Dremel vs. 3/8 Drill

[kevinthenerd]

How useful do you think my 3/8" drill would be as a dremel tool (for sanding and polishing)? Do dremel tools typically have better bearings to handle the radial forces? How much faster is a dremel than a 3/8" drill?

 

[ApacheXMD]

They're pretty much completely different tools. A drill is much slower, probably just a few hundred RPM, while a Dremel tool is up to 30,000 RPM. The dremel tool is more suited for fine, detailed sanding and polishing. You're not gonna use it refinish a table top, for example.

-patchy

 

[BigJ]

Can't you just rent one from Home Depot?

 

[Pikachu]

No money for tools? Sacrilege!

Fvck the Dremel, buy a real tool for polishing & sanding!

(That's a pretty good deal for any of you tool whores out there.)

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: ApacheXMD
They're pretty much completely different tools. A drill is much slower, probably just a few hundred RPM, while a Dremel tool is up to 30,000 RPM. The dremel tool is more suited for fine, detailed sanding and polishing. You're not gonna use it refinish a table top, for example.

-patchy

When you're welding pipes together, you want them to meet flawlessly so the joint is as strong as it can be. I figured a dremel would be perfect for this, but since I already have a drill that I got a couple years ago, I figured I'd give it a shot. I used to have a little money saved up (and that's why I bought a welder), but these days, that isn't the case.

 

[0roo0roo]

dremel for that kinda stuff, cutting/grinding/slicing metal...it works fine with that. drilling holes works ok too in wood. its not something you would use to drill 100 holes or something though..

i have a black and decker version that cost 25 works about the same

for really big thick deep holes u use a drill.

 

[Pikachu]

You can't be serious. I Dremel for cutting pipe?

You can get a tubing cutter for a few bucks, a tail pipe cutter for a few more, and a cheap pipe cutter for a tad more than that.

 

[Miramonti]

A 3/8 drill has a much stronger motor but might only have 1400 rpm's on high, maybe 1800 in some cases. A dremel has a weaker motor but has 30,000rpm's. The uses are night and day. on

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: Pikachu
You can't be serious. I Dremel for cutting pipe?

You can get a tubing cutter for a few bucks, a tail pipe cutter for a few more, and a cheap pipe cutter for a tad more than that.

This is AFTER you cut the pipe. This is for smoothing the edge and shaping it for a tight fit. I already have a hacksaw that does a fine job cutting pipe, and when my arm gets tired I can use my saber saw (but the only good bit I have right now is not really designed for it). I've seen an amateur racecar chasis being made, and the guy used a bench grinder, but I want a closer tolerance than he used, which requires more time and finer tooling.


Notice how these pipes/tubes join together at lines that aren't straight:
http://www.northstate.com/ridgid/media/40225.jpg
http://www.sorba.org/albums/My-Titus-and-Me/IM004120.thumb.jpg
http://www.mdcvacuum.com/graphics/grdr23-2.gif
http://www.norconewsletter.com/content/images/t_CRDSeatp.jpg

 

[Pikachu]

I guarantee, a Dremel is NOT the tool for that. If I were going to be consistantly making the same sized connections, I'd set up a jig in a drill press using a drill or endmill the same size as the tubing or pipe. For winging it on the fly, a grinder probably is the best bet. If you can buy grinding stones the same diameter as your tubing, you'll be golden!

 

[drnickriviera]

Originally posted by: Pikachu
I guarantee, a Dremel is NOT the tool for that. If I were going to be consistantly making the same sized connections, I'd set up a jig in a drill press using a drill or endmill the same size as the tubing or pipe. For winging it on the fly, a grinder probably is the best bet. If you can buy grinding stones the same diameter as your tubing, you'll be golden!

Agree 100% a die grinder or even an angle grinder would be a far better choice than a dremel.