question re dremel tools and foam shaping....

[pillcaster]

If you just want to shape foam for poppers, etc, do you need a dremel tool that has:

a. one speed 35000

b, two speed 15000 and 35000 or

c. variable speed

bearing in mind the significant cost differences in a to c, I'd rather not over spend......

[narcodog]

I don't know about shaping foam but for thirty years I used a single speed until a few weeks ago. It blew up and I bought a variable speed and I love it. I think it was $69.00 at HD.

[Fred H]

You can use a single speed attached to a sewing machine foot pedal. That will give you controlable ,variable speed.

Fred

[Eric-WD]

if you have a costco card buy one of theres, non-dremel brand moto-tools tend to be less expensive, shop around. I have had one of these for over 5 years and am real happy with it.
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Decker-R...ords=moto+tool

Eric

[James Smith]

Absolutely variable speed. When I first started using my dremel to shape poppers, I accidently zipped it up to 35000 rpm. The needle instantly bent at a right angle from the centrifical force and smacked me on the base of my thumb nail. The pain was instantaneous and so bad that I was sure that it had ripped the thumbnail off. I was very lucky, but I learned a valuable lesson, Start it slow and work the speed up.

Jim Smith

[spoof85]

You can use a single speed attached to a sewing machine foot pedal. That will give you controlable ,variable speed.

Fred

that's an awesome idea... but lowering the current on a variable switch has to be damaging to a motor designed to run at a set speed, wouldn't it? i know if u press the trigger an a cordless drill just enough to hear the motor it heats up about 10 times as fast. that's kind of a bad example though, cordless drills are variable speed engines...

if u decide not to go this route, i would suggest variable as well.... keep in mind that a dremel is one heck of a versatile tool.... by old neighbor rigged one up to a jig with servos, and made a slow, but efficient CNC machine... think about it this way.... that drawer that keeps sticking, you really want to shave a little wood off at 3500rpm? it may cost more, but i feel its worth it. i would avoid name brand, that logo cost alot...

spoof

[spoof85]

here is a pretty good example

http://www.realisticflytying.net/id12.html

i think this would be nearly impossible to make these efficiently without variable speeds..

[bugman]

Definately a variable speed like the dremmel 4000...