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after two years of owning a dremel and putting it through mild abuse (shallow routing for inlays), the thing crapped out on me.
the motor burned out while i was using it to cut a hole in a fiberglass panel for my bathroom and it looks like it's not coming back.
i've been dropping hints to my wife for a x-mas gift but then i got to thinking, are these things junk? is there another tool out there in the same price range (around $100) that's even better?
the most helpful response will be awarded with my old dremel.

A Porter Cable 7310 laminate trimmer would look good under the tree!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Ummmm, fiberglass? HHS bit? Pressing too hard when it didn't want to cut? Gotta have a rotozip for that stuff! Save the Dremel for grinding, polishing, and for cutting wood. BTW, the new Dremel XP 400 is getting good reviews.

I'll second JJ on the PC 7310, my dremel has been staying on the highest shelf since i bought me a PC!

Laminate trimmer for heavier stuff. I still want the dremel for inlay work. I have the new xp 400 and it is much better built than the other. I burned up my other one too.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

My dremel is 30 years old and works fine. But for a while it did seem like junk when I was using it for tasks that it didn't have the power for. Bought a laminate trimmer, and the Dremel's still fine for inlays.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I was having trouble using a dremel for rosette channels - getting cross-grain tearout. Switched to a laminate trimmer, and haven't had a problem since. I'm going to relegate it to a permanent fixture for cutting a shallow rabbit around the perimeter of my bridges like I saw in a thread a few days ago... Oh, I use my Rigid lam trimmer for inlay also...

-Mark

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Pullman, WA

The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

trippguitars.com
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Dremels are for high rev low torque work - and lam trimmers for the hi rev slightly/higher torque work - routers for hi rev hi torque stuff.
I have to say that Im pretty disappointed in the capabilities of my dremel - but I figured its limits pretty fast and dont push it harder than it needs to be pushed -
Many really drive them and KaBOOM!
Cheers
Charliewod

Good point Charlie, we are never careful enough with them rotary tools, we should always respect their capacity, personally, i prefer the PCs for their strength and versatility.

Proxxon rotary tool
Here's a great alternative to the Dremel that will really spoil you.
Nelson

So the Proxxon tool says it's max power is 100W, at 110-120 V AC

The dremel says it pulls 2 amps at 110 V AC.

Do i remember correctly that P=IV in electrical circuits from PHysics I?

Does that mean that the proxxon's 100 W pulls 100/120 amps, or less than
one amp and that the dremel has a power of 220W?

Either way, would that make the dremel more powerful, or in this case,
better?

Geoff--I think you're right in your calculations. The control on the Proxxon, I believe, is electronic which may use the power more efficiently.
Maybe I need to chuck an 1/8" drill rod in between the Dremel and the Proxxon and see which one wins.
What I like about the Proxxon is the smooth quiet running and tight spindle bearings. It just feels like a quality tool.
I haven't checked spindle/collet runout on either tool but I would wager that the Proxxon is much better. That would be an interesting comparision also.
Nelson

Did a little test with an 1/8" piece of welding rod chucked between the Dremel and the Proxxon. Was able to run the Dremel at any speed and then switching the Proxxon on at any speed would immediately reverse the Dremel.
The Dremel is a 1.15 amp however rather than the newer 2.0 amp unit. The Proxxon shows 0.9 amp on it's nameplate.
Bet it would be fun to try this test with a couple router motors. (Please don't try this at home)
Nelson

thanks for the feedback...i think i'll end up with the dremel xp 400 only b/c i have a bunch of accessories for the thing already. unless, that is the proxxon takes the same accessories...???
nelson, you know about that?
thanks again

The Proxxon has an unthreaded nose mounting so it won't take any of the aftermarket accessories that thread on. It does come with a set of collets up to 1/8" diameter.
You may want to stick with the Dremel. I understand the new ones are much improved and probably more competitive with the Proxxon's precision.
Nelson

I have the older model and the XP 400 and love my Dremmels.

Mike

There's always the Foredom tools if you want something with some juice to replace the Dremel. I'm going to be getting one (used from a friend) early next year for polishing metal parts. The downside, of course, is that they're not cheap.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services