bought it. I bought a set of those wound sandpaper cones from Harbor Freight, with the screw on shafts. It handles them with ease. So I bought a huge supply of 1/8”, 1/4”, and 1/2” little sanding drums from an outfit called Widgit Supply online, along with lots of extra arbors, a bunch of dremel style diamond cutters of all shapes from HF, and I am a happy camper. This thing is more powerful, doesn’t heat up, and has been yanked from it’s perch onto the bench numerous times. Sold!!
I have the Milwaukee battery operated one and love it. I was scared to get it to start with because I have had some of the battery operated Dremels in the past and they were so weak that you couldn’t do much with them. I have the little Milwaukee impact driver so I thought I would give the Dremel type tool a try since they batteries would fit both tools. So far I love it. I can’t bog it down and its nice not to have a cord getting in the way. I don’t use it much but the impact driver is probably one of the most used tools in my shop and I love it, so I always have batteries charged and ready to go.
I use a tailed OLD Craftsman die grinder. This model is from the time when C’man sold some good stuff. Though I don’t use it with a flex shaft, it has done many roughing, polishing jobs (wood working and engine porting tasks) without any probs. I have never thought Dremels were tough use tools. I could be wrong ( you betcha). Bill
Yes, MrsN, I had fried my only flexible shaft on my Dremel and needed a new one. This thing was less money than just the flexible shaft of the Dremel at Lowes, and I got some new arbors and usual junk thrown in. I never thought about the tool much till I used it.
I had variable speed dremels that would bog down too much unless it was run at top speed. I found the black and decker ones ($28) with just three speeds much better in this respect. I now have a similar tool to the one you like called a Mastercarver and I like it the best also. Lots more Power and smaller to handle.
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