Dremel Question For Anybody That Uses One

[pete]

I have a basic dremel from years ago. It is a standard hand held with a simple switch that is numbered 1-5 for speed. I want to use it to burnish and I've always heard that the ideal rpm is around 1500. Could be wrong there but whatever it is, this thing goes like a cyclone on speed #1. No way to measure the rpm so I don't really know but it's not on any of the information nor on the dremel itself.

. Do I need another newer model that has speed control rather than the 5 "click" speeds?

ANYONE who uses a dremel would be of great help to me.

Thanks

pete

[Spinner]

I have a basic dremel from years ago. It is a standard hand held with a simple switch that is numbered 1-5 for speed. I want to use it to burnish and I've always heard that the ideal rpm is around 1500. Could be wrong there but whatever it is, this thing goes like a cyclone on speed #1. No way to measure the rpm so I don't really know but it's not on any of the information nor on the dremel itself.

. Do I need another newer model that has speed control rather than the 5 "click" speeds?

ANYONE who uses a dremel would be of great help to me.

Thanks

pete

Hey Pete, 1500 rpm is really slow in the dremel size world. For dremel burnisher bits like the ones from http://www.leatherburnishers.com, the halfway mark is good for burnishing. Due to the smaller head size, the higher rpm will help generate the friction heat needed (more speed - less pressure). Most dremels are rated at a top speed of 30-40k so you're likely doing about 12-15k at the halfway mark. On drill press burnishers, due to the larger diameter and usually larger channel width the recommended speed is about 1100-1500 rpm (second step on most pulley style drill presses).

Cheers,

Chris

[Chavez]

Since we're talking about dremels and burnishing, I thought I'd cut into the thread .

I am quite keen on trying out one of those leather burnishers but I don't have a dremel=) I do have a handheld drill, but it might be a bit too heavy for burnishing edges. Is it worth buying a dremel & a few burnishing bits or would I be ok burnishing by hand? What dremel model to go for? There seem to be hundreds of them=)

Thank you!

[Spinner]

Since we're talking about dremels and burnishing, I thought I'd cut into the thread .

I am quite keen on trying out one of those leather burnishers but I don't have a dremel=) I do have a handheld drill, but it might be a bit too heavy for burnishing edges. Is it worth buying a dremel & a few burnishing bits or would I be ok burnishing by hand? What dremel model to go for? There seem to be hundreds of them=)

Thank you!

Hey Chavez, a handheld drill will work, although not quite as well. The smaller bits really need the extra speed of the dremel to do the job right.

Most hand drills operate around 500-750 rpm. The drill press burnishers will work at that speed, it just takes a little longer for the heat friction to build up enough.

As for dremel brands/models, there are plenty out there that will work (just need one with a multiple speed range and has a 1/8" collect option). I believe even Harbor Freight carries an entry level version that goes on sale for less than $15. I'd say start there and if you don't like it, HF has a great return/exchange policy.

As for the last part of the question, "or would I be ok burnishing by hand?". Yes. Hand burnishing is a perfectly viable and still popular way to do it. In fact I do both, motorized burnishing for the beginning round over and slicking followed by the final polishing by hand. Best of both worlds...smooth, high shine without the sore arms.

[Cyberthrasher]

For what it's worth, I've been eye balling the dremel 4000 that comes with the flex shaft. Reading reviews from hardcore Dremel users it seems to be fairly reliable and worth the money.

I DO NOT recommend a portable/battery operated model. I can't say enough bad things about them and I've been stupid enough to try several.

[cem]

Pete, I have an older model Dremel and a set of Spinners burnishers and I use the middle setting, I'm not doing a lot of burnishing at the moment but they work very well when I do need to burnish something.

Cheers,

Clair

[Bluesman]

The real answer here s SFPM. Evrybody gets caught up in RPMs. Regadless of what you are running the RPMs are constant at the shak, the center of the tool to the edge of the tool. What changes are the Surface Feet Per Minute. So, a burnisher should be looked this way. If I have 3/8" diameter burnisher and run it on my drill press and get a great finish at 1800 RPM, then I want to run it in my Dremael. At what speed do I run it? Answer? 1800 RPM. If the diameter doesnt change, neiither does the RPM.

[lewilson]

I don't believe a dremel tool will run with rpms this slow,

[Mudruck]

For what it's worth, I've been eye balling the dremel 4000 that comes with the flex shaft. Reading reviews from hardcore Dremel users it seems to be fairly reliable and worth the money.

I DO NOT recommend a portable/battery operated model. I can't say enough bad things about them and I've been stupid enough to try several.

That is the model that I use. I do not use the extension, the tool is light enough to use as is for me. Works killer with the burnishers from Beary. I do about the same as above, a quick zip with the burnisher and a quick hit with the slicker and its good to go.

[Cyberthrasher]

My main reason for wanting the flex shaft is actually for fret work on guitars.

[Spinner]

For what it's worth, I've been eye balling the dremel 4000 that comes with the flex shaft. Reading reviews from hardcore Dremel users it seems to be fairly reliable and worth the money.

I DO NOT recommend a portable/battery operated model. I can't say enough bad things about them and I've been stupid enough to try several.

The 4000 is what I have in the shop and have used for many years to do some serious wood carving with (mass removal) and now burnishing and metal polishing.

Don't know what they changed on it but it can take a heck of a beating.

The real answer here s SFPM. Evrybody gets caught up in RPMs. Regadless of what you are running the RPMs are constant at the shak, the center of the tool to the edge of the tool. What changes are the Surface Feet Per Minute. So, a burnisher should be looked this way. If I have 3/8" diameter burnisher and run it on my drill press and get a great finish at 1800 RPM, then I want to run it in my Dremael. At what speed do I run it? Answer? 1800 RPM. If the diameter doesnt change, neiither does the RPM.

You're correct and that's where the difference lies. The inner race of the dremel burnishers is only about 1/4" - 3/8" diameter whereas the the drill burnishers have an inner race of nearly an inch.

In theory that means that the dremels should perform the same at about 4.5k rpms (vs. 1100) but oddly enough, the reality is they need a bit more speed. Not sure what the physics behind why that is, just know from experience.

Woodturners have to worry about SFPM quite a bit as the machines read-out shows RPMs at the spindle diameter but it's a whole different story when chucking up a 16" diameter bowl blank. Or, my craziest project, a 14" square (19" diagonal) x 4" thick blank for a solid walnut sink basin.

Damn think was sending a serious cross breeze through the shop when it was spinning!

I don't believe a dremel tool will run with rpms this slow,

The new Dremel 4000 series that Cyber mentioned is able to maintain it's peak torque performance down to about 1500 rpm, below that it drops incrementally.

The older models would start to lose torque around 3-4k so they've definitely made an improvement there.

[Chavez]

Thanks!

How do dremels compare to cheaper (say, draper or silverline) and more expensive (proxxon) alternatives? Never owned a dremel, so don't really know what to look for.

It looks like there are only dremel 300 and 4000 for sale nowadays. 300 is half the price of 4000 and 4000 costs the same as a proxxon.

Proxxons seem to have much better reviews than dremels 4000 and seem to be more reliable, but as I said I know nothing about these tools=(

Would you recommend sticking to dremel or get something else? If I understand correctly, its just a question of reliability cause all accessories are interchangeable and they all do 5k-20k rpm.

Thans again!