drill / grinder / cutter / rotary tool recommendations?
 

guys, what is a "good enough" tool to cut & drill steel, brass, delrin, plastic but on the cheap side? some kind of dremel like? but price is a factor.
looked at dremel 300 and proxxon 50 - are they powerfull enough? theyre slightly above top of the price border for me, but if something like that is great, than i can imagine going into it. or different brands, or "low cost" brands?
thanks

dremel 400 series, only way to go.

i bought a "cheapie" set at costco for $30, but it was "wobbley" from day one, couldn't drill with it....

trust me, save up a bit more money to buy the better tool, it will last you forever....

For a powerfull all-in-one tool get a RotoZip, link:

http://www.rotozip.com/Shop/CategoryBrowse.htm?HID=6

You really can't drill with a rotary tool. They spin way to fast and if you cut the speed they lose too much torque to properly drill. You can cut metal just fine, but not plastic, you'll end up melting it instead of cutting it.

Ideally you need three things.

1. A rotary tool for cutting/grinding metal and routing/shaping plastic.

2. A drill for drilling. Even a cheap corded one will get the job done.

3. A saw for cutting plastic and metal. You can get a coping saw and a pack of blades for about $15.

i use roto zips on THICK stuff.. like 1 cm thick.. but i use dremels on everything.. it doesnt eat alot of stuff off the metal like the roto.. and its used for fine smooth cuts.. i love the dremel ;-)

i have an 18 volt dewalt 1/2" drill that handles anything i need drilled....
i have a 6" bench grinder that handles anything i need ground....
i have a single speed and a varible speed dremel with a flex shaft that handles anything i need cut....i also use my 12" dewalt miter saw when i need any alum L channel or flat stock cut along with any plastic/delrin cut....plus many files for cleaning anything up from above tools "thumbsup" .............bob

....

Yea! I was just kidding about the Rotozip. There is no 'one tool' that will do everything.
I have at least a half dozen different basic 'hobby' tools that I use all the time, which include a variable speed Dremel, a 14.4V drill, a set of fine Exacto saw blades, a set of good quality needle files, and a set of hand files.
I would suggest taking your time to assemble a basic tool selection, one at a time if your budget is tight, go to places like Big Lots, Wally World or even flea markets and look for bargains.