# Dremel Woes And Bargain Alert



## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

I'm fed up with Dremels! :taz:

I use them a fair bit, usually 3-4 times a week to polish watch cases etc but I've got through two of them in less than 18 months. The first one was a Dremel 300 and the second a Dremel 3000 ... which was bought as recently as 2013. I've always bought Dremel rather than a generic brand because I believed them to be the best. But both of these Dremels have failed in the same way; with some poor connection on the inside (field windings fine, armature windings fine), and despite me opening them up and tinkering, I can only get them to run intermittently. Frankly, I'm fed up with them and I'm wasting too much time trying to repair them....

....so decided to see what alternatives were out there. Visited all the usual places like ScrewFix, Toolstation, Machine Mart, eBay, Amazon etc. Cousins even do them. But in the end, stumbled across one on the Wickes website. And the price:

*Â£9.99*

Couldn't believe the price, so checked voltage 240v (good) and wattage 140w (good and higher than Dremel's 130W). Pictures on their website were not too clear and they do not stock it in store, but decided to buy two at that price, especially as the postage was the same whether you order 1 or 2. And they arrived this morning and I've tried one. Works a treat and comes with a lot of disc, drills, drum sanders, grinding wheels etc...plus the case.

The only slight downside is that the thread on the end of the motor is not compatible with recent Dremels, so my Dremel chuck will not fit it, but this is not a big deal since you can either buy the correct 7.5mm chuck here or stick with using collets (which are better anyway!).

I've just order another two...call me crazy but if each one only last a year, it is still much more economical than buying one Dremel that might also fail after a year. I think Wickes have got the price wrong...shouldn't they be selling them for Â£19.99 rather than Â£9.99?

http://www.wickes.co...w-240v/p/106746


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## dobra (Aug 20, 2009)

Well done Paul, hope they last!! No Wickes over here on the Isle of Wight, but may ask a friend in Farnborough to bring one over. Thanks for giving the heads up.

Mike

Off-shore


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

dobra said:


> Well done Paul, hope they last!! No Wickes over here on the Isle of Wight, but may ask a friend in Farnborough to bring one over. Thanks for giving the heads up.


Not available in store Mike...only on-line, so it shouldn't matter where you live.


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## scottswatches (Sep 22, 2009)

I have a Black and Decker one and it's lasted years, albeit I don't use it nearly as often as you Paul. Saved my skin recently when I could use that rather than uninstall an entire concealed toilet cistern.

I'd need a brave pill to use it to polish a case though. Must dig out a scrapper and try it!


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

ALDI supposedly have good one that usually they put up annualy around january/february time. It has a stand holder and a felxible shaft. Similar to this, but about Â£13 or Â£15:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rhyas-Flexi-Shaft-Rotary-Multitool-Combi-Multi-Tool-Electric-Dremel-Compatible-/231323073414?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item35dbedfb86


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## Ventura (Nov 27, 2006)

Forgot to mention in the post above Lidl have one at the moment not with stand and flexy:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/en/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=17458


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