dremel sanding discs

[Ron B]

Has anyone made a 2 or 3"diameter home made  disc in order to fashion a decent size sander  for shaping pieces.

[Bob Cleek]

Given the title of your post, I gather you mean, "Has anyone made a 2" or 3" sanding disk for use on their Dremel moto-tool?"   If so, I'd doubt that the Dremel tools would handle that, particularly in larger grit abrasives, without overloading the motor. I have a 3" sanding disk attachment for my Unimat SL, but i have no need for it, given that I have a Byrnes disk sander. It's easy enough to mount a homemade disk on anything that will spin, but the more complicated task is building the table and miter gauge for the disk sander.

 

A disk sander is a handy thing to have, but sanding as a method of shaping parts is less desirable than cutting parts to shape with edged tools, which produce a much cleaner cut surface than abrasives.

[Jaager]

5 hours ago, Ron B said:

Has anyone made a 2 or 3"diameter home made  disc in order to fashion a decent size sander  for shaping pieces.

 

I would find this to be a rather pointless DIY exercise.   There are probably domestic suppliers, but these are available in abundance from AliExpress, from many shops under their umbrella. 

There are flat disc  in 1", 2", 3" diameters  With hook and loop mount or adhesive mount.  There are 1/8" shafts  and 1/4" shafts  available.

WoodCraft and MM offer inside bowl sanders types that have a foam layer just behind the abrasive attachment, but the foam is not hardy and the rotational force tends to tear it if you push down as hard as I am want to.  I think these are 1/4" shaft though.   As Bob says, bulk removal of hardwood needs a more powerful motor than a Dremel.

Now, what I would like is a flex shaft tool mount chuck with a 45 degree angle.  90 degree I have, it gets inside a hull, but 45 degree would be the sweet spot.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ron B]

Thanks,

 

I appreciate the feedback.

I have seen these and need 1/8 shank, and always try to avoid China...I buy Canada 1st ( rare), US 2nd (mostly), and then offshore....never used Alibaba

 

Ron

[Gregory]

17 hours ago, Ron B said:

Has anyone made a 2 or 3"diameter home made  disc in order to fashion a decent size sander  for shaping pieces.

If you want to try something just use the Dremel mandrel and cut out your own with some kind of rubber backing..

 

I don't think you will find anything ready made that is very robust..

[Ron B]

I think that is what I will do. I will cut to shape whenever possible , but sometimes a little sanding is necessary...at least I'm expecting it will be.

 

Thanks, everyone for your feedback

 

Ron

[mtaylor]

Ron,

Practice and test.  The only problem I see with a dremel for sanding is that it's too easy to take too much material off.   A light touch and frequent checks are needed.  

[Bob Cleek]

On 3/8/2021 at 2:20 AM, Jaager said:

Now, what I would like is a flex shaft tool mount chuck with a 45 degree angle.  90 degree I have, it gets inside a hull, but 45 degree would be the sweet spot.

 

Assuming there are suitable collects or chucks on the handpieces, and I'd expect there must be...

 

Have you checked out the units designed for dental lab and nail salon applications? There are some remarkably inexpensive units on the market these days. Not that I'd want my dentist cutting corners on the quality of his instruments, but for hobby work, they'd probably be fine.   The same goes for old fashioned dental engines.  I'd think there'd be a fair number of really good ones on the used market as air-driven and micro-motor-driven units replace them.

 

On FleaBay, for about  a hundred bucks  - the blue things are teeth polishing cups:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dental-Lab-Marathon-Polisher-Electric-Micromotor-Contra-angle-10-Prophy-Cups/143944111592?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20201210111314%26meid%3Decf7e111aad647b1985bed3d18e771b3%26pid%3D101195%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D142686199499%26itm%3D143944111592%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv9PairwiseUnbiasedWeb&_trksid=p2047675.c101195.m1851

 

Refurbished-with-warranty lab dental engine with handpiece: $145 on FeaBay: 

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/231467107100?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=231467107100&targetid=1068323857870&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032112&poi=&campaignid=11612431353&mkgroupid=114626995633&rlsatarget=pla-1068323857870&abcId=9300456&merchantid=113796506&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1pyCBhCtARIsAHaY_5eye0YMcPhG8phlwV1UQO8AaFuou0qcn_IVcFcnFaS94NenfJQmR9YaAi3KEALw_wcB

 

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by Bob Cleek

[Jaager]

14 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Have you checked out the units designed for dental lab and nail salon applications?

Until you suggested it, not so's you'd notice.  Thank you for the additional possibilities.   In sniffing out your trail, I found that Amazon has 2" disc sanders -at least.  I am not sure that the chucks are all that I would need,  I will have to think on this.  I did put a couple of manicure motors on my Amazon wish list a while ago, but I have Dremels, so no need for them.

 

For drilling inside a hull, I have more than enough small DC motor with chucks that will fix +/- #70  drill bits. 

Most of my plans have lines for top of the beams/bottom of the deck at the side.  I include that data on my frame patterns.  All of this has lead me to possible way to site the clamps. Cut a series of strips of wood that are the thickness of the deck beams. Pin them at the sirmarks for the bottom of the deck and push the clamp up against the bottom and bond it.

Edited March 10, 2021 by Jaager

[Bob Cleek]

I'd snag a laboratory dental engine if I came across one, just to have it, but I suspect the "tooling," with a few different handpieces, and a selection of burrs and what-not would probably cost more than I'd want to pay for a tool that doesn't really do anything more than my Foredom flex-shaft machine does. Then again, I could always use it for DIY dental work on the family and in such fashion make it pay for itself.    

[No Idea]

13 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

I'd snag a laboratory dental engine if I came across one, just to have it, but I suspect the "tooling," with a few different handpieces, and a selection of burrs and what-not would probably cost more than I'd want to pay for a tool that doesn't really do anything more than my Foredom flex-shaft machine does. Then again, I could always use it for DIY dental work on the family and in such fashion make it pay for itself.    

Hi Bob

 

I've been thinking about replacing my Dremel which I've had for years with the Foredom tool.  Are they really as good as they look.  I know there's a lot of Chinese rip offs available but if I did take the plunge I'd pay the asking price for the genuine thing.  I've just never met anyone who owns one and has put it through its paces?

 

Mark

[GuntherMT]

50 minutes ago, No Idea said:

Hi Bob

 

I've been thinking about replacing my Dremel which I've had for years with the Foredom tool.  Are they really as good as they look.  I know there's a lot of Chinese rip offs available but if I did take the plunge I'd pay the asking price for the genuine thing.  I've just never met anyone who owns one and has put it through its paces?

 

Mark

 

A friend of mine who isn't very active on this forum these days uses the Foredom tools and I've had the opportunity to look at and play with them a bit.  They blow away any of the hobby stuff like Dremel.  Extremely fine speed adjustments and foot pedal controls.  Excellent quality and he used them to great effect in his prior hobby of carving where he won many awards for his work.

A nice Foredom tool is on my 'wish list' for sure.

[Roger Pellett]

Several years ago I toyed with the idea of buying a. Foredom knockoff; MicroMark, Harbor Freight, etc.  After all what could be difficult, all it has to do is spin.  Then I started to read reviews.  It seems that users of the knockoffs had problems with the flexible shafts seizing up.

 

As a. Result, no Foredom, no knockoff.

[No Idea]

21 minutes ago, GuntherMT said:

 

A friend of mine who isn't very active on this forum these days uses the Foredom tools and I've had the opportunity to look at and play with them a bit.  They blow away any of the hobby stuff like Dremel.  Extremely fine speed adjustments and foot pedal controls.  Excellent quality and he used them to great effect in his prior hobby of carving where he won many awards for his work.

A nice Foredom tool is on my 'wish list' for sure.

Hi GuntherMT thanks for letting me know about your experience I had hoped that they would be a great tool

 

4 minutes ago, Roger Pellett said:

Several years ago I toyed with the idea of buying a. Foredom knockoff; MicroMark, Harbor Freight, etc.  After all what could be difficult, all it has to do is spin.  Then I started to read reviews.  It seems that users of the knockoffs had problems with the flexible shafts seizing up.

 

As a. Result, no Foredom, no knockoff.

Hi Roger - A friend of mine who is a very experienced modeller bought a knock off version.  It lasted 2 days - yes 2 days before it packed up.  He should have known better and I still enjoy taking the Mickey now!  I have more monies worth out of it pulling his leg than he ever did in his 2 days of ownership    Buy cheap - get cheap and steal from the manufacturer too.

[Bob Cleek]

4 hours ago, No Idea said:

Hi Bob

 

I've been thinking about replacing my Dremel which I've had for years with the Foredom tool.  Are they really as good as they look.  I know there's a lot of Chinese rip offs available but if I did take the plunge I'd pay the asking price for the genuine thing.  I've just never met anyone who owns one and has put it through its paces?

 

Mark

 

As said above, there's no comparison between the Dremel MotoTool and the Foredom flex-shaft tools. I have several Dremels, which are handy for many jobs, but they can't hold a candle to the Foredom for modeling. (My wife finds the Dremel with a sanding drum mounted to be perfect for doing her show-dogs' toenails!) Dremel does have a lot of accessories for their MotoTool "platform," but, in my experience, they are pretty much junk, most lacking the rigidity to produce consistently accurate work. There are after-market providers of much better accessories which may be powered by either the Dremel MotoTool or the Foredom flex-shafts. (See: https://vanda-layindustries.com/) It's a lot easier to mount the 1" diameter Foredom flex-shaft to the tool post of your lathe for milling and grinding than it is the Dremel. ' Foredom has a large selection of hand pieces, including hand pieces for chisel carving, pencil sized ones for very fine work, and a mini-belt-sander, if one's so inclined. There's no comparison in terms of quality between Dremel and Foredom. There's no plastic anywhere on a Foredom tool, except perhaps the electric cord plug's body.

 

The Foredom products will cost more than the Dremels, but you do get what you pay for and, with the Foredom, you would be buying the "industry standard" tool for the job. The Foredom flex-shaft machines do come up on the used market. I got mine, with two hand pieces, from somebody on Craigslist, a local "flea market" website, for $75 and it's served me well for years. They seem to be a bit more on the used market currently, but you can still get a used Foredom for about what a new Dremel would run you. There are always some used Foredoms for sale on eBay. I recommend getting the clamp-on hanging stand for the Foredom motor. That keeps the flex-shaft out of the way of your workspace.

 

Keep in mind that the Dremel relies on speed for its effectiveness, while the Foredom flex-shaft tool relies on torque. Torque wins every time in that contest. The Foredom has a very convenient foot pedal speed control which, unlike the Dremels, will allow you to start slowly and work up to speed. With the Dremels, even if it has a speed control, you start it and it's instantly running at that speed until you change the speed or turn it off.

 

If you get a Foredom, be sure to get the hand piece that has the three-jawed chuck, as well as the basic collect-holding chuck (like the Dremel.) If you're moving up from a Dremel, all of your Dremel tooling will work in the Foredom without any problems.

 

If you plan to do fine carving, the control possible with the right Foredom hand piece is unequaled: 

 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by Bob Cleek

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

I bought a Foredom about 30 years ago. I rarely use it now, even if the shaft gives it torque, it takes away easy handling  in all directions. 

I prefer to use a Foredom brushless Micromotor, a lot of torque, light and easier to handle than a Foredom shaft.

[Bob Cleek]

5 hours ago, Gaetan Bordeleau said:

I bought a Foredom about 30 years ago. I rarely use it now, even if the shaft gives it torque, it takes away easy handling  in all directions. 

I prefer to use a Foredom brushless Micromotor, a lot of torque, light and easier to handle than a Foredom shaft.

 

So I've heard. They are very impressive machines. I'm waiting for my big lottery win in order to afford one, though!    

 

https://www.foredom.net/product-category/micromotors/micromotor-kits/brushless-dual-port-kits/

[No Idea]

I just wanted to say thanks for the advice on this thread.  I've taken the plunge and ordered a Foredom SR and I also purchased the drill press attachment too.  I'm looking forward to having a lot more control over the speed of the bit and also no run out on the bearings.