Dremel questions -safety, speed, etc

[StarFyre]

Hello...

Wondering if I should get a dremel.

My concern is, dont have that much space to put a hand vice to hold a model still.

I don\'t want to set it to the low speed (5000 rpm) and end up having it slip as i try to drill something, or sand something or even awl out a large section, and have it impale my hand!!!

The 5000 rpm low setting..I assume that is easily enough to rip right through a person\'s hand?

Sanjay

 

[No Such Agency]

I imagine most Dremel settings could badly gouge your flesh. Wear a leather work glove to hold the piece, if you must hold it in your hand. I run it pretty fast and make small careful cuts (eg when using the high speed cutter head to mill off a broccoli base).

 

[Bengoodall]

Yeah, they are well worth having, I use mine religiously, for everything and anything, and not just modelling.

But yes, even on slow speed its enough to take a serious lump of meat out your fingers/hands/arm.

And gouger bits tend to really hurt, Ive just stopped bleeding from the last one I managed to do.

But the other thing to do is to keep your eye for the cheap little rotary tool box set jobbies, they tend to be a gold mine for different things, Ive got about 200+ different bits, and Id use maybe 60 odd for modelling, and a lot of the other and bigger bigs for various stuff.

Fitted a door catch and lock with mine earlier.

And they cut gib too.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Sanjay,

I dont know what your budget is but if you can afford one Id get something like this Foredom Flex Shaft

I use the same sort of tool. Mine is a Foredom, just a different model and older..Mine is about 20 years old now and still works like a beast. The great thing about a tool like this is the RPM is controlled by the foot pedal and you can go from very slow 200-300 RPM to 5,000 in just the push of the pedal so its great for slow speed drilling and sanding yet gives you the speed and power to grind.

 

[freakinacage]

Originally posted by StarFyre
The 5000 rpm low setting..I assume that is easily enough to rip right through a person\'s hand?

sanjay - thats half the fun. where else whould you get that sort of adrenaline rush from in our hobby?!

 

[Bengoodall]

Snorting green stuff and ground white metal powder.......:drool:

 

[Dragonsreach]

Sanjay: Don\'t know if it\'s happening of in Canada but CostCo were doing a full accessory kit Dremel Drill included for £38. (+vat).
That has a bench clamp for the drll and the Flexible shaft, both of which are invaluable. Use the clamp to hold the drill and the flexible shaft for control and you are in business.

As regards safety any power tool can be dangerous. The Dremel is no more dangerous than any other IF it\'s used correctly.

Safety precautions I recommend:
Safety Glasses,
Dust or filtration mask (depending on what you are working on for the particulate filters.)
Never try to sit and do any cutting with the Dremel Over your Lap always use a protecive surface between the fast rotating bits & blades and \"The Important Areas\".

Ideally if you do get the bench Clamp system, bring the work up to the drill slowly and mark your cutting plan carefully.
Remember Bits will fly off what you are working on, sometimes even off the tools. The grinding/cutting wheels can break and there is nothing quite a scary as a piece of metal smacking off your faceplate scant millimeters away from your eye.