Dremel speed reduction

[m408]

I've got a Black and Dexter hand tool. I want it to run slower than the mega RPMs. A couple of questions.

1- Can I use a Dremel foot control to reduce the speed on my B&D?

2- If so, how slow can I dial it down?

[jbwelda]

you could probably rig up a dremel foot control for the B&D but i will tell you what you should do instead: put that B&D out in the garage where it belongs and buy yourself a dremel mini-mite. thats the battery powered one. two speeds, fast and slow. the fast is just right for grinding plastic and the slow is quite slow for really careful work. even the fast speed wont melt plastic unless you really want it to. raul has a new pistol grip style model but ive the traditional dremel tool shaped mini-mite and its the stuff. last i checked they were about 30 -35 $, including battery pack and recharger.

[RatRod]

I use a multi-speed Dremel, along with a Dremel "motor speed control" This way I can dial in any speed I need to do whatever job. I don't know if they even make the MSC anymore, but that would be the ticket. One drawback to the speed control is the cost. I paid $45, and that was many moons ago.

Edited April 30, 2008 by RatRod

[m408]

Thanks guys,

The Black & Decker, I know, I called it a "Dexter", is going to the garage as suggested. I will look for a battery operated Dremel.

[robertw]

They cost a little more but take a look at the Dremel Stylus.

Looks like a phaser off Star Trek but is easy to handle once you get the hang of it. Runs off a Lithium Ion battery so a charge lasts a long time and it recharges quickly in its mounting stand. It has multiple speeds accessed by rotating a knob on the end of the tool. I've only had mine for a year but my older plug in Dremel was retired quickly after I used the Stylus.

robw

[flatheadgary]

for what it is worth, harbor frieght has a speed control too.

[plumnuts]

hay guys. I picked up a dimmer switch from lows and cut it inline with the power cord and can make my dremal go as fast or slow as I wan't it to and it cost me 89cents.

[Jerry Steinbacher]

Mike, I don't believe you want to use a dimmer switch as that simply controls the wattage and you may soon ruin the motor in your tool. It would be much better if you used a fan speed control as it lowers the voltage. Basically it's a low tech Variac. This is only a suggestion on my part. I'm not an electician but I worked for some time in the electrics lab where I'm employed.

Hope this helps anybody else reading this.

Jerry

[Olle F]

You might be better off saving for a while and buying a 110V or cordless Dremel. Batteries are pretty darn expensive nowadays, so you'll probably end paying (and keep on paying) more for a battery powered tool in the long run. There are some pretty inexpensive cordless 2-speeds, but you'll probably like a variable speed tool better. Still, you can pick up some really cheap battery powered units. For example, my wife bought a Dremel pumpkin carving kit at Walmart for $20, and that's probably as cheap as they come. Wait, I'll take that back... If you can wait, it's more than likely half that price right after Halloween.

[Guest Davkin]

I'd imagine your Dremel speed controller will work fine on the B&D, I can't imagine why it wouldn't. Both tools are essentially just small AC motors. I have a B&D and a Dremel controller, (the hand knob type, not foot controlled) but I've never used the controller on my B&D. Instead I have a cheapo 2 speed cordless Dremel, just $20 at Wally World and either speed is slow enough to work with plastic.

David

[bigphoto]

Mike, I don't believe you want to use a dimmer switch as that simply controls the wattage and you may soon ruin the motor in your tool. It would be much better if you used a fan speed control as it lowers the voltage. Basically it's a low tech Variac. This is only a suggestion on my part. I'm not an electician but I worked for some time in the electrics lab where I'm employed.

Hope this helps anybody else reading this.

Jerry

I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues.

[midwest 1953]

I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues.

[henry57]

My dremel had a variable speed control switch, I pulled the switch out and trimmed the plastic stopper off so I could turn the switch just a little further down. Now it turns about half the speed it originaly turned on low.

[Casey]

On 4/29/2008 at 7:11 PM, jbwelda said:

 buy yourself a dremel mini-mite. thats the battery powered one. two speeds, fast and slow. the fast is just right for grinding plastic and the slow is quite slow for really careful work. even the fast speed wont melt plastic unless you really want it to.

This. ^

[peteski]

Isn't' this topic currently discussed in the Q & A section of the forum?

[STYRENE-SURFER]

20 minutes ago, peteski said:

Isn't' this topic currently discussed in the Q & A section of the forum?

So what, there are many topics here that have been addressed/rehashed time and again.?

The mini-mite battery powered is the only one I've found usable for my modeling experience.

the other Dremal tools I've had where too high speed and did a better job at melting 

plastic rather than what was intended.?

[peteski]

1 hour ago, STYRENE-SURFER said:

So what, there are many topics here that have been addressed/rehashed time and again.?

Sure, but it is silly to have concurrent active threads on the same exact topic.

Yes, I know you said that in jest.

[STYRENE-SURFER]

8 minutes ago, peteski said:

Sure, but it is silly to have concurrent active threads on the same exact topic.

Yes, I know you said that in jest.

My mother was a school teacher who was always correcting people 

(mostly myself while I was being a smart a**)

so I'm used to it.? Yah it's just impossible to follow every thread on 

the forum, or even bank the ones from just days ago. LOL. 

Still recommending that mini-mite Dremel tool.??

[BDSchindler]

On 1/14/2009 at 2:34 PM, bigphoto said:

 

 

I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues.

I used a dimmer switch as well for a number of years but took it one step further.  I bought a 2-gang blue plastic electrical box, a high end knob type dimmer switch, a 2-gang switch plate that accepts an outlet and switch, an outlet and a short (3') heavy duty 3-prong (with ground) extension cord.  Most outlets are wired together or you can separate them by removing a bridging. I removed the bridge.

I cut the outlet off the extension cord, ran that end of the extension into the box to one of the 2 outlets to provide constant power to one of the outlets,  Then from that outlet to the dimmer then from the dimmer to the other outlet.  Screwed on the switch plate to prevent accidental electrocution ? and done.  Now I had one outlet with constant power and one that I could vary.  Worked great.  Cost less than $10 and about 1/2 hour to make.

Eventually, I found a brand new dremel 4000 variable speed complete set at a yard sale for $30 (right place at the right time ? ) and no longer needed the box I made so I tossed it (it was bulky anyway!).

 

[misterNNL]

I suggest that you Google, then buy a Dremel Stylus model. I have had mine for a few years and whole heartedly recommend this particular tool. I am always using this for something, I polish small metal with it and with the Dremel stuff I already have in my stash it has a bunch of uses.

[stitchdup]

If you look on amazon for electric nail files there are dremmel style ones that take the smaller shaft size tools. I was finding my dremmel was melting the acrylic nail filler i sometimes use so for less than £20 I gave it a try. Its doesn't run very fast compared to the dremmel (I guess it wouldn't go down well if it burnt the user)but it does the job and came with a large bag of extra drum sander heads and a 6 metal shaping tools. Its worth having one if you do a lot of shaping and a worthwhile extra to have for when a dremmel is melting parts. I haven't tried a cutting disc in it yet but so far its done everything I needed it to do