would this be a great investment?

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brandondferrier

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http://www.knifemaking.com/product_p/dt220.htm <<<<would that be better/the same as getting a drill press, or is this too weak?

first of all i don't own a dremel. but im thinking about it

so i have to questions, for knife making could a dremel replace some sanding and drilling equipment?

or should i just suck it up and get a drill press? or is that damn dremel something a knife maker should have?

somoene please explain why or why not a dremel is a good knifemaking tool.
thanks in advance
 
Get a drill press. A cheap one will only run 30-40 bucks. I have one of these stands and it will not do what you want.

The dremel is a fine tool for knifemaking, but it's not going to replace drilling or sanding equipment. The dremel is useful for a lot of stuff, like fileworking hardened blades, scalloping and routing out hard to reach places, but you're not going to profile, grind or drill blades on one with any combination of convenience, accuracy and economy.
 
A rotary tool is nice to have but optional. A drill press is mandatory, even before a grinder.
 
I can think of some usefull things that I at stand would use that stand for but none of them are drilling holes. Would be usefull for sword handles. I think I will get one and let you know how it does as a standard drill press.
 
Vermont Ammerican used to make the same thing only bigger for a corded drill (maybe they still do) Someone gave me one as a gift when i was younger. It works but the problem is, you need to take the drill out every so often to use it. Because of this any kind of precission you might expect from a drill press is lost. The one I had was ok for stuff like drilling holes in lumber for home improvement projects because it was more precise than hand holding a drill but getting precission holes perpendicular to the surface would be difficult at best.

Plus it costs about what a HF 5 speed table top drill press would cost.
 
I have that workstation. I've never used it as a drill press because I have one. I can almost guarantee that it won't drill precise holes, it has too much play. I use it locked sideways with sanding drums, it's a little easier to see than chucking the sanding drums in a drill press.

Here's a more accurate possibility for the dremel, but for the price a nice drill press can be had. Though I don't see a dremel having enough power to drill through much.

http://vanda-layindustries.com/html/acra_mill_plus.html
 
I have a similar one that I keep a dremel in. I also put a variable chuck on the dremel. That said about all I do with it is drill the holes in my leather sheaths. Works excellent for that.
 
The Dremel is one of the handiest most versatile tools there is. It&#8217;s perfectly capable of grinding, sanding, drilling straight holes etc,&#8230; but is only as good as the hand and eye that&#8217;s using it. I&#8217;ve gone without a drill press or belt sander for about 12 years, but recently picked up a bench top drill press at a yard sale just because it was dirt cheap. I&#8217;ve never gone with out either a flexible shaft or a Dremel. So, I&#8217;d put one up at the top on my list of power tools along with a bench grinder, and pistol drill with a lot of torque. Even though this short list of power tools is very useful, none of them are absolute necessities.

I never have used the Dremel workstation or press, just the hand held unit itself.
 
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Get a cheap drill press and good quality drill bits.
(I like cobalt bits)
No matter what super machine you get, it won't be any good with poor bits.

The only machine that can replace a drill press is a milling machine, but they are about 10x as expensive.
(I'd like one though)
 
For what it's worth, I buy the cheapest bits available for anything up to 1/4" inch. Throw them away when they stop cutting. Cobalt bits never did anything for me. Even quality brands vary in size and cut from bit to bit, if you need a precise hole then you need to ream it.
 
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