Rotary tool, which one to buy?

[bob1961]

for twice the money and get a dremel that will last twice as long ....

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by bob1961

for twice the money and get a dremel that will last twice as long ....

Except for the fact that my HarborFreight rotary tool is still going strong and my Dremel stopped working right a year after I got it.

[fr8cture]

My dremel is probably 10 years old and works great. use it all the time.

[Eric0424]

I've gotten close to 20 years on my Craftsman and the Dremel is 10-12 years old, both have been problem free so far.

[Eric0424]

Originally Posted by Jato

Except for the fact that my HarborFreight rotary tool is still going strong and my Dremel stopped working right a year after I got it.

It's much more likely you're confusing your rotary tools, or never owned an actual Dremel. If the label on your Dremel is a piece of duct-tape with the word "Drimalle" scribbled in Sharpie ink and you bought for $8 at the local Flea-Market, there's a good chance it wasn't a genuine Dremel.

Originally Posted by Jato

Dremel isn't the only good brand.

Originally Posted by Jato

Dremel isn't the only brand that will last a long time.

Originally Posted by Jato

Dremels are great and mine has lasted years with hard service.

Does the word contradictory mean anything to you??

Originally Posted by JatoTheContradictioner

my Dremel stopped working right a year after I got it.

It should.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Eric0424

It's much more likely you're confusing your rotary tools, or never owned an actual Dremel. If the label on your Dremel is a piece of duct-tape with the word "Drimalle" scribbled in Sharpie ink and you bought for $8 at the local Flea-Market, there's a good chance it wasn't a genuine Dremel.

Does the word contradictory mean anything to you??

No, you just don't know what you're talking about. I'm not confusing my rotary tools. I have two Dremels. One stopped working properly a year after I got it. The other has been fine for years. But my Harbor Freight rotary tool has also been running for years despite the issue I mentioned.

I don't buy used tools so I know my Dremels are genuine.

[FVIcySwan]

What are the advantages of a flexible shaft on a rotary tool

[Eric0424]

Originally Posted by FVIcySwan

What are the advantages of a flexible shaft on a rotary tool

It's just easier to hold and manipulate than the larger body, it's very handy for small detail work.

[ole_gators]

I've been using harbor freight heavy duty rotary tool for the last 2 years and it chomps through stainless steel with ease. I'm sure a dremel is good, so just get which ever one is in your budget.

[littletoyboy]

My variable speed dremel only lasted one year. May try the one with the flex shaft next time.

[C*H*U*D]

Proxxon

[7echo]

More commercial oriented are the Foredom rotary tools. The micromotors are especially nice...

Rotary Tools by Foredom Electric Co | Power Flex Shaft Rotary Tools

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by 7echo

More commercial oriented are the Foredom rotary tools. The micromotors are especially nice...

Rotary Tools by Foredom Electric Co | Power Flex Shaft Rotary Tools

I bought a Foredom flex shaft motor for my girlfriend one year for her jewelry work. Pricey but I agree, it's a really nice tool. It puts our hobby grade tools to shame. Actually a lot of jewelers tools kick ass.

[amped up]

Ok I'm going to chime in and give my actual experience. I've been in the automotive business for 20+ years now and back in the late 90's we used ONLY Dremels. I had to replace one (yes from the 90's) about 2 years ago because I couldn't find brushes for it. The new $100 one I bought didn't even make it a month. Figured I got a bad one so off to the local hardware store I went. Traded it out for a brand new one and guess what...Got about another 30-45 days out of it. Picked up a Blue Hawk and it's been running strong.

Problem is the newer Dremels that I've opened up have a plastic carrier for the bearing to ride on. If or should I say when that bearing gets hot, it deforms the carrier and the shaft get tweaked out of alignment. After that, its just a matter of time before the inside starts eating itself and you have a broken dremel.

I personaly don't feel the dremel brand is the brand it was years ago. Good news is, all the dremel accessories will fit the Blue Hawk so I wasn't out hundreds of dollars switching over.

[amped up]

Oh and my Blue Hawk cost less and came with more accessories

[amped up]

I want to say it's the 4200 series but can't be 100% sure as I didn't see a need to keep it around after the 2nd one bit the dust. And why are you so butt hurt anyway, it's not like I called you or anyone else out on their testimonies? My only point I was trying to make is that I use my rotary tool almost daily and was a major dremel fan boy years ago but it seems there quality control has suffered recently IMO (wait, we are still in America right??? so it's ok that I have one). Hell, go to there own site and look at the 4200 series, its 2.3 stars with 163 reviews.



The bearing circled in red rides inside a plastic "carrier" (also circled in red). If the bearing heats up or if you apply to much force, it distorts the pocket that the shaft/bearing rides in and starts to become unbalanced.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by bajsmalen

I second this

We only buy Proxxon here at work now. The only problem we have with them, is the people who don't know how to use them. It's usually the locking button that goes out because people think it's a brake or something

[wsmb]

I just bought my first rotary tool ever. Dremel 8220 and I have found a use for it everyday. Loll can't have a unique scaler without the dremel. No regrets and I think it's worth every damn penny

[martin_b]

A work of caution about the cordless dremel, check the battery stays connected to the body.. The 7700 was the worst culprit.

[ddewey78]

I'm a big fan of buying name brand, and buying once. That said, I've had good luck with some harbor freight stuff, and not such good luck with other hf stuff. I find its a crap shoot with their products