# Dremel Drilling



## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I recently bought a drill press stand for a Dremel. I have some bits with an 1/8 inch shank that i got from HF but they are not the size that I need.
Can regular twist drill bits be used in a Dremel by buying additional collets? I think the largest bit would be around .070 and more common .035 to .062.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I have about 3 size collets with my 10yearold dremel. I can use up to about 1/16 regular bit (Harbor Freight). 1/8 might be pushing it.


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## hawkeye2 (Jan 6, 2008)

There used to be avaliable (and still should be) small finger tightened chucks that would close down to almost nothing and had a shank that would fit a Dremmel tool or drill press. Try Model Expo or Micro Mark for a start.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

Home depot usually has a decent dremel section (at least mine does). Dremel does make a small chuck that will hold from 1/8" shank down to really really tiny (that's a technical term). I have one on mine and it works great. The chuck cost about $8 when I bought it.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By paintjockey on 14 Dec 2009 02:16 PM 
Home depot usually has a decent dremel section (at least mine does). Dremel does make a small chuck that will hold from 1/8" shank down to really really tiny (that's a technical term). I have one on mine and it works great. The chuck cost about $8 when I bought it. 
I second that


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

Posted By xo18thfa on 14 Dec 2009 10:04 PM 
Posted By paintjockey on 14 Dec 2009 02:16 PM 
Home depot usually has a decent dremel section (at least mine does). Dremel does make a small chuck that will hold from 1/8" shank down to really really tiny (that's a technical term). I have one on mine and it works great. The chuck cost about $8 when I bought it. 
I second that 
I have one of those chucks and it's what I use all the time. My collets haven't been used since I got the chuck.
Bob


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Now that I think of it, one of my Dremel collets does 1/8 bit. I have about 3 collets and yes, it goes all the way tiny, as in pin size, but then I kind of worry about breaking bits that small. Usually use the little thingy that you hold and twist. It's got the word "pin" or something in it. I can't recall. I have 2 of them. When you get bits that tiny, it's hard to differentiate the sizes and I got mine mixed up and just gave up determining. 

Also, I think I need to color code the Dremel Collets b/c I'm always grabbing the wrong one. 

One time I was outside predrilling some ties with the dremel and I went inside for some coffee. The sky was clear when I went in but it was raining when I went back out. Crazy right? Anyway, the dremel still works but the mandrels and collets and some of the other parts are rusted. But I use them anyway, and they seems to work just fine. 

Dave V.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

a small chuck that will hold from 1/8" shank down to really really tiny 
It's a Dremel 4486, and I have one in my new 4000 on the workstation/drill press: 
*http://www.dremel.com/en-au/Attachm...x?pid=4486* 

It's got the word "pin" or something in it 
That's a pin vise. I use them for hand-drilling tiny holes in soft material. 
*http://www.micromark.com/PIN-VISE-a...,7804.html*


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Pin vises can be found with a variety of shank sizes, I acquire them as needed. 
A word of caution; a Variable speed Dremel is a necessity as you want a slow speed with these sized bits, to fast and they'll heat up and loose their temper... 
Some pin vises I've pulled from their handles to chuck in my hand piece (Foredom) when I'm drilling in tight places, the pin vises are usually 1/4 -5/16" in diameter, whereas the handpiece's diameter is around 1", so I can power drill deeper in a recess. 
A good source for Pin vises are discout jewelry supply houses, the cheapies come from India or Pakistan (probably china too), the 4 jaw variety are simpler to make and are fairly accurate, the 3 jaw vise is harder to make. 
I would stay away from any pin vise with a Yankee screwdriver type shank... push down and it twists around, as they add too much pressure on a brittle drill. 
Use beeswax to lift the chips and to lube the cut. 

John


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

It's hard to make my old dremel turn slow


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Check your Dremel drill press stand. The one I've got is pretty much crap. As you start to apply any pressure (even the weight of the tool itself) the whole head shifts to the side by 1/8 inch. Pretty much useless for ANY accuracy. 

Chas


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

Posted By SE18 on 17 Dec 2009 11:52 AM 
It's hard to make my old dremel turn slow Try using a speed controller. Beware the tool doesn't overheat.

And please, may I humbly beg of you, _don't_ waste your money on HF drill bits. I, who visits HF like other people vist ancient cathedrals, would not have a HF drill bit where the sun don't shine if I had room for the battleship Missouri.

Les


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Thanks, Les, I looked last night at my Dremel and it's a MultiMaster 395. Probably don't make these anymore. 

When running it at the slowest speeds, 5000 RPM, it doesn't have much horsepower when it comes into contact with anything and simply stops. I think the dremels are made to work best at high speeds. But I don't know enough about this to have a professional opinion. 

Thanks for the tip on HF bits.


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## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I got the chuck at HD. I found the same thing regarding some play in the press after every thing was tightened down. I'm not looking to do machine work with it but it would be nice to eliminate the slop. Any ideas? Must be a way?


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