Rotary tool recommendations please?

[MaliGn]

Hi, considering springing for a rotary tool, before I splash the cash on a Dremel just coz they are the leading brand I thought I'd ask if anyone had any alternatives they would recommend? Loads of no-name ones on Amazon, but not a lot of point of they won't do the job.

 

Cheers

[Guest]

My only opinion is anecdotal at best...

I bought a cheap knock off tool it lasted about 4 months, the attachments were not great quality.

I ended up with a 8220 as a replacement never looked back plus I love my snake attachment.

[Bung]

You could go for a Proxxon which are more Industrial grade but same price range.

 

[Arkhanist]

I have a proper dremel, but found the RPM was pretty high even at minimum, so tends to melt plastic when drilling unless very careful, and it's pretty aggressive when sanding too.

So I switched to a small, cheap electric hand drill which seems to be out of production now, but very similar to this one.

I've also seen recommendations for the wowstick pen-type drill.

 

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

TBH I don’t necessarily feel a rotary tool is all that useful in the day of plastic miniatures. Of course if you find yourself working with older metal minis it could be very useful.

[MaliGn]

12 hours ago, Captain Smashy Pants said:

TBH I don’t necessarily feel a rotary tool is all that useful in the day of plastic miniatures. Of course if you find yourself working with older metal minis it could be very useful.

I take your point but was mainly intending on use for scenery and terrain building. 

 

I bit the bullet and picked up a corded Dremel on Amazon for a fairly reasonable 36 UKP and it did the job I wanted it to nicely and will be useful in future for all manner of things. 

[sbarnby71]

I bought a cheap one from Amazon with hundreds of attachments (think it was about £22) I love it, it is so quick and easy to remove hands from shields, chest plates from armour, just needs a bit of practice so you don't buzz off the bits you want to keep, so my advice, practice on an old sprue until you get the speed and pressure right.  Always switch it on before you put it near the piece you want to work on as although small, they can have a kick when they start up and that might mean you jumping and hitting the wrong bit of the model.

Also be careful of how much heat it can generate as you might end up melting bits around it.  Practice will help.  It really does beat spending hours slowly slicing off layers of plastic with a scalpel and if like me, leaving loads of tiny cuts in your fingers.  I also use it to drill the barrels of guns because if you use a bit that is pointed, you end up with more of a lip/depression at the top and it makes it look cooler.

Only thing I would watch out for, it if the spindle is off, what I mean is if you put a bit in it and start it up, do you see a slight propeller action going on, if it does, you will end up with holes wider than the bit and that is a massive pain, so check that first.  If you don't intend to drill holes, then it's less of an issue.  If you buy from Amazon and you do end up with the spindle being off, then send it back and try another one.

[Guest Triszin]

I'll chime in here.

 

If using a dremel.

Always use the correct PPE.

(personal protection equipment).

 

if grinding and filing, use a N96 mask

Always use safety goggles.

 

 

[Evil Eye]

Not strictly the subject but IIRC Tamiya makes a plastic-friendly mini power drill "pistol" (which you actually assemble yourself like a little kit) which I am told is ideal for quickly drilling holes in things where a pin vice just isn't cutting it. You could also attach other tools to it (burnishing balls etc) and use it as a very gentle mini-rotary-tool.