Model Railroading > Dremel Tool

I need a new Dremel tool, What model do you guys recommend?

Paul B
Canton, GA

I bought an 8220 a couple years back and have been very happy with it.  Excellent power and run time, but without the cord to accidentally clobber whatever else is sitting on my bench at the time.

The 8220 sounds like a good machine. I haven't looked at the exact models Dremel is offering these days but I follow enough to know if I was going to buy a motor tool tomorrow it would be name-brand Dremel and I would go for cordless with a lithim ion battery.

Andrew C

Check out Lowe's and HD. They will be having Father's day specials on Dremel tools about now. Usually you can get a motor, extension cable, and bunch of bits quite cheap.

Scott Schifer
Torrance, CA
TinyTrains Website

I picked up a Dremel at a train show - a previous model that was still new and never used.  I used it for maybe 6 months and the shaft inside broke.  I'm not sure if they still have the service they used too.  I still have an old Dremel model I purchased around 1980;  something inside popped and fried - a circuit board I guess - and Dremel repaired it free of charge and that one is still going strong - I used it over the weekend to put more track into my yard.

Cheers, Jim Fitch

It is my opinion that 2 Dremel/motor tools is the way to go.  A heavy duty plug in one and a smaller battery powered model. 

My battery one is actually a Sears Craftsman brand, I've had it for at least 15 years, and it was quite a bit less expensive than the Dremel.  A few years back I was working with a friend and we both had our battery powered motor tools with us.  Turns out his Dremel branded tool and my Sears brand use the EXACT same battery!  We compared the tools and except for the color and labels, they seem to be the same; mine was just less expensive! 

My other opinion about Dremel tools is that the older ones are better.  Anything with the rotary speed selector switch seems to be better built and repairable.  The newer models with the sliding speed "step" switch seem fine while they are working but don't seem to be as repairable down the road.  I have a very old Dremel, (1970s?) that I have replaced the brushes twice and it keeps going.  There are no solid state or circuit cards in it!  just a motor, and the housing; and I can completely dis-assemble it with a screwdriver!  If I ever need to replace this one, I'll be searching pawn shops and swap meets for it's replacement!

Rick Bacon
Windsor, CO

rnb3 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My other opinion about Dremel tools is that the
> older ones are better.  Anything with the rotary
> speed selector switch seems to be better built and
> repairable.  The newer models with the sliding
> speed "step" switch seem fine while they are
> working but don't seem to be as repairable down
> the road.  I have a very old Dremel, (1970s?)
> that I have replaced the brushes twice and it
> keeps going.  There are no solid state or circuit
> cards in it!  just a motor, and the housing; and
> I can completely dis-assemble it with a
> screwdriver!  If I ever need to replace this one,
> I'll be searching pawn shops and swap meets for
> it's replacement!

My old Dremel from around 1980 maybe 1979 has the rotary speed control knob.  The silver numbered label fell out years ago, but it's cosmetic.  The only thing that I found was the brushes to wear over time and need replaced or sometimes just turned and re-inserted.  A few years back it started stuttering and I unscrewed both of the bushes - very easy to do, and just turned them around and re-inserted them and that old Dremel ran as good as new.  I find it ironic that a 36+ year old Demel out is still going strong when the one built in the late 1990's only lasted 6 months before shearing the shaft on the inside.  Must be poor quality in the latter years?  That one has the slider speed control incidentally.  Pretty disappointing and I didn't abuse it - just light duty cutting rail etc.