m408 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I've got a Black and Dexter hand tool. I want it to run slower than the mega RPMs. A couple of questions. 1- Can I use a Dremel foot control to reduce the speed on my B&D? 2- If so, how slow can I dial it down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 you could probably rig up a dremel foot control for the B&D but i will tell you what you should do instead: put that B&D out in the garage where it belongs and buy yourself a dremel mini-mite. thats the battery powered one. two speeds, fast and slow. the fast is just right for grinding plastic and the slow is quite slow for really careful work. even the fast speed wont melt plastic unless you really want it to. raul has a new pistol grip style model but ive the traditional dremel tool shaped mini-mite and its the stuff. last i checked they were about 30 -35 $, including battery pack and recharger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatRod Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) I use a multi-speed Dremel, along with a Dremel "motor speed control" This way I can dial in any speed I need to do whatever job. I don't know if they even make the MSC anymore, but that would be the ticket. One drawback to the speed control is the cost. I paid $45, and that was many moons ago. Edited April 30, 2008 by RatRod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m408 Posted April 30, 2008 Author Share Posted April 30, 2008 Thanks guys, The Black & Decker, I know, I called it a "Dexter", is going to the garage as suggested. I will look for a battery operated Dremel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertw Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 They cost a little more but take a look at the Dremel Stylus. Looks like a phaser off Star Trek but is easy to handle once you get the hang of it. Runs off a Lithium Ion battery so a charge lasts a long time and it recharges quickly in its mounting stand. It has multiple speeds accessed by rotating a knob on the end of the tool. I've only had mine for a year but my older plug in Dremel was retired quickly after I used the Stylus. robw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatheadgary Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 for what it is worth, harbor frieght has a speed control too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumnuts Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 hay guys. I picked up a dimmer switch from lows and cut it inline with the power cord and can make my dremal go as fast or slow as I wan't it to and it cost me 89cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Steinbacher Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Mike, I don't believe you want to use a dimmer switch as that simply controls the wattage and you may soon ruin the motor in your tool. It would be much better if you used a fan speed control as it lowers the voltage. Basically it's a low tech Variac. This is only a suggestion on my part. I'm not an electician but I worked for some time in the electrics lab where I'm employed. Hope this helps anybody else reading this. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle F Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 You might be better off saving for a while and buying a 110V or cordless Dremel. Batteries are pretty darn expensive nowadays, so you'll probably end paying (and keep on paying) more for a battery powered tool in the long run. There are some pretty inexpensive cordless 2-speeds, but you'll probably like a variable speed tool better. Still, you can pick up some really cheap battery powered units. For example, my wife bought a Dremel pumpkin carving kit at Walmart for $20, and that's probably as cheap as they come. Wait, I'll take that back... If you can wait, it's more than likely half that price right after Halloween. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Davkin Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'd imagine your Dremel speed controller will work fine on the B&D, I can't imagine why it wouldn't. Both tools are essentially just small AC motors. I have a B&D and a Dremel controller, (the hand knob type, not foot controlled) but I've never used the controller on my B&D. Instead I have a cheapo 2 speed cordless Dremel, just $20 at Wally World and either speed is slow enough to work with plastic. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigphoto Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Mike, I don't believe you want to use a dimmer switch as that simply controls the wattage and you may soon ruin the motor in your tool. It would be much better if you used a fan speed control as it lowers the voltage. Basically it's a low tech Variac. This is only a suggestion on my part. I'm not an electician but I worked for some time in the electrics lab where I'm employed. Hope this helps anybody else reading this. Jerry I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midwest 1953 Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry57 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 My dremel had a variable speed control switch, I pulled the switch out and trimmed the plastic stopper off so I could turn the switch just a little further down. Now it turns about half the speed it originaly turned on low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 On 4/29/2008 at 7:11 PM, jbwelda said: buy yourself a dremel mini-mite. thats the battery powered one. two speeds, fast and slow. the fast is just right for grinding plastic and the slow is quite slow for really careful work. even the fast speed wont melt plastic unless you really want it to. This. ^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Isn't' this topic currently discussed in the Q & A section of the forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STYRENE-SURFER Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 20 minutes ago, peteski said: Isn't' this topic currently discussed in the Q & A section of the forum? So what, there are many topics here that have been addressed/rehashed time and again.? The mini-mite battery powered is the only one I've found usable for my modeling experience. the other Dremal tools I've had where too high speed and did a better job at melting plastic rather than what was intended.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 1 hour ago, STYRENE-SURFER said: So what, there are many topics here that have been addressed/rehashed time and again.? Sure, but it is silly to have concurrent active threads on the same exact topic. Yes, I know you said that in jest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STYRENE-SURFER Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 8 minutes ago, peteski said: Sure, but it is silly to have concurrent active threads on the same exact topic. Yes, I know you said that in jest. My mother was a school teacher who was always correcting people (mostly myself while I was being a smart a**) so I'm used to it.? Yah it's just impossible to follow every thread on the forum, or even bank the ones from just days ago. LOL. Still recommending that mini-mite Dremel tool.?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDSchindler Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 On 1/14/2009 at 2:34 PM, bigphoto said: I have used a homemade speed control from a dimmer switch for 7years and haven't had any issues. I used a dimmer switch as well for a number of years but took it one step further. I bought a 2-gang blue plastic electrical box, a high end knob type dimmer switch, a 2-gang switch plate that accepts an outlet and switch, an outlet and a short (3') heavy duty 3-prong (with ground) extension cord. Most outlets are wired together or you can separate them by removing a bridging. I removed the bridge. I cut the outlet off the extension cord, ran that end of the extension into the box to one of the 2 outlets to provide constant power to one of the outlets, Then from that outlet to the dimmer then from the dimmer to the other outlet. Screwed on the switch plate to prevent accidental electrocution ? and done. Now I had one outlet with constant power and one that I could vary. Worked great. Cost less than $10 and about 1/2 hour to make. Eventually, I found a brand new dremel 4000 variable speed complete set at a yard sale for $30 (right place at the right time ? ) and no longer needed the box I made so I tossed it (it was bulky anyway!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted November 2, 2020 Share Posted November 2, 2020 I suggest that you Google, then buy a Dremel Stylus model. I have had mine for a few years and whole heartedly recommend this particular tool. I am always using this for something, I polish small metal with it and with the Dremel stuff I already have in my stash it has a bunch of uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stitchdup Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 If you look on amazon for electric nail files there are dremmel style ones that take the smaller shaft size tools. I was finding my dremmel was melting the acrylic nail filler i sometimes use so for less than £20 I gave it a try. Its doesn't run very fast compared to the dremmel (I guess it wouldn't go down well if it burnt the user)but it does the job and came with a large bag of extra drum sander heads and a 6 metal shaping tools. Its worth having one if you do a lot of shaping and a worthwhile extra to have for when a dremmel is melting parts. I haven't tried a cutting disc in it yet but so far its done everything I needed it to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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