We’ve all seen Dremel drill presses, but [Tuomas Soikkeli] has created a full-fledged (albeit miniature) workstation using his Dremel as the motor. He has a gnome-sized belt sander with what appear to be skateboard wheels turning the belt, with the Dremel’s toolhead tensioning the belt and turning it as well. There’s a wee table saw, petite lathe, cute router, etc.
The Dremel attaches to the base via the 3/4-to-1/2 threaded end upon which specialized tool ends may be connected, and which DIY add-ons (like this light ring that we published previously) typical connect. Though in truth the threaded end varies in tensile strength from model to model — even the knockoffs have the same end, but is it strong enough to attach to the rig?
We like how [Tuomas] has his rig mounted to the wall. It looks like he has a couple of flexible shaft extenders nearby, allowing the rig to almost serve same role as a shop’s air tools.
Cool work center :) I would be a little worried about how long the bearings would last in the dremel.
I thought the same. Would be a lot better if they mounted the stylus into these tools so that the side load was put on that instead of the dremel bearings. I guess they would also incorporate some pillow blocks to absorb the side load
I was thinking the same, as one just gave out at work and in trying to fix it I find the bearings are set in plastic of the case. A dry bearing in the rear and it ruins the geometry of the center line. The plastic melts and enlarges. After much shimming and much dis-reassembly, it’s good for parts no case.
When my last Dremel rotary tool burned out, I replaced it with a Black & Decker RTX-B rotary tool. It’s less expensive, more powerful, and has worked acceptably with all of the Dremel accessories I’ve tried so far.
Nice when my Dremel Dies will give this a spin
One problem with the RTX (the one I have anyway) is the lack of bearing at the bottom near the bit, it has a rubber holder instead. Good for a hand tool, unacceptable for something like a small CNC.
+1
Do we really need all the speed of the dremel? Since it is ultimately just a fast motor with VSR control, maybe there are other options. But I like these miniature tool projects.
That is my sole problem with Dremel.. Power control instead of RPM. Regardless if you’re drilling, milling plastic etc. you are going to need some torque without stalling the spindle while limiting the RPM, or else you will just overheat the drill bit or melt the plastic. There’s just a SSR power controller inside, wonder if it’s feasible at all to make a drop-in replacement with RPM feedback control? In Dremel 3000 I’ve found a thick-film module on ceramic substrate with a SSR/diac/cap and potentiometer resistive track, so it seems unlikely.
The speed controller on my Dremel wore out, so I rugged it for full speed only and bought a sewing machine pedal to do that job. I’m actually happier the way it is. I’ve got much more control over speed while I cutting when using the pedal.
Awesome idea with the sewing pedal! Thanks a bunch for that idea.
Sorry, brain fart, replace “SSR” with “Triac” above.
I don’t like mounting hand-held tools into stations, it’s not what they are meant for. This way you put more stress on it than you would when holding it, obviously this mean it might sooner.
In my apartment dwelling days I used my Dremel for EVERYTHING! It’s just an issue of practicality. Sure, after about 5 years I wore it out. So what? Then I bought another one. That one has lasted much longer because when I got a house with a garage I started buying a wider variety of power tools.
This. I fried a dremel a couple years ago cutting drywall. This was really just the straw that broke the camel’s back. I did much worse, including cutting a 2″x2″ dato out of about a dozen 2×6’s. I just ordered a new one and caught myself laughing about all the dumb stuff I did with my other dremel and how now I have way better tools for the job. However, $120 to have a tool that did all the things I put that dremel through is a hell of a deal.
Every tool has more then one use. But if you don’t know how to use the tool or over use it, It will give the magic smoke.
This kit would be great for some one using balsa-wood but beyond that I don’t think so. I have 2 dremel tools encase I burn out another one they are great as long as you don’t over use them like I do.
I would love to use this kit, But I would need to one for a router And then I have no more room in my work shop.
Thanks for the demo.
That is indeed a very useful accessory, and it’s all metal, which make me to want one.
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Also, DREMEL is pretty amazing!
I was amazed when I tested my new $200 DREMEL for its performances. They were all worst than the $20 no-name that I was already had it. DREMEL had less power, more wiggle and crappy push buttons for speed control, which were almost impossible to use with thick protection gloves. I bought that DREMEL just because I thought the bearings in a $20 tool would wear very fast. Oh, and the DREMEL box was not with real hinges, but crappy living hinges made from the same gray plastic as the box.
Years later, and I am still using the same $20 generic tool and it’s accessories, no failures, while the DREMEL 400 box is gathering dust for years, now.
But this is not the whole story. I was so smart that day, that I was also bought a DREMEL router adapter, and a DREMEL glue gun that was advertised for its anti-dripping technology. Guess what?! The router was all plastic and flimsy, good maybe for masochistic makers only, and the glue gun was dripping like any other $5 no-name glue gun, except the DREMEL one had even less heating power.
At that moment in time there were no return policy laws, and all the boxes were sealed. I couldn’t really see or test the products until I got home, just fancy pictures and teasing specs on their cardboard boxes.
That was a bad day, and I still regret the $400 “long term investment” in DREMEL tool.
Just for the record, I de-dusted the boxes, and the models are: DREMEL 400-4/80 Digital, model 398, 140W; DREMEL 335 Plunge Router Attachament and DREMEL Glue Gun 1200 3/6.
Still, I like to see the happy side of that story. Later, I was also glad for that day. Glad that I didn’t have had enough money in the wallet to buy a DREMEL drill press adapter, too. Found out later that the drill press adapter was also plastic made, and so flimsy that it was unusable.
Many years later, same fate for the DREMEL routing adapter as for the DREMEL rotary tool: gathering dust on a shelf.
Sometimes, maybe a few times a year, I am using the DREMEL glue gun. But I guess this is just because I don’t need a glue gun often enough. Otherwise I would have had replaced it with something else. Yes, the glue gun is still working, which is a good thing, but I never liked it. Maybe this is why I usually avoid to use the melted glue, because I don’t want the hassle of heating again the dripping DREMEL glue-gun.
In my experience, all products bough that day were close to unusable, or at most “meh” usable, but priced as it they have had stellar performance.
Same for the DREMEL bits and other consumables. Shamelessly overpriced.
I don’t understand how this brand still exists after so many years.
So yes, DREMEL is amazing. Stay away from it at all costs!
The Dremel drill press looks to me like it would be awesome for drilling holes in PCBs. (hobbyist not production quantities) I can’t think of much else to do with it. It looks too small and flimsy for any other use I can think of. For that purpose however I think it might be perfect with a “better” drill press just being unnecessarily heavy, big and expensive.
I have a different tool for that already though so I haven’t bought one. Anyone have that tool? If so am I right?
Nope the drill press is horrible. It has a ton of slop in it and it’s almost impossible to get a centered hole on mine in soft wood unless you punched it first. the drill be will always wonder. The new proper drill press does not have this issue.
I still love the dremel it’s self. The battery lasts a while and it has a decent amount of power. I would buy one again. Stay away from the drill press though….
I’ve never had much trouble with my Dremel drill press. Of course I don’t have high expectations for it… I have a ‘real’ drill press as well for anything larger than a circuit board.
You absolutely need to center punch your holes first, but that’s because of the cheap collets that I’m always struggling with to center and the long skinny flexible drill bits… not because of the drill press adapter, imo.
I bought a cheap Chinese drill press and its fantastic. No movement, very precise.
Dremel CNC bit: burns easily.
Same CNC bit from eBay seller from China: around four times less expensive, does not burn as easily.
This is a neat design and if low pressure is applied can work for the user.
I had a Dremel that I didn’t use so often and left it with the house when I had to bail. I grew up with air tools more also and found a liking to the Dewalt 18V and 20V tools over the last 10+ years.
Last winter I broke down and bought the LiIon cordless Dremel though decided I can use the Cutting kit and other All Purpose Kit with the Dewalt cordless drill and returned the Dremel tool. I thought I didn’t need another battery charger also.
Dremel does have some neat versatile tools though and looks like a 3D printer now. I’m use to steel and harder materials so I need heavy duty steel tools or maybe to me cheaper Dewalt prime mover devices for the smaller tools.
I almost was going to get the Dremel Rotory Flex Shaft… though decided I’d buy if I needed later as I wasn’t sure at the time hacking to fit the Dewalt specification requirements.
I know there are $15 cheaper versions of the Rotary Tool Flex Shaft that fits the Dremel chuck also that might retrofit easier to the Dewalt.
Dewalt even recently sent me a free 20V to 18V adapter since the one I had died all the sudden. I still want to find or order a replacement rectifier as I think that is all is in the old adapter.
Like even with Dewalt, I was going to invest in the electric chainsaw and was like… wait… 9A 120V Portland from Harbor Freight on sale is like ~$30, so I bought that. I still need to get a larger inverter though am finding modified sine waves on ebay for ~$100 to $200 for 2000W peak higher 3000W or more. I was thinking I could rig a capacitor for HVAC blower motor maybe in between the inverter and chainsaw if that is correct? I didn’t… since I need to check into that and understand better why the 1500W, 3000W Peak pure sine wave inverter will not power the chainsaw. I assume starting power to get going and guess a capacitor will do that… though maybe I am missing something I do not comprehend.
Any advice?
Finally, the cool think about cheap junk is you can CMM, CMS or 3D scan and with the CAD drawings make from metal if you want to to upgrade and make heavy duty custom. Why not? Other than critical cheap failure points you have to consider… that is one thing my Dad always said helps keep the operations going. Make the components yourself, less downtime. Just remember to put key ways, pins or something that will shear first so you don’t break the higher dollar parts that are more challenging to machine and treat.
The flex shaft is a good idea. It’s not so great though if you are going to just lay your Dremel (or whatever motor you use) on the table next to you. The flex shaft becomes great when you have something above you from which you can hang the Dremel with the working end of the shaft being about where your piece is.
Good call, I’ll have to keep that in mind to make a mount if I do.
Dremels have the same problem as hammers, if it’s all you’ve got everything looks like a nail, the saying goes. … and the advertising implies you can use it on ANYTHING… well no, they suck for anything but very small scale modelling and crafts.
Having said that, I bought a knockoff and ported a 4cyl aluminum head with it. Made it sound loud and knackered, but it’s still been doing the odd tight quarters or small jobs. It was a pretty good $12 worth, I bought another next time they went on sale, thinking that the first one would die soon, so far it’s been sitting NIB 5 years.
Got a balck and decker 12V one wayyy back in the day, that one had a distressing habit of blowing it’s power adapters. still got it, run it off PC PSU now and then.
The whole thing looks great – doubt he build it using a DREMEL tho… :-)
Now replace the DREMEL with some $50 China turbine plus VFD and we are talking.
“Hei Soikkeli, mitä meill on puukässyssä, mitä vannesahalle kuuluu?”
Sorry, i’m sorry, it just had to be done.
All the respect for making the tool though. Looks useful.
The making it video is also interesting, but shows you need to be a skilled metal worker, and have access to a sheet bender.
Yeah, those are skills we all need and we strive for the tools we never use much or who has them and use theirs. I think that is what the “Maker” movement is doing to empower those that do not have the tools available to go to a studio workshop that is easier accessible to use those tools and resources.
How are we hackers or me really alternative method researchers and developers if not hacking into wood, metal and plastic skills at the least. Starting with a hack saw in some cases. That is like the basics to me before going into electronics, controls and programming. Maybe that was my path though.
A metal brake is one of the tools I would like to make and there are demonstrations on the web to make them more cost effectively.
I learned survival skills like from the Boy Scouts and maybe other books, which turned into processing more advanced materials with hand tools to create the automated tools we have with more advanced raw materials processing methods to create more advanced raw materials for the advanced systems. Basically, from a farm and mine domesticated and wild natural resources and developing and implementing from the… “ground up.”
Time is the limiting issue with me and my projects as well as my mental facilities resources being hacked into 24-7-365 by the “I don’t know what to do ES/TS/EW brain damaged damaging reckless endangering pan troglodyte sub humans wave, beam, etc.operatives.”
Here is the brake I was looking and making. I’m not sure the radius will be small enough for electronics enclosures though so I may have to scale down.