# Dremel alternatives



## Zamboknee (Jul 9, 2011)

Dremel's are cheap plastic husks of their former selves.
Anybody know of any 'family handyman' friendly alternatives?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Look for an older one at any "garbage " sale, auction, pawn shop, e-bay, Craigs, etc.

Nothing wrong with buying some ones well cared for used tools.


ED


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

I find my oscillating tool very useful. Cuts most things a Dremel will cut, and cuts anything far faster than a Dremel. But you can't use it to drill small holes.

But you have to buy a Bosch or Fein, or you can't come back and complain about your cheap plastic oscillating tool.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I have a cheap harbor freight oscillating tool and am well pleased with it considering the price especially since it's not a tool I use every week. How you plan to use it along with how much you have to spend will go along ways toward determining which one to buy.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I guess "cheap plastic husks of their former selves" could be said about a lot of things. I still have and use my dad's 40's vintage circular saw at the cabin, but would sure hate to use it every day. It's all metal, taken care of, and as useful as ever, but it's also heavy by today's standards. Same for drills and any number of other things. I've had no reason to pick up a Dremel tool in a store for years, so can't say what has changed, but do have Dremel rotary and oscillating tools, and am very satisfied with them. For larger or more strenuous jobs, I have a Dewalt rotary tool, and apparently I wasn't the only one who liked my heavier oscillating tool because I have to replace the one that sprouted legs on a jobsite a month or so ago, but for a lot of jobs the Dremels have performed very well. In fact I may even try an HF like Mark mentioned this time around. It's like a lot of tools though, a lot of choices and a pretty wide price range, with a majority of it based on how and how much it will be used. Having grown up before such tools were widely available, or maybe even before some of them existed, I learned other ways to do a lot of things, so even though I have and use these tools, they probably don't get the near the use of some, so I haven't yet justified the purchase of a Fein. But, as mentioned, if that's what you want, that's what you have to pay for.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Zamboknee said:


> Dremel's are cheap plastic husks of their former selves.
> Anybody know of any 'family handyman' friendly alternatives?



What sort of problems have you been experiencing with the Dremel?


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

I've gone through a few Dremels as well. Usually what goes first is one or more of the speeds just don't work. Milwaukee has what looks like a more expensive version, don't know if it actually is better. A company named Proxxon also has a very expensive one, don't know anything about them.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

I was a long time getting to the point of buying a Dremel, kind of thought of them as something one might use for building a pinewood derby entry, but finally did, and have used them a lot in the shop. But they seldom leave the shop, and I don't use them for cutting openings in drywall for electrical boxes, trimming door jambs, and things like that. Like many tools, there is a time and place for each, and I just don't think they were ever designed nor intended for what I would categorize as construction related tasks.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

DexterII said:


> apparently I wasn't the only one who liked my heavier oscillating tool because I have to replace the one that sprouted legs on a jobsite a month or so ago,


You may have been able to buy it back on e-bay or craigslist and that's the reason I don't buy pre owned tools from either of those businesses.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Yeah, you and I are of the same mindset on that one SS. I avoided it completely for a long time, but heard enough good things from people I know about CL, so gave it a try a year or so ago, and have managed to sell a few things there that I otherwise wasn't sure what I would ever do with. I look at it every once in a while now, and am sure that sooner later I will buy something, but it will be with a pretty good amount of discretion, because there are no doubt a lot of "hot" items on there, and even if the price is too good to pass on I'm not going to willingly support that kind of activity.


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## VapourSnow (Apr 14, 2018)

I would suggest Proxxon, I have the IBS/E and my dad has the MICROMOT 50/EF.

Hope that helps
Craig


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## Zamboknee (Jul 9, 2011)

VapourSnow said:


> I would suggest Proxxon, I have the IBS/E and my dad has the MICROMOT 50/EF.
> 
> Hope that helps
> Craig


The Proxxon looks like it's an oscillating tool. Do I have that correct? Looking for a rotary tool.

*UPDATE: * Disregard. I was looking at their wood-chiseling tool. Apologies.


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## VapourSnow (Apr 14, 2018)

They are both rotary, as in drill / grinder.
Please see: https://www.proxxon.com/en/micromot/28481.php


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

My rotary tool is just a Black & Decker that I bought when t was in sale for ~$10. I’ve had it for 7 years now and use it more than I use my drill. 

Most work, requiring a rotary tool, generate a lot of dust/particles which kill the tool. So, I always have a vacuum hose nearby to suck most of the dust/particles and make sure to also clean the tool itself.


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## JonWalter (Apr 20, 2018)

I have two and a portable ********one I use regularly for work, the others are not as good, when I have tried them in my experience. 


I do have a minora French one, currently out on loan that is ok. You kind of get what you per for really in quality terms.


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## miamicuse (Nov 13, 2011)

I have a rotary tool from Craftsman. I didn't buy it. Years ago one of those airlines where I have frequent flyer miles expiring they sent me a catalog of stuff to choose to use up my miles. I saw a rotary tool and took it. It worked fine for what it's designed for.

It is just not something that I use on a daily or even weekly basis for construction.

Last two times I used it it was to cut a 1.5" long copper drain pipe slightly recessed into the wall by sticking the dremel inside of the pipe and cut all the way around carefully. One other time I had a toilet bolt nut I want to remove from the toilet and it's seized. I split the nut with a dremel. A sawzall requires too much room, and an oscillating tool would have taken forever.

For regular tools I use all the time I always get quality tools. I once bought a HF power tool but found it heavier, noisier than a much pricier Milwaukee or Dewalt or Makita. But sometimes if the price is so low and the use is so infrequent it may work. I am now thinking of getting a pole saw to trim some tree branches. The landscape company quoted me $700. I found that HF sells a pole saw for $79.99 and I have a coupon which marks it down to $59.99, then I have a 20% off coupon on top of that. That makes that pole saw $48. How do you beat that? I might just get it and if it lasts that one trim and breaks right after I am good with that. I only need it to last 3-4 hours LOL and won't need it again for a year. By that time I'll buy another one for $48 if necessary.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

That is the thing about HF, if you pick and choose what will work for you - you'll save a bunch of money. Name brand tools are almost always better but when you don't use the tool for work or frequently - it's hard to justify the extra cost ..... and I do have some HF tools that still work decent after decades.


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## Yodaman (Mar 9, 2015)

Many heavy duty options to choose from. How much do you want to spend?
Search "electric die grinders"

https://www.google.com/search?q=ele...6xeXaAhVHh-AKHV6NAdoQsAQIkQE&biw=1307&bih=604


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