# Dremel -- Attachment Guide



## this_is_nascar (Nov 28, 2007)

With all the tinkerers and modders we have on CPF, I'm sure the Dremel plays a big part in many's tinkering activities. I've had a Dremel for quite some time, however I only use it for the basic stuff. Recently, I had the need to use it to grind/sand some pieces of aluminum to shorten the piece up a bit, but really didn't know (still don't know) what bits/attachments were best for the job.

I was thinking this could be a place where users could post what bits they've used, with the part/stock number and the material they used the bit on. It could serve as a database of sort for those like myself who need to use the Dremel, but have no idea what bit is right for the job.


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## Fallingwater (Nov 28, 2007)

I've got plenty of tools (found some kits VERY cheap), but I only ever use the cutting discs, the drill bits and very rarely the sandpaper roll things.

Actually, I'm very curious about most of the tools I have in the kits. I'll take a picture and maybe you guys can help me.


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## fieldops (Nov 30, 2007)

Actually this is something important. Having info on rotary tools is a huge time saver. I know that I use cutting wheels the most and sanding sleeves a close second. I used to buy the dremel ones. I found that Ebay has people selling these huge piece assortments for low prices. even if the quality is not as good as dremel, you still save big and have lots of parts.


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## Norm (Dec 2, 2007)

The diamond saw is very useful.
Norm


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## LuxLuthor (Dec 2, 2007)

I try to use the tungsten and high speed cutters if possible with aluminum and other materials that clog up grinding stones and sanding discs quickly.


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## Essexman (Dec 4, 2007)

A pair of safety glasses is a good investment.


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## Fallingwater (Dec 4, 2007)

Essexman said:


> A pair of safety glasses is a good investment.


A pair of safety glasses is essential. I've had many small cutting disks fly apart (mostly due to mistakes on my part), and when that happens lots of very sharp, very hot fragments get thrown all over the place.
Additionally, fragments of whatever you're working on can and do fly off, and then there's the dust.
You do NOT want your eyes to be unprotected when working with a Dremel.


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## cat (Dec 4, 2007)

PROXXON

http://www.proxxon.com/us/
javascript-based page, so I can't provide URL for the attachments, but on the menu it's [ MICROMOT accessories for rotary tools ]. 

I was going to get a Proxxon instead of a Dremel about a year ago, and now the need for it has come up again. I'll find out tomorrow what the dealer here has in stock.


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## Mash (Dec 4, 2007)

Fallingwater said:


> A pair of safety glasses is essential. I've had many small cutting disks fly apart (mostly due to mistakes on my part), and when that happens lots of very sharp, very hot fragments get thrown all over the place.
> Additionally, fragments of whatever you're working on can and do fly off, and then there's the dust.
> You do NOT want your eyes to be unprotected when working with a Dremel.



+1000 on that! 
And the danger can come from totally unexpected events too!
I was trying to cut an excess bit off a woodfloor board, so i can route a telephone cable around it safely.
Attached a big cut off disk with the mandrel, leant in real close for precision work (!), and flipped the switch. Of course the speed setting was previously left on maximum, so the whole disk+mandrel flies out of the jaws, and goes sailing past (at a very high speed) my very close in face! I was very very lucky that time! Upon inspection the metal shaft of the mandrel had big gouge marks on it, from the chuck jaws trying to hold it in place, but failed and let the shaft slip out.


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## jumpstat (Dec 4, 2007)

Yes I do agree that Dremel cut off disc are quite fragile and bits do break off and fly unexpectedly. Safety goggles is thus important.


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## cat (Dec 5, 2007)

Even better to use a full face shield. 


What is the best attachment to use for enlarging the unanodised area where the AW MAG switch screw grounds to the body?


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## LuxLuthor (Dec 5, 2007)

I would just use a sanding drum for that. If necessary, use the flex shaft attachment to reach in there.


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## cat (Dec 5, 2007)

ohhhh, you're talking about putting it in from the head end. ? mmm, yes,...that would allow for some other tools to do it with. All I'd thought of was getting to it from the switch opening, and thinking how the stone or whatever would tend to run around.  Thanks. :thumbsup: 


btw, the Proxxon tools are better than the Dremel and the various cheaper ones because they have bearings instead of plastic bushes, and electronically controlled variable speed. 
They also make a lot of very nice miniature power tools, like little milling machines.


PS: I just discovered that this thread is in The Cafe. Shouldn't we get it moved to *Materials/Mechanical/Machining ? 
*


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## Fallingwater (Dec 5, 2007)

cat said:


> btw, the Proxxon tools are better than the Dremel and the various cheaper ones because they have bearings instead of plastic bushes, and electronically controlled variable speed


I'm not big on brand names. When I had to choose a rotary tool I went for the cheapest I could find, a Black & Decker RT650. Still going strong three years later...

I also have a DC-powered model drill. It's nice because it has an actual three-tooth screw chuck, instead of the dremel's fixed one (don't know the technical terms - bear with me here), but it has less torque than the RT650 and needs to be fed from a variable power supply if you want variable speed.


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## cat (Dec 5, 2007)

I heard about the Proxxon tools on an engineering forum a year or two ago. I got there from google so maybe I could find it again. The main issue was accuracy - the Dremel shafts quickly becoming loose because they don't have a bearing. They have hardened steel collets; they come with sets of 6 collets covering 1.0 to 3.2mm. The variable speed is transistor controlled, not a cheap clicky switch. ymmv, of course - it depends on what you use it for and how important accuracy is, and how much you use it. I suppose that in our torch mod applications here, it's not important.


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## Fallingwater (Dec 5, 2007)

Well, if I was a professional who did Dremeling for a living then yeah, I'd want the best tools around. As a tinkerer, any knockoff will do.


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## Mash (Dec 5, 2007)

You can buy aftermarket mini chucks for dremel and similar tools which come with collets originally. They are about $10, google for "dremel chuck".
Essential investment in my opinion, since it gets irritating changing collets every two minutes for different sized tools.


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## MedusaOblongata (Dec 6, 2007)

It's called a "keyless chuck." Get one and you'll never need to use or change collets again.

Gun shows and www.widgetsupply.com are great sources for bits (and way cheaper than the hardware store).

The fiberglass cut off discs will cut through almost anything (except glass). I tried a silver steel/diamond cut off disc that doesn't work nearly as well.

The double cut carbide burrs are the fastest I've seen at grinding through soft materials (bone, wood, plastic); I don't know how well they'd work on metal.


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## cat (Dec 6, 2007)

Good tip, thanks. I'll have to do something about that from the start.


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## DM51 (Dec 6, 2007)

MedusaOblongata said:


> The fiberglass cut off discs will cut through almost anything (except glass). I tried a silver steel/diamond cut off disc that doesn't work nearly as well.
> 
> The double cut carbide burrs are the fastest I've seen at grinding through soft materials (bone, wood, plastic); I don't know how well they'd work on metal.


Grinding, cutting etc must produce quite a lot of dust. What do you do about dust-extraction, or don't you bother about it? Is a vacuum-cleaner nozzle near the action a workable idea, or do you have a proper extractor?


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## jzmtl (Dec 6, 2007)

I don't find dremel producing much dust, do it in front of a open window it should be fine.


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## topcat39 (Dec 7, 2007)

I was in Costco today and came across a good deal: Kawasaki 233 piece rotory tool (Dremel) for $29.95. It had the flexible cable attachment (I came close to buying just for this), 1.5 amp, lots of bits, carryng case, etc. Here's a link to an eBay auction (could not find it on the Costco web site, so may not be available at all Costco's): 

http://cgi.ebay.com/KAWASAKI-233-RO...ryZ29528QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Couple of years ago I paid same price for a Dremel on sale at Lowes, two speed, with 40-50 pieces - so the Kawasaki is a really good value.

A big +++ for safety glasses, face shield, etc. - small stuff flying into eyes not a good thing. Fumes can be dangerous, I use a fan to blow away, a respirator, etc. - depends on what I'm doing. 

Be Careful :thumbsup:


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## cat (Dec 7, 2007)

wow. I'd gladly pay $100 for that if they were doing international. 

More to why I'm getting a Proxxon - they're only about 10-20% more than the Dremel that costs more than $100 here.


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## topcat39 (Dec 7, 2007)

cat said:


> wow. I'd gladly pay $100 for that if they were doing international.
> 
> More to why I'm getting a Proxxon - they're only about 10-20% more than the Dremel that costs more than $100 here.


 
Some eBay sellers handle international sales, do a search for "kawasaki rotary tool" or "kawasaki dremel" or something along those lines, and read the auction description to see if international sales are OK. Also, some sellers on Amazon had the 233 and 250 piece Kawasaki rotary tool, perhaps some of them handle international sales.

Good Luck:thumbsup:


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## cat (Dec 7, 2007)

I did, this morning - found a few others on ebay. But I then I remembered - 110V (vs 220 here). If it's the "wall wart" type, 12V, I'd have to find out what the Amps is. Anyway, it seemed like the kits of attachments without the drill were also a good deal, but not much $ less. So it might be worthwhile anyway. I just realised, getting a big kit like that - even though you might never use most of them - is probably better than going to the store to look for something that'll do what you need.


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## WillnTex (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks for putting up the proxxon and widget supply links. I've never seen them before.


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## MedusaOblongata (Dec 7, 2007)

DM51 said:


> Grinding, cutting etc must produce quite a lot of dust. What do you do about dust-extraction, or don't you bother about it? Is a vacuum-cleaner nozzle near the action a workable idea, or do you have a proper extractor?



I ALWAYS wear safety goggles and a dust mask. It's not just the dust, which can get annoying in your eyes and mouth, but little bits of pieces of stuff flying very fast, that could put out your eye. I've also had cutoff wheels and cheap grinding bits break apart and fly everywhere, once with enough force to knock something off the wall and dent my blinds. If you don't have eye protection, don't even turn the thing on.

And I agree it's better to start with a lot of bits, rather than having later to go look for one that will work for your task. This is also good because when you first get it, the best thing to do is start with a piece of scrap wood, and try out all the different bits to see what they do. The more bits you have to start with, the better an idea you can get of what the thing's capable of.

And if you're excited to start any project you haven't done before, whatever it is, test/try it on scrap first, before you begin working on something you care about. You'll save yourself a lot of grief this way, because with a Dremel you can destroy something nice in no time flat.

Aftermarket/3rd party bits are significantly cheaper than Dremel brand bits, even if their quality is sometimes slightly less.

And get a few extra mandrels, because it's annoying to have to keep changing them out, and I have a habit of stripping the screws.

Dremeling is a lot of fun.

I haven't been there in a long time, but I remember there had been a forum linked to Dremel.com - might be a good source of info there.


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## topcat39 (Dec 8, 2007)

cat said:


> I did, this morning - found a few others on ebay. But I then I remembered - 110V (vs 220 here). If it's the "wall wart" type, 12V, I'd have to find out what the Amps is. Anyway, it seemed like the kits of attachments without the drill were also a good deal, but not much $ less. So it might be worthwhile anyway. I just realised, getting a big kit like that - even though you might never use most of them - is probably better than going to the store to look for something that'll do what you need.


 
There are step down transfromers 220v to 110v, inexpensive ones used by tourists should work OK. Same source eBay, Amazon, Google, etc. 

+1 As to what MedusaOblongata said, practice makes perfect especially if you have no to little experience with high speed rotary tools. It is amazing how fast they can get away from you and ruin something. Also, cutting/grinding/sanding works differently depending on the direction you are moving the tool - one direction cuts into the material with good control, the other direction does not cut as well and the tool seems to have a mind of its own. 

I've used high speed rotary tools for many years as a pro (air driven die rotary tools using 1/4" bits used to port expensive heads for racing engines where a mistake can cost lots of $$$$$$ and time, plus other expensive components, valve grinding rotary cutters, etc. - also used Dremel type with the smaller bit shank diameter for light/small stuff). For precision work, look things over carefully, measure, look it over, measure, mark it, use good lighting, and take your time a little at a time, check fit, take a bit more, check fit, etc. Unless you are trying to remove a lot of material, in that case a Dremel-type tool may not be the best unless it is all you have (in racing terms we called it "run what you brought" meaning do what you have to do with what you have to do it with). 

Good Luck:thumbsup:


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## cat (Dec 8, 2007)

mm, nothing better than mini grinders. Well, when I heard about the Proxxons, it was because I was looking for something stronger than a Dremel to do things like bracket and mounts on bikes, and match the intake manifold and carb connector on a little single cylinder bike - things that a die grinder is too big and heavy for. And not being able get into compressed air and so on because of not having a permanent workshop. 

Good lighting? Tell me about it. I have a big garage workshop with the walls plastered - a mud color - and I couldn't carry on and get it painted and the lights installed because I have to move. So the one flourescent doesn't do much. So I got one of those dual 500W halogen lights on a stand to make do. 
The first flashlight I bought - a SF E1L - was mainly for being able to see what I'm doing around the carb area on bikes. 

So I might just go ahead and get one of the Proxxons anyway.


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## Fallingwater (Dec 8, 2007)

There are portable air compressors now that don't necessarily require you to have a permanent workshop. I've seen them as cheap as €60, with bottle and all. Don't know how much the attachment would be though...


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## topcat39 (Dec 10, 2007)

If you buy an air compressor to operate an air tool, be sure to check the tool's requirements to make sure the air compressor you buy will work. 
For example, 1/4" die grinder may require 100psi at 2cfm needs an air compressor with these numbers at a minimum to operate correctly (I did not look at my die grinder, my numbers are off the top of my head - although 100psi is probably a minimum for my die grinder). Now, you can get away with a bit less in an air compressor, but not much for the tool to work like it should. 

Also, most air driven tools (like a die grinder) have bearings that need to be lubricated. Before each use and during use if working for a prolonged period of time a few drops of oil are dropped into the tool's air inlet (I use Marvel Mystery Oil). 

Cheers :thumbsup:


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## jzmtl (Dec 10, 2007)

That and most lower priced/sized compressors have quite low duty cycle, so you'll have to wait for compressor to cool down.


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## koala (Dec 10, 2007)

*I didn't type them,* they are from the dremel forum long time ago...


* High Speed Cutters: *
These bits are made of high speed steel and come in many shapes and sizes. They can be used for shaping and hollowing most metals and wood. 

* Tungsten Carbide Cutters: *
These cutters outlast the high speed steel variety. 

* Structured Tooth Tungsten Carbide Cutters: *
Fast cutting teeth for use on fiberglass, wood, plastic, epoxy and rubber. 

* Cut-off Wheels: *
Emery wheels for slicing and cutting plastic and metal. 

* Diamond Wheel Points: *
For fine detail work on wood and hard surfaces such as ceramic and glass. 

* Small Engraving Cutters: *
Used for engraving and carving many materials. 

* Aluminum Oxide Stones: *
For sharpening, deburring and general purpose grinding. These stones are available in many shapes. 

* Silicon Carbide Grinding Stones: *
Especially for grinding hard steel, ceramics, glass and other hard materials. 

* Brush Accessories: *
Both bristle and wire brushes are available for cleaning and polishing jewelry and metal surfaces. 

* High Speed Router Bits: *
The most popular router bit shapes are available in small sizes for rotary tools. Router attachments and tables are also available to expand the versatility of this mini-router. 

* Sanding Accessories: *
Small disks and drums are available to get into those hard to reach places. 

* Polishing Accessories: *
Rubber and felt polishing wheel and points are available, as are cloth wheels. These are ideal for hard to reach places. 

* Engraving Cutter: *
Ideal for detail engraving, carving and routing in wood, fiberglass, ceramics, plastic, jewelry and soft metals. Do not use this bit with hardened materials. Use higher speeds for hard woods, slower speeds for metals and very slow speeds for plastics (to avoid melting at the point of contact).

* 106 109 High Speed Cutter:*
Ideal for shaping, hollowing, grooving, slotting, inlaying and making tapered holes in soft metals, plastics and woods—especially on conic surfaces.

Use the sides of the cutter (rather than the tip) for effective cutting. The tip cuts poorly and can break under pressure.

Use higher speeds for hard woods, slower speeds for metals and very slow speeds for plastics (to avoid melting at the point of contact).

* 118 Bristle Brush:*
Ideal for general cleaning and polishing—especially in hard-to-reach places, such as slotted surfaces. Its nylon bristles make it great for polishing silverware, jewelry and other precious metals.

Do not run in excess of 15,000 rpm. Keep a light touch, letting the tips of the brush do the work. Too much pressure can break the bristles.

Before using on a material, allow the tool with brush to run at operating speed for at least one minute to discharge any loose bristles. Make sure no one stands in front of or in line with the brush.

This bristle brush can be used with polishing compound.
*
403 Sanding Band:*
Ideal for rough-shaping and smoothing wood and fiberglass—as well as removing rust from metal surfaces, shaping rubber surfaces and more. Use a slow speed with this accessory and keep a very light touch for more effective sanding

* 407(60 grit) 408(60 grit) Cut-Off Wheels:*
Ideal for cutting, grooving and trimming all kinds of materials—including metal, wood and ceramics. You can use it to cut screws and rusted bolts, make slots in screw heads, trim castings and more.

* 409 Sanding Disc Aluminium Oxide:*
Ideal for rough-shaping and smoothing wood and fiberglass—as well as removing rust from metal surfaces, shaping rubber surfaces and more.

* 411(180 grit)Felt Polish Wheel: *
When polishing precious metals such as gold and silver, use this bit with the #421 polishing compound (jeweler’s rouge) and apply lightly.

* 414 Polish Compound:*
Ideal for polishing or brightening most metals and plastics. You can also use polishing compound to remove light surface imperfections. When working with felt or cloth bits, keep the tool speed as low as possible. This allows the compound to gently deposit on the bit.

* 421 Felt Polish Point:*
Ideal for polishing most metal surfaces and plastics. When polishing precious metals such as gold and silver, use this bit with the #421 polishing compound (jeweler’s rouge) and apply lightly.

* 422 Emery Polish Wheel:*
A disc impregnated with fine emery abrasive. Ideal for cleaning and polishing coarse surfaces.

* 425 Reinforced Cut Wheel:*
Ideal for cutting, grooving and trimming all kinds of materials—including metal, wood and ceramics. You can use it to cut screws and rusted bolts, make slots in screw heads, trim castings and more. Keep a light touch, as the wheel will break under too much pressure.

* 426 Carbon Steel Brh:*
Ideal for cleaning and removing rust and corrosion from items made of brass, copper or other soft ferrous metals—such as tools, door knobs, automobile parts and electrical contacts. You can also use wire brushes to create an artistic effect on coarse-grained wood. Its shape makes it well suited for cleaning flat surfaces and getting into hard-to-reach places like slots.

Do not run in excess of 15,000 rpm. Keep a light touch, letting the tips of the brush do the work. Too much pressure can break the wire bristles.

Before using on a material, allow the tool with brush to run at operating speed for at least one minute to discharge any loose wire bristles. Make sure no one stands in front of or in line with the brush.

Never use carbon steel brushes on items made from stainless steel, aluminum or other nonferrous metals. This prevents rust and contamination.

For the same reason, always store carbon steel brushes apart from stainless steel brushes and items made of stainless steel, aluminium or other nonferrous metals.

*I didn't type them,* they are from the dremel forum long time ago...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Roberto 
Subject: Tutorial for using a Dremel (helpful for starters!) 5 
Date: 6/16/2003 12:27:34 PM 

Below a BUNCH of useful info for people who (started to) use rotary tools. 

For those who just started to use a moto-tool and the bits, I wrote down some helpful info. Besides, I also added some helpful tips that could be useful to more experienced users, too! I posted this info because quite frequently users find the books which came with the tool not very helpful to get started. The people who just got their rotary tool often get lost in the amount of different bits that are available nowadays or they just give up using this GREAT versatile tool (actually: versatile collection of bits available) after they achieved not the expected results after reading the manual and playing around with it only for a short time. * I also would like to take this opportunity to thank others who passed some recommendations and extra info to me after reading this or a previous version of this tutorial. * 

DISTINGUISHING GRINDING STONES: 
Grinding stones are available in many shapes, sizes, gritts/ grades and in two common materials. 
The two available basic (grinding) materials are: Silicon Carbide ("carborundum": green bits - very hard (hardness 9.5) and Aluminium Oxide ("emery"/"korund": brown, orange, pink and grey bits - a bit softer but still very hard (hardness 9)). 
Grinding stones are generally used to remove material from hard materials or to engrave in hard materials, like iron, steel, stone, ceramics, glass, etc. 
There are many shapes available because every person prefers certain shapes for certain jobs. However, grinding stones will wear in time (especially when used at low speeds!) and the bit will loose shape. In order to restore the shape of a grinding stone or to create your own shape there's a simple but VERY HANDY accessory available: the Dressing Stone from Dremel. It's just a small bar of Silicon Carbide. 
Hold your rotating (about half speed works fine) grinding stone to the Dressing Stone and simply reshape/ clean your grinding stone. Grinding stones should be used at high speeds. 
>> For those who are interested: pure powder of aluminium oxide has a bright white color and silicon carbide has a black color. To "color-code" the gritt of the grinding stones and to bind the grinding particles together manufacturers use additives to the pure material. The more pure stone has a quality called friability - that is it easily fractures along crystal faces. This causes the grinding particles to maintain their sharpness but it wears quicker. This is because the edges of the exposed crystals wear giving them round edges and on the more pure stones (used to achieve sharper edges on the grinded piece) the worn crystal faces flake off exposing the sharp edges. However the darker stones wear more slowly but produce more heat and create a rougher finish. << 

DIAMOND COATED BITS: 
Diamond Coated bits have a thin layer of diamond particles. Cheap diamond coated bits only have a thin layer, the layer is not very saturated with diamond particles and the carrier material/ production process is of worse quality (the diamond particles don't stick onto it/ are holded into it very well). Diamond is extremely hard (hardness 10) and without wearing fast they can be used on almost all materials (materials that easily melt excluded). These bits are available in many shapes and they can be used to remove material or for engraving. These bits work best at medium to high speeds. The diamond coated wheels often look weird because of their gaps and holes in the wheel: this is for better cooling (and saving diamond coated area to reduce production costs?). 

DISTINGUISHING SANDING BITS: 
Sanding bits are based on "sandpaper" ("paper can be replaced by linen), coated with grinding particles and they are available in different grits (=how many sanding particles fit in an area of a fixed size: low gritt = course sanding, high gritt = fine sanding). The expression "gritt" also is used for grinding stones and grinding powder. The grinding particles of sanding bits are made of hard material but there's only a thin layer of sanding material on the bit. So after they get worn through the layer of sanding material the bit turns useless. Low quality sanding bits have lower quality grinding material (hardness: emery in stead of carborundum, contains particles of different gritt) and the particles don't stick to the paper or linen very well (wear faster). 
Sanding bits are generally used for shaping soft materials or for finishing/ preparation the surface of wood, metal, to remove a coating (e.g. paint), soft stones, etc. Sanding bits as well as grinding bits are very inefficient "tools" to remove material fast: the particles have random shape and are random orientated. Cutters are much more effective/ fast. However, because of the inefficienty these bits are great for detailed work because the material gets removed relatively slow. Besides, often there are no cutters available for cutting hard materials so grinding bits/ wheels/ discs are the only option. 
The gritt of sanding drums from Dremel can be distinguished visually. Other sanding bits also have numbers on it (80 = gritt 80 (coarse), 120 = gritt 120 (finer), etc. The numbers on sanding discs are printed on the back of the wheels. Sanding bits generally are used at medium to higher speeds. 
TIP: When using sanding discs it quite often occurs you need to have the sanding side at the "bottom" of the bit instead of at the top. When you always keep TWO (one faces up, other faces down) sanding discs on the mandrel, you won't have to turn the disc all the time. An other useful tip is to mark the sanding disc bits. The sanding discs are hard to distinguish from eachother (gritt). You can mark the top of the heads of the screws of the mandrels. The head is "divided" in two by the slot in middle of the head of the screw. To mark the bits just take advantage of these two "redundant" areas: 
• coarse gritt disc -> grind the top of the screw so it get rough. 
• medium gritt disc -> grind one half of the top of the screw and polish the other half. 
• fine gritt disc -> polish the top of the screw. 
For making the differences even greater you could color the coarse areas dark with a water resistant marker or whatever. 
>> For those who are interested: The sanding disks available from Dremel are "close coat" whereas there is also "open coat" disks available. Close coat disks have more grit per unit area and are better for harder material and produce a finer finish. The open coat are better for softer material because it clogs less easily due to the sparseness of the grinding material. You can use a soft rubber sheet (like the rubber soles of worn shoes) to unclog clogged sanding disks. << 

DISTINGUISHING CUT-OFF WHEELS: 
Cut-off wheels are available in different diameters, thicknesses and base materials. Two "base materials" are: ordinary and reinforged. The ordinary ones (brown) are made of solid grinding material (looking at the color I think they are made of emery), they last longer and they are pretty fragile, the reinforced ones (black) are a mix of grinding material (looking at the color, probably made of silicon carbide) and strong fibers which hold everything together. They are less fragile (a bit flexible) and they last shorter (harder material but a lot of fibers). The very thin cut-off wheels only can be used to cut through materials. The thicker ones also can be used as a "thin" grinding stone for fast grinding. The thinner ones cut faster than the thicker ones. Besides cutting through materials you also can just cut slots (e.g.: a head of a screw is rusted: cut a slot and use a flat screwdriver to remove the screw). All cut-off wheels cut fastest and last longest when used at high (maximum) speeds. The reinforged ones shouldn't be used on the sides as a "grinding stone" (whole layer of fibers will get ruined). 
A special cut-off "bit" is the mini-saw attachment. The actual cut-off wheel is a small thin saw blade, made of HSS (high speed steel). This attachment is very effective for cutting soft materials (that don't melt easily) really FAST, leaving a really smooth cut. Use the mini-saw attachment at higher/ highest speed and make sure the saw blade is cutting all the time; prevent the saw blade is rotating against the workpiece without doing much cutting. The mini-saw attachment originally is designed for cutting wood. However, nothing stops you to use it on other materials! Please always check if the saw blades' teeth are pointing in the right direction (also when buying a new completely assembled attachment!).By the way: it's normal that attachments which are based on a flexible core (Flex-Shaft, Mini-Saw, Right Angle, etc) produce a weird (possible loud) noise and that's nothing to worry about. 

DISTINGUISHING ABRASIVE AND "POLISHING" BITS: 
There are (Emery Impregnated) Polishing Wheels, (Emery Impregnated) Polishing Points, Abrasive Wheels, Abrasive Points, Abrasive Buffs, etc. All these bits have a different "grade" of polishing. The results can even vary depending on the material it is used on. The harder the bit is the longer it lasts (first two). More flexible bits (stiff - flexible: Abrasive Wheel, Points, Buffs) are more convenient to use but give different results. Abrasive Wheels and Points are great for deburring, pre-polishing, roughen up a smooth surface (to be painted?). Abrasive Buffs are great for smoothening out irregularities/ left swirls from other bits on surfaces. The latter are available in two gritts (dark (medium) and sand (coarse) colored). In general it's best to use these bits at medium speeds. 

POLISHING: 
There are several felt and cotton wheels and bits available and polishing compound. To put the polishing compound on the bit just run at low speed and push the bit gently in the compound. The compound will melt and the melted compound will flow into the felt/ cotton. If the bit looks equally red you can start polishing the workpiece at higher speed. You might need to do several runs of this process in order to finish polishing the whole workpiece. 
TIP: While polishing there show up some spots of cooled down compound on the workpiece at the sides. Run over these spots over and over again until no new spots show up anymore: the polishing compound seems to be "disappeared" and the surface looks (more) shiny; then it's time to stop or to get new polishing compound onto the bit for a next run. 
After polishing you can remove the greasy shine with a dry soft cloth. Maybe also some weak solvent like alcohol can be helpful to remove all left overs of the (grease-based) polishing compound. Polishing works best on low to medium speeds as the soft polishing wheel should be able to adapt its shape to the shape of the surface to be polished. 

DISTINUISHING BRUSHES: 
Brushes are available in several shapes and materials. Depending on the material to be brushed you can choose from brushes with wires made of e.g. Nylon, Brass, Stainless Steel or Carbon Steel. In this order they vary from soft to hard. To seperate Carbon Steel brushes more easily from Stainless Steel brushes Dremel uses a gold colored shaft for the Stainless Steel brushes. 
•TIP: Don't use Carbon Steel brushes on materials that originally don't tend to rust. If you use these brushes on those materials, the brush can leave a invisible thin layer (in scratches!) of Carbon Steel (wear) on the workpiece which will rust in a moisture environment for sure and the extremely thin layer which has turned to rust certainly will be visible! 
•TIP: you can use brushes together with other materials, too (e.g. polishing compound). Reading this you probably would think "why would it work, the thin brush wires will scratch the surface anyway!"... No, not if the material of the brush is softer than the material to be brushed. Besides, each bit (with or without additive fluids, pastes, etc.) will produce different effects on different materials. Just play around with bits (and additive substances) on different materials and you will get surprised by unexpected/ different results. 
•TIP: When metal brushes are used for a while all wires are facing in one direction. The effectivesness of the brush than is greatly reduced. To restore this just use the brush in a (e.g.) battery powered screwdriver, rotating in inverse direction, pushing the bit on some scrap material. 


DISTINGUISHING METAL BITS/ CUTTERS: 
They also are available in many shapes, sizes, base materials and some are specially designed for certain jobs. All cutters normally are used at higher to maximum speeds. Of coarse you can run at lower speeds if the material to be cut is soft or when it melts easily. 
There are two base materials commonly used for tool bits: Highspeed Cutters (like ordinary drills are made of) and Tungsten Carbide cutters (hardened steel but still softer than e.g. flintstone/ quartz). The bits that are designed for special purposes all are made of Tungsten Carbide. 
Highspeed cutters (Router bits also are made of the same material) are used for removing material from/ engrave in wood, "soft" metals, plastics (if not melting) and other not very hard materials. Tungsten Carbide cutters also can be used on harder metals (like bearings, moulds, spring steel, etc.) and other hard materials. Some of the special purpose cutters (like tile cutter) have large teeth and they can be used to fast cutting in bricks, glass, greenware, etc. All metal bits can be hard to distinguish but when you used your bits a couple of times you automatically will notice at a glance which bit is which. In the start a lot of bits will look similar but soon you will be able to distinguish them from eachother just by noticing the slight differences. For example the Tile cutter, Tungsten Carbide cutter, Drywall, Multi Purpose bit, Grout Removal bits: 

Tungsten Carbide cutters are darker grey than other bits and their shaft is shiny polished, other cutters are lighter grey and have a less shiny shaft/ are worse finished. Exept for the structured teeth tungsten carbide cutters: they have a really matte shaft as the shaft itself is not made of tungsten carbide. However, they are easily recognisable due to the extraordinary look of the cutting part: a bunch of "large spikes" near to eachother. Structured Tooth Tungsten Carbide Cutters have a silver color and the Structured Tooth Shaping wheel is gold colored. Structured Tooth Tungsten Carbide cutters aren't the most effective cutters because they just consist of random shaped/ orientated spikes. However, they can cut soft materials fast because of the relatively large spikes. An example of a material that can be cut fast with these bits is "thermoharder" plastic (plastics are arranged in two basic categories: thermoharders and thermoplasts; the first are plastics that produce powder when beeing cut, the latter get peeled off (with a knife/ cutter), are relatively soft and melt easily due to friction (when beeing grinded/ sanded/ cut)). An example of products that often are made of thermoharders are power sockets and other electrical products around the house. Anyway, here are some differences between some other bits: 

•Tilecutter has sharp small individual teeth all the way to the top. 
•Tunsten Carbide cutter has close to eachother cutting edges, spiraling all te way to the top. 
•Drywall cutter has the cutting edges far away from eachother not all the way to the top. Neir the top spiraling stopped, the top looks more like flat. 
•Multi Purpose cutter has the cutting edges far away from eachother all the way to the top like a drill. But an ordinary drill hasn't such narrow shaped cutting edges (ordinary drills are produced by twisting a slotted wire and only the top is sharpened; the Multi Purpose cutter has completely been cutted/ grinded to its final shape). 
•Grout Removal bits have a long shaft (do their job in an angle with the attachment) and only have a short cutting area (grout always is only a thin layer). 

IMPORTANT ABOUT CUTTERS USAGE: always make sure you are doing some cutting; prevent the bit is rotating against the workpiece without doing much cutting. There are always some variables that need to be adjusted depending on the material to be cut: rotating speed, pressure and speed of moving the cutter along the workpiece. Just play around with these variables and you will build skills in order to the most efficient way of cutting. This especially counts for routing. It's NOT hard to find out, it's just a matter of play around and trial and error. If you have problems with continuing cutting speed (you might accidently cut too far in corners/ detailed curves) you preferably should cut pulsating: hit the workpiece and let loose on and on. If you just slow down the speed of the tool the cutter cuts worse and if you cut slowly your bit might get dull fast/ the workpiece might change color or it can even burn and smoke. 

What about Highspeed Cutters and Engraving Points? Both are just Highspeed Cutters but the ones called "Engraving Points" just got their name because their shapes are most practical for engraving jobs. If you'd like to engrave with the bits called "Highspeed Cutters" please don't hesitate to do so. Some Tungsten Carbide cutters also have small tips and are very suitable for engraving detailed work on soft as well as hard materials. By the way, this counts for ALL bits: they have certain names and they come with a purpose description but of coarse finally that's up to you which bit you use for your job. For example the tile cutter bit: they say it's for cutting tiles...yeah right. Ok it works for tiles also but never is written down they also work really great on hard wood, glass, hard metals, etc. It's just a matter of trial and error: if you feel like a particular bit would work for a particular job you have in mind, just try it and often the bit actually does a great job! Of coarse when beeing a newbie the results of this way of approach aren't always as expected but when you try it you know it! 

SOMETHING ABOUT HARDNESS OF BITS: 
• Diamond coated bits can be used on all materials without getting dull at once as diamond is harder than (almost) any existing material. 
•Silicon Carbide grinding stones are harder than aluminium oxide grinding stones. 
•Sanding, abrasive, emerald impregnated bits, polishing points, cut-off wheels, etc. are based on substances with properties lying in between aluminium oxide and silicon carbide. 
•Tungsten carbide ((Structured Tooth) Tungsten Carbide cutters, all "special purpose"cutters like Multi Purpose, Tile Cutter, Grout Removal, etc) is much harder than HSS (highspeed cutters, engraving points, router bits, drills, etc.) 
•from hard to soft brushes: carbon steel, stainless steel, brass, nylon. (carbon steel brushes have a silver colored shaft and stainless steel have a gold colored shaft for distinguishing them more easily, by the way). 

•When using two materials on eachoter with the same hardness (e.g. aluminium oxide bits on ruby or ceramics) the bit will wear but the workpiece will wear faster/ loose the contest. This is because moving particles have more energy than material that moves less fast/ stands still. However, usually bits are chosen with an excess of hardness so they last much longer. 

INCREASE LIFETIME OF YOUR BITS: 
•When using cutters always be sure the bit is doing some cutting and NOT just rotating against the workpiece without moving. In the latter case the contact area gets hot and when metals (including hardened metals/ steel) get hot, they get softer and dull fast. 

•Lubrication increases the lifetime of a bit also. This especially is useful when using bits which effectivenes depends on the sharpness of the outer layer "particles" (coated bits, structured/ sharpened teeth, etc.). These bits won't work anymore as soon as the outer particles/ teeth got worn. Lubrication helps the particles/ teeth keeping cooled down. For lubrication you can use water. To help the water to stick to the workpiece/ bit you can add some soap or some lubrication oil. This "oil" contains soap-like ingredients (emulgators) which cause the water and oil forming an emulsion so the oil and water don't reject eachother and stay mixed. The latter kind of lubrication prevents metal parts to rust when they are not dried/ cleaned well afterwards. There are many lubrication substances available, all with different certain properties/ purposes. 

•Never force the bit into the material, let the speed do the job. Make sure the tool bogs down only a bit so there's enough speed left. Many people use ordinary cutters or cut-off wheels on a rotary tool the wrong way: they push too hard (for cutting "faster") and they notice the wheel getting smaller fast during the job. When you hardly push on the wheel and let the high speed do the job the motor hardly bogs down and running at high speed the sparks fly around and the workpiece gets cut like butter. After the job is done the cut-off wheel hardly got worn/ smaller. To avoid the wheel getting stuck in a deep slot you should swing (direction: parallel to the slot to be cut, "making a long slot") slightly with the bit from the start. This way the slot gets a bit broader than the wheel itself is (because you never can make a perfect movement along the slot: the wheel will hit the sides of the slot but in a slightly random off-angled way). 

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS: 
•IMPORTANT! Almost continuously there are tiny particles/ objects flying around the area at high speed during the grinding/ sanding/ cutting (chips!)/ polishing (polishing compound!)/ brushing (wires!) process. In order to prevent your eyes getting hit by one or more of these objects you always should wear safety glasses/ goggles. When using Tungsten Carbide cutters on hard metals/ bendable materials you also should protect bare skin: while cutting there are continuously tiny sharp itchy/ annoying chips produced which can irritate your skin for days! 

•When placing bits in the tool don't slide it all the way in before tightening the collet nut. Keep some space left underneath the bottom of the bit. After loosening the collet nut to change the bit again just push the existing down and it will come loose from the collet. If you don't do it this way the bit might still be holded tight by the collet despite of the collet nut is loosened. 

•If your bit can't cut deep enough in a surface because the thickness of the tool is in the way, you can remove the collar of the tool ("nut" tightened on the thread to mount attachments on the tool). This will only reduce the thickness of the tool just below the bit (useful close to the edge of the workpiece). Really helpful options are to use the Right-Angle attachment or the Flex-Shaft. Both have less thickness and allow you to cut slots in any surface away from the edge of the workpiece. 

•If you need to work in bad lighted areas (e.g. underneath sink, in closet, in narrow area, underneath window sill) the Mini-Light attachment can be very helpful. When using a flashlight or whatever instead, you keep hussling with space and shadows which really holds up the job. 

•If you incist marking your bits you still could use colored tape. Punch holes in it (perforator or hole pliers) and stick it over the holes where you hold your bits in, in the tray of your starage case. Next to the perforated holes you can write (fine water restistant marker) something down about the bit which is stored there. You also could color-code your bits using small pieces of shrinking tube: sleeve the tiny tube over the shaft till just below the actual wheel/ grinding stone and shrink it using hot air or a lighter. Make sure just to cut short pieces to avoid the bit can't slided in collet of the tool far enough anymore. 

•To increase the versatility of your tool you should have more different bits. To keep things organized a storage case with an area/ tray where you can store your bits is VERY RECOMMENDED. If the bits just are lying through eachother some bits can damage others, polishing wheels get contaminated with grinding particles (scratches!) and it is just inconvenient using them. 

•For special purposes you can create your own bits! Several mandrels are available and you can mount a piece of any material on it. Before doing this just make sure the piece is prepared for rotating: not too large and it should be kind of symmetrical/ round. (e.g. piece of sponge, sandpaper, cloth, etc.). Besides, there are more different mandrels available than just those from Dremel. What about the mandrels with a slot from the top to far below? You can mount any piece of sheet material in the slot (e.g. sandpaper). This way you create any customized 2-flapwheel. On this message board often people come up with useful websites where A LOT of different bits, mandrels, accessories, etc. are available! 

WORKING ON ALUMINIUM: 
Practically all bits get clogged with aluminium. Aluminium is soft and it easily fills up the small spaces between the grinding particles/ cutting teeth of your bits so the bits won't work anymore. Cutters are hard to clean, grinding stones can be cleaned with the Dressing Stone. 
To cut aluminium you need a bit with more space between the teeth: the two smallest cilindrical Router bits work fast and great! 
Other bits that work well on aluminium are the abrasive and polishing ones. 
Also sanding bits will do (depending on the aluminium alloy). 

WORKING ON MATERIALS THAT EASILY MELT: 
Use cutters/ sawblades which have relatively large teeth and run at low speed. Preferably the speed should be lower than 10k rpm (minimum speed of standard Dremel Multi 395 and previous versions). The Digital rotary tool is recommended: it has a lowest speed of 5k rpm and it still has enough torque at low speeds. When grinding ,sanding or polishing you always have to deal with fine particles and a lot of heat generating friction. In order to prevent melting you should apply only a bit pressure and keep the bit moving (fast): using the bit too long at a small area the material will soften/ melt instantly. Small worpieces should be "hit" with short pulses so the cut/ grinded area is allowed to cool down between the hits of the bit. 

CUTTING SOFT MATERIAL AND STILL THE BIT GETS DULL: 
At first glance some materials appear to be soft. However, often these materials are "contaminated" with slight larger particles of hard material (like flintstone). Examples of such materials are grout and greenware (clay products) and sometimes even metals which weren't very well mixed while it still was liquid during the production process. You never can avoid this and you just have to live with the fact that bits need to be replaced once in a while.


*I didn't type them,* they are from the dremel forum long time ago...


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## JimmyM (Dec 11, 2007)

My Dremel (Craftsman re-branded) has ball bearings at both ends. I had it apart to clean out dust. I do like the keyless chuck though. I gotta get me one of those. I also use the drill press attachment for drilling PCBs with carbide microdrills. If you do get a drill press for your Dremel, take the time to fiddle with the slide adjustments. It tightens up the action nicely.



cat said:


> I heard about the Proxxon tools on an engineering forum a year or two ago. I got there from google so maybe I could find it again. The main issue was accuracy - the Dremel shafts quickly becoming loose because they don't have a bearing. They have hardened steel collets; they come with sets of 6 collets covering 1.0 to 3.2mm. The variable speed is transistor controlled, not a cheap clicky switch. ymmv, of course - it depends on what you use it for and how important accuracy is, and how much you use it. I suppose that in our torch mod applications here, it's not important.


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## Fallingwater (Dec 12, 2007)

koala said:


> In order to prevent melting you should apply only a bit pressure and keep the bit moving (fast): using the bit too long at a small area the material will soften/ melt instantly. Small worpieces should be "hit" with short pulses so the cut/ grinded area is allowed to cool down between the hits of the bit


Eh. When I cut plastic I just let it melt and then remove the globs with a blade.


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## AFAustin (Dec 13, 2007)

Thanks, gents, for all the great tips here. Thanks especially to koala for the incredibly comprehensive post above.

I just bought my first ever Dremel (I know, I know...dedicated CPFer for 3+ yrs. and just now getting a Dremel---the shame!), because I couldn't resist a deal available at Lowe's a few weeks ago. They had a nice little 10.8v li-ion model for ~$40 + tax (on sale and with a coupon). Haven't even had time to get it out of the box yet, but if we eventually hit it off, I'll be returning to this thread in the future for some serious study.

Thanks again to all.


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