Dremel - What do you think

[fehgalloway]

Hello all, I was just wondering your opinion on the Dremel Tool.

Basically, I'm trying to keep tools to a minimum, due to the cost, and was thinking that the Dremel might be handy to do all the little fiddly jobs, like binding, inlays, small drilling, etc. However I've read a few comments on the net saying it's not that great and since I live in Australia, the tool will be really expensive, so I'm wondering if it's not worth it.

In regards to tools, I currently have, or have access to the following:

Smallish Router

Jigsaw

Heaps of planes

Electric sander

orbital sander

rasps

cordless and impact drills

soldering iron

small engraver

Grinder

Hand saws and hatchets, etc

Heaps of drill bits

Hammer

Variety of other basic tools - caliper, wood glues, sandpaper, scraper...etc. etc

So do you think that this is enough? What other essential tools do you think I would need? I'm not looking for the world's best tool shop, and I don't care if things take ages to do with these tools, Just as long as I can get to the finished product eventually, I'll be happy.

I hope that this thread can be helpful for other beginners like myself.

Thank you in advance for you replys

[truerussian558]

actually that looks like enough to build a guitar, of course you will have to compensate sometimes when some specialty tools are required, but it seems more than enough to start and finish the guitar and that it would look good and work good.

dremel might come in handy, but plain dot inlays are generaly done with a drill and binding routes can be done with a router, so its up to you, but of course its not required though it would make some jobs easier/faster. though if your doing full fledged inlays(not plain dots), it is an invaluable tool to have,

as for the router it should do the job if its small, htough it might take a bit longer then if you had a more powerfull router, but genrally if its more then say 1hp it should be at least adequate (sp )

just my $.02

[deshibs]

I find that the Dremel Tool is not just great for guitar projects, but anything else that I may be doing at home, you know, Honey Do's..... I've removed old grout around the tiles in the bathroom, I used it to cut my holes in the sheet rock for additional wall outlets (actually for the Lan Cable that I ran through-out my house). It even helped when I refinished my Grill, it's great for all kinds of projects, so I was able to justify my purchase because of all of it's other uses! I plan on sharpening my lawn mower blades with it this weekend actually!

[guitar_ed]

Hi fehgalloway,

I come back to the old question: What is it that you intend for the tools to do? In other words, how much work are you going to do, and how are you going to pay to have done?

If Warmoth is going to do your bodies, you don't need a router. If you are going to do your own necks, you might want a spoke shave.

So start at the end, and work backwards. That will give you a good idea on the tools you need, and whether a Dremel tool will be useful to you.

And yes, a Dremel tool is VERY useful for general all around tasks. Kind of like hammers, screw drivers, and duct tape.

Guitar Ed

Given inflation, my $.02 ain't worth much.

[soapbarstrat]

I think I use my Dremel mostly for making other tools, and that's not extremely often.

Your "smallish router" sounds like an acceptable Dremel stand-in, for actually using the tool on the guitar itself, because I think whenever I've used the Dremel on the guitar it was with a base, so the Dremel was acting like a smallish router.

The Dremel is a light-duty tool, in my opinion. We get post here all the time by guys who want to work a Dremel to death by routing a whole pickup cavity out of it. Not to mention the guy who wanted to use just a Dremel to mill a guitar out of wood blanks

Speaking of Dremels and LIGHT DUTY, I came across a site yesterday that has a dremel type bit that has a cutting tip end that's only .001" wide !!!

[erikbojerik]

I find that the Dremel Tool is not just great for guitar projects, but anything else that I may be doing at home, you know, Honey Do's..... I've removed old grout around the tiles in the bathroom, I used it to cut my holes in the sheet rock for additional wall outlets (actually for the Lan Cable that I ran through-out my house). It even helped when I refinished my Grill, it's great for all kinds of projects, so I was able to justify my purchase because of all of it's other uses! I plan on sharpening my lawn mower blades with it this weekend actually!

Oh man...so that was you I saw on the Dremel brochures and infomercials!