Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool

[Rosham Rosebure]

The20mm collar range of PROXXON tools allows you to easily connect to one another and achieve maximum precision and versatility with your intricate tasks. Simply clamp the collar of your PROXXON drill or grinder to the drill stand, universal holder or router base and your tool is held steady whilst allowing you to take on a range of tasks including routing, engraving and drilling.

A very precise and accurate heavy duty mini-tool drill with an aluminium motor casing and variable speed (5,000-20,000rpm) suited to professional use in the workshop. Perfect for jewellers, model builders, mechanics, artists and electronics enthusiasts. Can be used for prolonged periods for drilling, grinding, polishing, cleaning and engraving. The high speed 100W motor has full-wave electronic speed control and is low in noise. The aluminium casing dramatically reduces any potential bearing problems resulting in an exceptionally smooth and vibration free tool. Please note that this unit will not accept a keyless chuck.

I've been reading a lot of posts trying to get an idea of what kinds of tools I might want to pick up while I am trying to figure out what model to build and where to set up a space to built it in my house. I have a bevy of large power tools I bought myself and inherited from my father in-law, but I do not have a rotary tool. It seems that a rotary tools is useful tool for the beginning modeler.

First, I am at a bit of a loss concerning brands, seeing Dremel, Foredom, and Proxxon recommended by different people, with some saying that Foredom (or Proxxon) is far better than Dremel, but others saying that Foredom is too powerful for model ship building and Dremel is good enough. I thought Dremel was simply cheaper, but then I saw others saying that Dremel ends up costing more because of the cost of accessories.

Second, there are tons of different versions within any brand, with corded and cordless versions, different speed possibilities, and different model numbers. Is there something to look for (and avoid) when choosing between models variants of rotary tools.

Third, what kinds of rotary tool accessories are used for model ship building? I've seen a bunch of different combinations of 60, 120, 240 tools (or whatever) but I have no idea what set of accessories are important to get to see if there's a combination that makes sense. I know I can use rotary tool accessories for lots of things around the house, but I definitely want to make sure I get something that has all the model ship accessories in it and I have no clue what to look for.

Fourth, in addition to accessories that plug into the rotary tool itself, what about other add-ons? For example, I have a large drill press. I would think that I could use that for small work too. Or would I need to get a drill press-like attachment that holds a Dremel (or other rotary tool) as well?

First: all the accessories are interchangeable - as long as the maximum diameter of the shaft of the accessory does not exceed the size of the collet, your rotary tool will be able to hold the accessory. I did some googling for you:

Second: I don't like cordless tools, because they are heavier (thanks to the battery) and more awkward to hold. Also, it is annoying to have to charge the battery because it will inevitably give out when you need it most. I prefer corded tools, with an extension shaft to a small tool holder you can hold like a pen. Foredom is designed like this, and you can buy a Flex-shaft accessory for the Dremel and Proxxon.

Dremel makes a very good tool. I have the model 395 which is varible speed. I also have their 7.2 volt cordless model. I picked up both on ebay for under $20, something unlikely to happed with a Foredom or Proxxon tool. My personal opinion is that for ship modeling Dremel is just as good as the more expensive models and a lot more available and cheaper.

Having used a Dremel in the past and owning a Mastercraft (Canadian Tire brand), I've found that the only thing you have to worry about between brands is getting the right size collet for the bit you are going to use. I'm sure all brands have their highs and lows. Just do your research and you will find one that suits your needs and budget. But as KeithW has said, a flex-shaft is a (near) must in our hobby. Helps to get the precision areas with more control than just using the power head.

Just my $.02 (US)... Dremel makes a chuck which, to me, beats the others others out. I can use not just the Dremel tools but also assorted drill bits. It's a tad ( ) heavy for fine delicate detail work so for that work I picked up a WEcheer Mini-Engraver (WE-242) on the recommendations of some others in this group.

I use a Dremel for most the powered work on my models but also have a cheap Harbor Freight rotary tool which is smaller and lighter but not as powerful or accurate as the Dremel. The bit that I use the most is the sanding drum with the coarse sandpaper. You can use any brand of bits as long as they have an 1/8" diameter shaft, Harbor Freight sells several sets of accessories for a reasonable price, if you don't live near a Harbor Freight there's always eBay.

I have the Foredom tool. I bought it years ago when doing inlay work and needed a good reliable rotary tool. It is more expensive than the Dremel. Bill Short discusses the pros and cons of these and more rotary tool options in his book on carving. Basically his recommendation for carving would be a dental drill since the handle is very small and light.

However, if you are like me, you are looking for something more general purpose. I have found with the Foredom tool that the combination of high high the tool is hung along with the handle I use makes a hole world of difference. This is primarily due to the flexible drive tube. If I move too far from the motor I find I am having to hold on to the tool very tightly since it wants to be closer to the motor. This is not bad, but if I am going to be using the tool for an extended period of time, I just need to make sure I arrange my work to be cognizant of that.

The various tools I use are from Dremal, Foredom and others since they are interchangeable. I did replace the handle with one with a chuck in it. Makes tool changes much faster. I would think the Foredom probably has more interchangeability between the various tools than Dremel since the latters smaller chuck would preclude some of the Foredom tools.

Full disclosure, I did have a minor disaster one day with the Foredom. I had not been paying attention to the hanging motor mount on the arm. The mount is attached to the ceiling in my workshop and allows me to adjust the height of the tool. However the hanging motor clips to the lower rod. This clip had worked to the end of the rod and I had not noticed it. When it fell of course, it landed on my ship model. It broke a couple of things but could have been MUCH worse. This was not the tools fault but mine since I should have noticed the motor clip position. Now I am very cognizant of ANYTHING hanging near or around my model.

I recently bought the Foredom micro tool, which has a small hand piece with a cord--not a flexible shaft--to a box with a variable speed control box. This also allows plugging in the foot control. It works well. The key issue to consider is having a foot control. In my experience, a Dremel--even with a soft start on switch--revs up too fast to control the small drill bits from wandering from a punched starting hole. The Foredoms allow a very slow, very controlled start with a foot switch, and bits never wander.

I bought a Foredom years ago when the NRG held its' conference in Chicago. I have the motor flexshaft and the handpiece with the jacobs chuck. I found it different because the flexshaft but once I got use to it I would never give it up. It has power and speed that can be controlled. One of these days I might buy a recarchable dremel. But that can wait.

Thanks for the comments. The Dremel 4000 looks like a good option for me based on the suggestions and the price relative to a Foredom. And they have a kit that includes a lot of tools and a flex-shaft ($139 for the kit).

I have the Dremel 4000 now with the drill press, shaft drive, and an assortment of odds and ends. I love the dremel BUT I have burnt through three in my life having used them since 11 or 12, Im 32 now. I view it as a necessary but not a particularly long-lived tool.

I ALSO have a Foredom that belonged to a friends grandfather (circa 1980's). Works great, and I have a couple accessory handles. I LOVE the variable speed pedal, and its solid dependable build. I will second what has been said about the tendency for a Dremel to devour anything it can given the chance... the variable speed pedal makes a world of difference it negotiating this risk. I dont know anyone that has a Dremel previously belonging to someones grandad. They just dont last as long...not an heirloom tool.

I would eliminate right off the bat any that are made in China, unless there is no other choice. Yes, stuff made in China is cheap, but I have found in almost every case that it is garbage. Other than Chinese food, I go out of my way not to buy Chinese products because they are poorly engineered, poorly made, and the materials are inferior. My first choice is made in the U.S.A., but some Japanese and European stuff (re: German) can be good. The Chinese are good at making shirts and cheap plastic widgets - nothing that involves moving parts.

wq3296 I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Chinese products. You would be surprised how many items you use in everyday life are made in China. Granted, there is a lot of garbage that comes from China, but it all comes down to quality control. A friend of mine has business dealings in China where a Chinese factory manufactures items for his company. The stuff that comes out is as good as anywhere in the world, but he says that you have to inspect each shipment carefully to make sure that standards are maintained.

Really? I guess you haven't driven a new American car in the past 15-20 years. We learned some hard lessons from Japan in the 70s-80s about value and quality. Now, dollar for dollar we can go heads up with any car manufacturer in the world. If you doubt this, read magazines that compare cars and you will understand what I mean.

3a8082e126