I just bought a Dremel 4000 today. What all can I use it for in the modeling world and what do I need with it??? Thanks!

What was the ad from my childhood..?



Sit and Spin .. ?

but in reality... does it come with a "Inner chuck" to hold down to 1/16th and less?

[ I was just looking at my Dremel tonight and realized I didn't have the inset to hold a 1/16 OR a 1/32 drill ... I've got quite a few dentist 'bits' that I didn't know if I could load or not. ]

The first one I can think of is removing seams, from wheels. I mount the wheel on a toothpick. If the pick is not large enough, simply wrap some masking tape around it until it fits. Chuck the toothpick and switch on the Dremel. Hold a blade flat against the outside of the wheel. Presto! No more seem. Depending on the rpm, you can wrap some fine grit sandpaper around the appropriate bit and use it to remove larger sprue or resin connections from parts. With an extremely low rpm, you can add damage to plastic or resin.

Better to ask what you can't use it for.

With a number of grinding and finishing burrs plus a few small diameter milling bits, I use to remove and cut plastic, shape epoxy putty or wood shapes, smooth down unneeded bumps and lumps, coarse-sand shapes in all kinds of materials, remove resin pour plugs, etc., etc., etc.

It does need a variable speed though. Don't know if the 4000 has that, but if it doesn't, you can easily rig one up with a dimmer switch, an outlet box and an extension cable.

I've been using that kind of dimmer/variable speed for 20 years on my Dremel.

Of course, once you have one you also find lots of things around the house it's good for, like cutting metal with the cut-off wheels, etching/trimming glass and tiles with diamond burrs and wheels, etc.

There are very few model projects where I don't use the Dremel for _something_.

Paul

It looks like i will have to go back to lowes and get the drill chuck attachment for the drillbits and the toothpick because my dremel is only for quick change bits. Also it is 5000 to 35000 rpm so i wont need a dimmer swith. Thanks for all the ideas!

You will find that for most plastic modeling applications you will rarely use anything but the lowest speed and even that will melt the plastic if you are not careful when sanding. It is useful for removing large pour blocks on resin but it does produce a great deal of dust to a respirator is a must or do it outside on a windy day so the wind carries it away from you. You can also do it in your spray booth with the fan on so the draft sucks it away. Good luck.

My Dremel tool changed my life! Or at least it became a whole new world of modeling for me. I use it all the time from sanding pieces, cutting things, making holes, creating new textures on turrets, and even making scratch-built circles and cylinders. Welcome to the revolutionary purchase.

I bought two identical Dremels from the pawn shop. One I added the flexible extension to and installed the tear dropped shaped grinder. I use that for 95 % of my work. The second Dremel, I put the cutoff wheel on it and that does the rest of my work. You will find your ability to hold the tool steady will determine what you do with it. I do not drill holes with it because I prefer to use a small pin vice. It is more precise.

The '225-01 Flex Shaft Attachment' for sure! … The Dremel 4000 with this attachment has vastly improved the way I work. I also use a 'MLCS 9080 Billy Pedal Foot Switch, Deadman Style' for hands-free ON/OFF (Note: This is not a variable speed control).

In addition, you might want to check out the variety of the small ‘Engraving Cutters.’ The ‘DRE 106’ has become one of my favorite tools. And as others have said ... go slow and steady. HTH.

—mike

Just used my Dremel for the first time in years

reamed out the inside of the armor barrel collar on my Maus so I could fit a metal 128mm instead of the kit plastic barrel

Drilled most of it out but then used the dremel to finish

Now my Maus is a Moose!

The Dremel work station has one important and useful function: It allows you to screw your Dremel into it, and hold your Dremel perfectly steady. Then you have both hands free to hold whatever piece you want to mill.

I use the two together to make parts thinner either to bend them, or to cot open holes like ammo chutes on aircraft.

Uh... ha, ha. This is a trick question, right?

A dremel will do just about everything but hammer... and um, glue things. LOL





Jeff

Everyone needs an electric drill, a dremel tool, and a Bridgeport!

I use that same setup to make 1/35 uniform buttons and Louisville Sluggers.

I have the worst luck with Dremels; I've had three over the years and each one has died within a year, usually by some kind of corrosion buildup on the battery rotors. Can't figure out why it is happening.

Before rushing off to buy a new Dremel, check eBay. I picked up a light, adjustable tool from China. The rpms can be turned down to the point that you can make out the individual grains on sand paper or speed up to sand quickly. I think I paid $10 for it.

No Bridgeport, but I do have a Taig mill and lathe. From a modelling standpoint, that's almost as good!