[Dull Knife]

a 300 series, and it's a dud......I sent it in to the Dremel repair shop in Wisconsin a few days ago.....boy, Dremels quality has really gone down the toilet!!!!! I only use this unit when I need to clean up some thing on a carving.

In the mean time, I using a Black and Decker RTX unit from Wally World.

I generally use my Master Carver for all the heavy stuff.....just wondering what brands you folks use for the small stuff???

[susieq]

Wow! Hopefully it IS just a dud and not indicative of the over all quality going down. I use two of the older ones. Mine have always lasted me at least 10 years in the past. I don't know if you want to try a micromotor or not but I can certainly put in a good word for the Master Carver micromotor.
I am not ready to give up my Dremels yet though. They hogg to a small extent and have higher rpms than the bigger shaft tools like the big Master Carver and the Foredom. Those hogging bits, work a lot better going faster... of course you are limited to 1/8 bits. Let us know if this was just a lemon or not. I would be heart broken if Dremel is turning out garbage now.
Good luck.

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by susieq

Wow! Hopefully it IS just a dud and not indicative of the over all quality going down. I use two of the older ones. Mine have always lasted me at least 10 years in the past. I don't know if you want to try a micromotor or not but I can certainly put in a good word for the Master Carver micromotor.
I am not ready to give up my Dremels yet though. They hogg to a small extent and have higher rpms than the bigger shaft tools like the big Master Carver and the Foredom. Those hogging bits, work a lot better going faster... of course you are limited to 1/8 bits. Let us know if this was just a lemon or not. I would be heart broken if Dremel is turning out garbage now.
Good luck.

Dremel sent me a new tool.....and the new one seems to be working o.k., for now, anyway.
I still have two other power tools, one is a Black and Decker that I bought when the Dremel went bad. The Black and Decker is built better than the Dremel. I'm afraid that since most of the good stuff we used to buy is now being made in China or Mexico, we're just out of luck.
Oh and by the way, check out 'Micro Mart', (they're on the web) they have a small three jaw chuck that will screw right on the shaft of your Dremels.....you don't have to mess with the dreaded collets, and the chuck will open up far enough for a little bigger bit size than 1/8 inch....I've haven't used collets on my tools for years.

[Bob_in_TN]

Have you ever looked at Proxxon tools? They have a rotary tool that I think beats the new Dremels hands down. My old Dremel finally broke, and it was just before I attended a woodshow, there I had a chance to look at both, I came home with the Proxxon. Have had it just about a year and haven't looked back. JMO It comes with a chuck. They gave me a free hat too, what more would you want?

[Eddy Smiles]

My old Dremel 395 has taken a lickin' but keeps on tickin'. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[Dull Knife]

Originally Posted by Bob_in_TN

Have you ever looked at Proxxon tools? They have a rotary tool that I think beats the new Dremels hands down. My old Dremel finally broke, and it was just before I attended a woodshow, there I had a chance to look at both, I came home with the Proxxon. Have had it just about a year and haven't looked back. JMO It comes with a chuck. They gave me a free hat too, what more would you want?

SO who sells Proxxon???? I've looked in the wood carving catalogs that I have, but haven't seen them????

[Eddy Smiles]

Dull Knife... Smoky Mountain Woodcarver's does for one! They have an on-line catalog or if you want you can call them up and they'll send you a hard copy.

[Bob_in_TN]

Klingspor in Hickory, NC does.

www.woodworkingshop.com

The Woodcraft Shop in Clive, IA does

Woodsmith in Des Moines, IA does

or go to www.proxxon.com to find other retailers

[Kenny_S]

I have an older model 395 I have had for years and like Eddy said, it has taken a beating and keeps on ticking. I bought my little bride a newer model 400XRP last year and she uses it daily in her carving and crafting. Both have Flex shafts and I would buy them again.


I bought a new vehicle 20 years ago off the show room floor and for the first 3 months, in their shop once a week. After 3 months, I was driving another new car,,,,,, not the same make or model. I have been driving that make of vehicles since.

So I do understand the possibilities of lemons.

[SeaChips]

I have the Craftsman version of the Dremel and have had it quite a while. I love it! However, I purchased a Proxxon last weekend with a flexible rotary shaft only to discover the flexible shaft fits my Craftsman. I was surprised to find that my Craftsman was capable of more rpms than the Proxxon. The Proxxon was around $100.00, so I returned it and kept the flexible shaft! That is the perfect tool for clean up in the hard to reach places. Then, I was snooping around on the Woodcraft website and found a reciprocating flexible shaft with chisels and V-tools and gouges that fits the Dremel which also fits my Craftsman. Do I need to tell you that I bought that, too? The chisels came shapened and not just factory sharp. This set is good for small to medium carvings, so this bought me some more time until I decide what I want to do about the replacement for the electrical problematic Foredom that I returned. I'm a hand carver ready to experiment with some power, so this little tool might be just the trick until I get more familiar and know a little better what my power needs are going to be. Since my birthday and wedding anniversary are this month, I get to rack up on more carving tools since I am supposedly so hard to buy for ( ha ha)... not to mention that Christmas is just around the corner, so I'm shopping for tools like a shop-a-holic! If any of you have suggestions regarding the power tools you use, I'm very open to hear what you have to say! Teach me!
Gwen