OUTSTANDING Mini Drill

[Bill Jackson]

Guys,

This drill is a piece of artwork that works great, looks great, and comes complete! It ain't cheap, but it worth every penny.

I highly recommend it!

Bill

[Wacom]

Just looking at this now.

Did you buy the basic version? The adjustable speed one could prove useful.

Thanks for bring this to our attention.

[wefalck]

Looks like the thingy that was given to me by my wife with good intentions, but I found the speed too high for most practical purposes. Mine has three speed settings, but it starts from the highest and then steps down.

 

With all battery-operated equipment it has the disadvantage that one cannot start and stop it free-hand, i.e. with a foot-switch ...

 

Do the inserts have the usual 2.34 mm diameter shaft?

[rlwhitt]

Hi Bill,

 

I have this too and really like it.  I bought the one that included the little drill press widget, but I find that to be nearly useless.  I would not recommend the extra $$ on that one.   I find that the speed is relatively low and useful, though of course I'm comparing to the only other hand drill I've had which is a Dremel, that's way too fast.

 

Do you find that you have a tiny little wobble at the bit end?  I have to assume it's in the collet and wonder if I might need to replace that.

[Jaager]

I checked on Amazon.   AM Arrowmax  offers a small spectrum  of variations,  none of which intersect with my needs. Mostly it is mutually exclusive for the 50-80 wire gauge drill bit function.  Speeds and tool attachment are discordant. The models with a chuck that allows infinite diameter bits do not have the speeds that I require.  The ones with the speed have a fixed size insert.  There is even one with 10,000 to 30,000 RPM if burning a hole instead of drilling one is an aim.

 

The drill bit sets with a fixed size base are usually carbide - not HSS.  Most of what we do involves the possibility of "Parkinson-like" twitches.  HSS has flex, carbide does not.

 

Reading the reviews - red flags - lots of red flags - the quality of the materials and the gauges of the wires - I fear planned obsolescence and short term obsolescence at that.

 

 

Edited April 20 by Jaager

[jpalmer1970]

I have one of these and find it much more useful than a dremel for drilling small holes for eyebolts etc. The slower speed compared to the usual rotary tools (500rpm versus 5000+ rpm) and the small size of the unit allows for more accuracy I think. The drill press is also useful on occasion depending upon what you need to do - I seem to be terrible at drilling straight by hand....

 

It is basically a motorised pin vise, and not a cheap one at that, but still useful for me.

[Bill Jackson]

Thanks for your comments guys. I just used it for my trannail deck work. Worked great for me. But then I am not a carpenter. 

Thanks again

Bill

[Scottish Guy]

Just wondering, why not using an archimedian mini drill? My Dremel is not always the best solution, even with the Workstation because it is too fast even with 5,000 rpm and unfortunately there is no reduction gearbox available to lower the rpm below 5,000 rpm. Then I use an archimedian mini drill, I have issues with a standard manual mini drill to turn it all the times, which I jst push down all the times very gentle...

 

 

Works for me very well but I have to admit, when possible I use the Dremel ^^

 

Micha

[Toolmaker]

20 minutes ago, Scottish Guy said:

Just wondering, why not using an archimedian mini drill?

For me, that would be a non starter as it lacks the control necessary for much of the work we do on model ships. To use it one handed relies on pressure to create a screwing effect. If you use it 2 handed the workpiece needs to be fixed. 

 

Unless I have the piece fixed in a mill/drill machine then I always use one of these; Designed for one handed use, pressure easily controlled on start and break through. The blue one is my favourite as it has a mini chuck and the bearing system works well.

 

Edited April 17 by Toolmaker

[jerome]

Years ago I bought one of these Dremel stylus type tools just for drilling small holes.

I was so pleased with the tool that when it broke I went to eBay and found another one.

Dremel had discontinued the manufacture of this tool.

I have contacted Dremel concerning the ship model usefulness of this tool in hopes they bring it back.

The speed was adjustable and would turn very low.

I’ve broken very few drills in it.

I drill a fairly large amount of holes during repair work (most of my model work is repairing sailing ships)

And the tool is small enough to get into the models rigging and do its job.

The handle fits your hand perfectly.

The drill doesn’t wobble at all.

If this second one breaks I will indeed buy another one.

 

 

[wefalck]

That's a bit of thread drift now, but for really delicate work I use a watchmakers archimedean drill that requires both hands, as it does not have a return spring. I can precisely control the pressure needed/permissible (with tiny drills). Of course, the workpiece has to be fixed (some 'cello-type' suffices often), but this is good practice anyway. Mine can clamp drills down to 0.1 mm diameter.

[Scottish Guy]

30 minutes ago, Toolmaker said:

For me, that would be a non starter as it lacks the control necessary for much of the work we do on model ships. To use it one handed relies on pressure to create a screwing effect. If you use it 2 handed the workpiece needs to be fixed. 

 

I never had issues with that and the ones you are using, I know those, have two of those myself but with my arthitis I can´t rally twist the wrist properly to use them and my hands het shaky very quick. I have no issues to fix the part I want to drill in. If it really needs to be accurate I use the Dremel Workstation or a benchtop drill press from Makita (20 yrs old) which works fine with the matching Makita corded drill (30 yrs old) which I can adjust from 15 - 2,200 rpm. They don´t build drills like that anymore nowadays lol but it still works, changed already two times the brushes in it.

 

My problem is really the hand and wrist, doesn´t work anymire like 30 yrs ago