worst designed tool? DREMEL!

I purchased a Dremel rotary tool in order to cut track. I have used that since May of this year. In all, I doubt sincerely that I have 50 hours of use. It is without doubt the worst designed tool I have ever used: 1: The chuck cannot be used for small drills 2: The button which locks the chuck in place is located just where one would put one's fingers when using the tool. It does make an awful noise when one does so. 3: The re-chargable battery is a 'touch fit,' and after some months of intermittent use, no longer touches the contacts on the body of the tool, so that I have to press it while using it. 4: The 15,000 rpm switch gave up after just a few times. 5: Ther re-chargable battery has no indication of which is the proper way to insert it into the body of the tool. 6: thge case in which it comes is inadequate.
I do not know if there is a competitor, but I strongly suggest that potential buyers 'shop around.'

with over 5 million sold and late coming competitors only making a far less product than dremmel, I suspect you must be only person having these problems, I just bought my 6th Dremmel for shop use and have been very satisfied. I would sugest you use a line powered one as rechargables will cost you way more when batteries bite the dust.
Jaap
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I'm now on my 4th dremel in 20 years, The 1st was a single speed, sold it when I upgrades to variable,,,wore that one out (in 15 years) then got 2 new ones with the "slide" speed controls. One for the workbench, the other was a gift and stays beneath the layout as a spare. The only gripe is that they no longer have the rotary control knob, and that the slider will change speeds on you if there is a lot of vibration present. Gotta love em!

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I am only on my second one in 25 years.....the first one, I probably could have sent the to be repaired, but it got destroyed by me by dropping it off the workbench (being careless...). I bought a new one which came with a bunch of accessories at a really good price -- and then called Dremel to get a part to make the new one fit the old drill press stand. Not only did they send me the adaptor FREE, they said that if I had mailed the old one to them with the smashed plastic body, they'd have repaired it for $25.00!!!!

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I have no such problems with mine, and friends in the local craft club are also happy with their Dremels too!
Sounds like you may be a little 'heavy-handed' with it... Suggest you have your fingers checked out instead!
David. ;-))

     snipped-for-privacy@tranquility.net (larry l.) writes:
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They make a collett set for the smaller stuff.
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YUP!

snipped-for-privacy@tranquility.net says...
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I've got a plugin one. I bought a drill chuck for it (MicroMark?) early on and haven't used a collet since.

Hi Larry, I have had a corded Dremel for ages and have no complaints. It sounds like it may be still under warranty. Have you tried returning it for repair/replacement?
Lynn
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Interesting that most/all of the replies were about regular Dremels and not the battery unit which was originally described! I personally have found the regular Dremels to be fine tools however the battery powered ones I have found to be junk!

I have the battery one and have no compaints. The battery seems to last quite a while and the portability is terrific. I mostly use mine to cut track, to then use the emery wheel to clean up the rough edges if any (especially if I use the Xuron track cutter!) and to "kiss" the rail top to make the joint transistion essentially noiseless. I also use the wire brush wheel to polish track sides before soldering track or wire connectors.
I don't have any problems with be batteries not making good contact. You can't put the battery in backwords because it won't go.
I like it.
Ed.
in article snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com, Jon Miller at snipped-for-privacy@inow.com wrote on 10/6/03 11:07 AM:
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''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Hey Ed,
I started out with the battery one myself many years ago and was going to write about my experience/uses with it. But you already wrote exactly what I was going to say!
Thanks...
Paul - "The CB&Q Guy" (Happily Modeling 1969)

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and
the
I have both. The battery units are handy for many light jobs. Great for using on the layout in places where a cord would be a nuisance. The variable-speed unit (with flex shaft for when I need it) lives on my workbench, where it is used constantly.
Mark Alan Miller

I have two Dremels. One is a plug-in and the other a Mini-Mite. No complaints at all.
Chucks can be purchased at Micro-Mark.
Bill Bill's Railroad Empire N Scale Model Railroad: http://www.billsrailroad.net Brief History of N Scale: http://www.billsrailroad.net/history/n-scale Resources: Links to over 700 helpful sites: http://www.billsrailroad.net/bills-favorite-links Bookstore: http://www.billsrailroad.net/bookstore.html

I don't understand the chuck problem - I have used a drill as small as #80 in mine quite satisfactorily.
My only gripe is that it would be nice to be able to change speeds whilst using the tool, using the same hand with which I'm holding it, but 'hey' you can't have everything!
Jeff Law New Zealand
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I have the rechargeable Mini Mite, and use it only for light duties, and bring it along when our club has our modular layout set up. Works great when used for smaller chores. Seems to me the complainant expects way too much for such a light duty tool.
I have a single speed model that I bought many years ago, and it works fine. I haven't used it all that much, but have done some heavy duty cutting of white metal diesel chassis in the past. I've used it for chores around the house too, with no complaints other that the grip gets hot after using it for a long time. I got a variable speed model a few years ago so it would fit into the Dremel drill stand. It works fine too.
I won a single speed Dremel with the flexible shaft many years ago in RMC's Kitbashing Award. It is way too awkward to use, as the flex shaft restricts movement too much, and finding a place to hang the motor is problematic. I don't use it at all. Anyway the price was right!
I'd suggest getting a corded model and use the battery powered one for lighter duties.
Bob Boudreau Canada

Heh Bob, I've lost count of the number of times my Dremel has saved some non railroad project around the house or ended up being the only tool to bail me out of some emergency fix or another. I love pointing out these times to my wife. I'm constantly looking for new ways to justify new model rail tool purchases. This probably it's "greatest role" around here <big grin>
Lynn
. I've used it for chores around the house too, with no complaints other that the grip gets hot after using it for a long time
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Railfan wrote:
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Hum. I have had the opposite experience. Well almost, my flexible shaft Dremel is the variable speed. I find it much easier to use than the flashlight with a shaft. I can get into much tighter spaces and have much more control, especially when using blades. The small head allows me to cut a rail 90 degrees straight up and down. With the normal Dremel unit I always end up having to cut at an angle because the body of the unit hits the rail before the blade.
I have bought other chucks to allow #80 drill bits. I also never hang the motor unit, I have a swivel base I use sometimes, but mostly I just let it sit on the table at an appropriate angel.

For hanging the motor part when using the flex shaft, I drape it over my back or across my shoulders and neck. Works well for keeping it handy and out of the way. For cutting gaps the flex is a must IMHO. Besides I get a neck massage at the same time. -ken c
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Remember that battery powered tools are generally considered to be ligheweight purpose tools compared to the line powered tools. For specific irritants, here are my opinions: 1: The chuck cannot be used for small drills The collet (not a chuck!) you have is probably the 1/8" one and there are three others in the set which go down to something that can hold a @120 bit (I have one and have used it in my own Dremel) so anything from 1/8" to something that you won't want to handle is holdable in the Dremel with the right parts. There is also a real chuck that can be purchased if you want to use that.
2: The button which locks the chuck in place is located just where one would put one's fingers when using the tool. It does make an awful noise when one does so. You need to rotate the tool a bit so that your finger lays somewhere else.
3: The re-chargable battery is a 'touch fit,' and after some months of intermittent use, no longer touches the contacts on the body of the tool, so that I have to press it while using it. Contacts sometimes get bent the wrong way. It sounds like you need to reach in and bend them so that they make good contact.
4: The 15,000 rpm switch gave up after just a few times. No answer here. I don't own one of the battery powered ones so I really don't even know what that switch is.
5: Ther re-chargable battery has no indication of which is the proper way to insert it into the body of the tool. One of the things you just have to learn, apparently. Most battery pack systems tend to have a preventer from inserting the pack the wrong way. Apparently Dremel didn't do that on that tool which would be a true case of bad engineering.
6: thge case in which it comes is inadequate. What somebody considers inadequate is another's delight. Blowmolded cases tend to be usable only for the original stuff that came with the tool and don't accept any more accessories. They also tend to require the uninstalling of any bits in the tool in order to allow the tool to snuggle in there right. That is sort of the way that the makers all make them. You don't see cases for drills, for example, accepting a drill bit in the chuck when putting back in the case, do you?
-- There are more Democrats on the Calif. Special Election than Republicans! Go count if you don't believe me! Bob May

snipped-for-privacy@tranquility.net (larry l.) wrote in message
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So do what everybody else does. Buy a chuck that will work with small drills. MicroMart sells them.
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That happened to me too, until I got used to holding the tool so that I didn't grip the lock key.
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Try spreading out the plastic tabs that hold the battery. Since I've done that, the battery stays locked in place.
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Haven't had this problem.
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There is only one possible way for the battery to fit in, and it doesn't allow for insertion in the other three possible positions. Why is this a problem. In the days before political correctness, this was called idiot proofing.
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What is wrong with it? Holds all the tools I need it to.
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I love my battery operated Dremel.
regards, Jerry Zeman