PSA: Aldi rotary tool and extras (Dremel likeness)
 

$30
Variable speed, flex shaft and extras. Needed for the crafty DIY dudes and dudettes.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1edbacfdc2.jpg

Bought one.
 

6 months ago. Great value.

Thanks for the tip, got the last one at the local store.
my dremel disappeared a few years ago. I use em so infrequently that an off brand will be great I'm sure.

As an aside and for anyone with a compressor, these put any and all Dremel or dremel like tools to shame, much more ergo, controllable, powerful, faster, better, etc.

I've had one for years, hacked, ground and cut in places a Dremel could never get to with complete control.

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-...kit-60244.html


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4f8fba1287.jpg

My problem with air tools - what compressor to get?

Paint sprayers need one thing, air tools another, filling car tires yet another, blowing sawdust and metal chips away yet again another.

Is there any guidance available as to what compressor to get for general purposes?

Electric tools come with the motor sized for the tool, no guessing needed. The circuit breaker is either big enough or rewire for more current.

30 bucks with a flex shaft?? Wow!, that's a good deal as the flex shaft from Dremel alone, cost that much.
Funny, the Ferrex tool even copied the blue color of the plastic used on Dremel tools..... Must be giving the folks at Dremel/Bosch a bit of a headache when they see them.....

The air consumption by air-driven rotary tools is ridiculous, 2CFM @ 90psi even for that little HF jobby. What that means is unless you've got a big tank, the compressor is going to be running nonstop, overwhelm that piddly vapor trap within minutes, and be spraying water out the exhaust almost constantly.

The best rotary tools made are made by Foredom, but that has nothing to do with this thread. Nothing wrong with the cheap Ferrex from Aldi-- I'd recommend it over an actual Dremel, whose quality has fallen in the dump over the past decades. I had one DOA, and another burn up within the first week.

I've been using B&D RTX3 rotary tools for general purpose stuff (used to be about $25) for almost 20 years now. If you plan on one day turning into a wood carver, just start putting aside Foredom money now.

:thumb: Agreed, you certainly need a big boy compressor, same thing you need for lugnuts, CV axle's, suspension, fuel tanks, clutches, trans and many other tasks that require the real thing, there is no substitute for HP or CFM and while its not practical for many of us a lot of the time, you darn well better have it when you need it, I need it often enough to justify it so its also there when you want it. You should always have a proper water trap on the outlet as well as line traps if needed.

None of it is rocket science. ;)

They all need one thing; clean, controllable air flow. Get an air dryer and a regulator on a compressor big enough to handle the highest pressure and volume you anticipate ever needing. You'll be fine.

The original post was directed towards the DIY, home hobbyist and for nominal expense.

The alternative pneumatic doesn't fit the majority or are intending high usage for such tool - machine.

Anyways and without getting into it all, just would like to add that one should NEVER use an electric rotary tool for close proximity work on carbon fiber.

Use pneumatic or if you must use an electric, use a flex shaft and shield or isolate the motor unit.

No worries, I did qualify it with "for those with a compressor", any will work to some degree, obviously bigger is better. My main point was the power and control of the air version is so far superior to the anemic electric ones that it should be considered, It punches way above its weight class, is a bargain by itself and has been one of the few tools from HF that has been well worth the money spent, It has paid for itself many times over and makes short work of any task I put it to.

DIY or no, we spend plenty of $$$ on our bikes, tools, parts and accessories. In that light a compressor is one of the few bigger expenditures that spans multiple uses that can justify the cost.

The Ferrex rotary tool is a bit small, so I bought two. :innocent:
Thanks for the heads up!!!

For those near both an Aldi and a Lidl, a few months ago (and most of their consumer products deal-of-the-week items seem to recur every few months) I picked up an extensive assortment of Dremelesque bits and accessories in a neat multi-tier Lazy Susan stand, for about $12 or so, that would go well with the item in Post #1 .

Replaced my dead Dremel tool with a Roto Zip tool. For sure a pro grade tool, and worlds beyond the Dremel. Unbelievably smooth and balanced. Very powerful, fits my mitts quite nicely, and easier to control than the Dremel. If you are using it often, get the Roto Zip as it is built for heavy use.

I have a Roto Zip that I bought for cutting holes in drywall. It is considerably larger and heavier than my Dremel 395 so I never considered using it for other purposes. Can the Dremel flex shaft be used with it?