Which Dremel?
- Thread starter pete1030
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Sigmund
Well-known member
A flexible shaft is a real convenience for all kinds of things and a precision router base is a must have (the Dremel base is useful primarily for gouging uneven tears in the side of things). I also use the Stew-Mac binding channel cutters a lot, but I don't know if I'd class them as "must have" as you can do the same thing with a router attachment.
Kekani
Well-known member
cornfedgroove
Well-known member
yeah, I'm thinking professional luthiers dont use a dremel...there's not a whole lot of precision and control over a whirring steel blade of wood-eating.
Sigmund
Well-known member
But I ain't no professional.
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
Yeah I'm not even a professional... And this scares me...
After having problems with my regular basic dremel, I went with the Kawasaki equivalent, and have had no problems since. The Kawasaki has a flexible extension and all the other stuff you could hope to purchase for a rotary type tool.
RevWill
Well-known member
The only thing I can imagine using a dremel for in acoustic luthierie is buffing your frets to an amazing shine. I'm sure there are a hundred good uses when building solid body electrics, but not lil' ukes.
I suppose it depends on how precise you want to be. One could shape a bridge, nut and saddle all with a dremel, but I wouldn't expect them to look factory made.
thistle3585
Well-known member
I used to use a dremel to shape the pocket for my truss rod nuts but now I use a gouge because its cleaner and less noisy. I would say that its only real use is to polish frets and cut inlay pockets. I'd suggest a good laminate trimmer over a Dremel any day. Its a much more versatile tool. I will mount mine upside down in a parrot vise and use it as a mini routing table to make fretboards, headstock overlays and all sorts of stuff.
cornfedgroove
Well-known member
I aint professional either, and i do use a dremel...
but I dont consider what I do luthierie either
but I dont consider what I do luthierie either
UkuleleHill
Well-known member
For CBUs I think its different. Not that its not an instrument any more than other ukes... But I think you know what I mean...
thistle3585
Well-known member
Cornfedgroove,
Out of curiosity, what do you use a dremel for on your instruments?
Out of curiosity, what do you use a dremel for on your instruments?
Timbuck
Well-known member
I've had 4 Dremels on a CNC Router,all of them burned out
..I now have a Rota-Zip laminate trimmer fitted,and it's been great for the last 18 months...I'll never buy another Dremel.
..I now have a Rota-Zip laminate trimmer fitted,and it's been great for the last 18 months...I'll never buy another Dremel.Bradford
Well-known member
I have several Dremels. I use them to cut out the soundhole, to cut the soundhole rosette, all inlay work; to shape the abalone and cut the channels, to cut the binding channels on mandolin scrolls, to shape the f holes on arch top instruments, shape braces, cut the pockets in the linings for the braces. I find the small sanding drums are very useful for shaping all kinds of things.
Brad
Brad
cornfedgroove
Well-known member
I use the dremel on headstock shaping, smooth out the tuner holes (my bit aint QUITE big enough), cut the fretwire with the disc, and some basic sanding
Most of the stuff you mention would be difficult if not impossible hand held, so I'm curious what accessories you would recommend to help.
Bradford
Well-known member
I use the router base with a pin for circle cutting operations. For cutting inlay channels, the router base is used hand held. Mandolin binding I copied Stew-Mac's binding tool. Everything else is hand held.
Brad
Brad
Moore Bettah Ukuleles
Well-known member
I love my Dremels! True, they are the Bic lighters of rotary tools but they are cheap enough to replace. I have at least a dozen of them, each one has a specific job so I never change bases or bits unless they're dull. Five or six laminate trimmers step up for jobs that are too big for the Dremel. My Foredom flex shaft mostly sits in a drawer. The coolest Dremel is the little rechargeable one.
zog
Well-known member
Flex shafts
I have a Dremel and a Foredom and a Chinese Foredom clone.
I have the shaft wools on a overhead hanger over the workbench. I use the two shaft tools the most. The clone has a key chuck and works great for drilling pin holes to line up the top and back. I have the stew-mac router base and the Foredom adaptor which I use with a base I made to route rosette channels. I hardly use the Dremel, I used to cut fretwire with it but now use a Trek bicycle brake cable cutter, way faster and cuts cleanly.
I have a Dremel and a Foredom and a Chinese Foredom clone.
I have the shaft wools on a overhead hanger over the workbench. I use the two shaft tools the most. The clone has a key chuck and works great for drilling pin holes to line up the top and back. I have the stew-mac router base and the Foredom adaptor which I use with a base I made to route rosette channels. I hardly use the Dremel, I used to cut fretwire with it but now use a Trek bicycle brake cable cutter, way faster and cuts cleanly.
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