DIY Dremel Tool Repairs... Any ideas???

[Old No7]

Hello gang:
I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience or ideas on fixing Dremel Tools...

My Dremel 400XPR multi-tool finally gave up the ghost, so as a first step I changed out the brushes, even though they didn't look too bad. Well, that didn't work... And as you can see from this pix, there really aren't too many moving/replaceable parts in these tools: (The brushes are at upper left.)

Dremel 400 01 (Small).JPG

I read on some DIY sites online that the commutator should be cleaned; that's the brass contact area at the left end of the bearing/motor shaft. So I brightened that up, and here's what it looks like when all cleaned -- as it was almost all black all-around before I started:

Dremel 400 02 (Small).JPG

After I cleaned up that part, I carefully worked put some new bearing lube into the fore/aft bearings and then I brushed or wiped all the dirt and dust out of the motor casing and the plastic case itself.

Well darn -- all that didn't work either...

It would cost $20 plus shipping & handling to replace the variable speed control, and about $15 to replace the on/off switch. (Right now, it only goes "zzzttt" when I plug it in quickly...)

Options include:

(a) Putting it into a vise and using a "fan belt" to forcibly start/rotate the shaft as I apply the 120v power via a circuit breaker power strip. (Maybe that will help seat the new brushes?)

(b) Taking the chance on replacing the variable power board & switch.

(c) Just buy a new one.

Since I don't like electrical things that go "zzzttt and crackle" and don't start when they should -- --- I am leaning towards option (c). But before I do, I figured it was well worth asking for some other ideas here.

Oh, and by the way -- I have only used this to work on wood stocks -- and never on the metal of my guns. (Figured I would add that disclaimer.)

Thanks for any ideas!

Old No7

[jnyork]

You have already gone way further than I would have gone with this. IMHO the easiest way out is to buy a new tool, although I don't believe that exact model is being produced now.

[M. M. Wright]

I have four of the variable speed dremels around here and NONE of them work. One never worked. The only one left working is a single speed with only an on/off switch. Luckily I have an air die grinder that does a fine job.

[cas]

Sorry I can't help. I gave up on Dremel brand tools years ago after the life span got shorter and shorter with each one. The last one died in less than a year with only a couple uses. Dremel was no help, only offering to sell me referbs at far too close to full price.

I bought a Black and Decker one.... knowing B&D isn't what it once was and that it probably wouldn't last, but at least it would be cheaper. Well it's going strong after many years and lots of use. As is the one my father bought to to replace the Dremel brand I bought him that also died.

[Hawkeye2]

Just buy a replacement, any further money spent on this one might get it running but you would still have a used tool. The biggest problem with these type tools (all brands) is the the user often loads the tool so that it drags the motor speed down. It's easy to do and the motor builds heat fast which can really shorten it's life and it can overheat electronic components too. Dremel took their table saw off the market back in the 90's because people tried to use it for jobs it was never designed to do and kept burning them up. It was a great tool for building balsa model airplanes but was never intended to do home repairs. Dremel's real shortcoming is that they are so handy it's the first tool everyone reaches for and yes I'm quite guilty of that too.

[2571]

Hecho en mexico.

I bought a Chinese Checkers game this week. $15. One of the marbles was broken when we first opened it. Shoulda guessed the game was made in Bejing.

[claybob86]

Mine's over 40 years old (USA ), so I'm probably not any help. It's not a variable speed either. Anyway, it blew the internal rectifier twice, so I got a BIG one and mounted it in an enclosure on the cord. No more trouble with that. Brushes finally wore out a couple of years ago and Dremel actually had some, so it's runnin' good now! I use it with an external speed control. If I had yours, I'd think about bypassing all that internal circuitry with a cord mounted switch from the hardware store and using an external speed control. Dunno if yours uses a rectifier or not.

[Grizz]

my dremel tool did that. I bought a harbor freight cheapo for abt 20$, less than the cost of the parts for the other one. it turns the dremel bits just exactly like the dremel motor. problem solved, with an extra 50 bucks for future replacements before break-even .... ..

[92&94]

I had 3 Dremel's in the 1980's and early 90's. They all did more or less what you describe, some quicker than others.

After killing the third one, I coughed up the $$$ for a Foredom tool, and it was money well spent. These days you can get them on ebay for about half price of the new model (I'm not fully convinced that the new ones are good, but I've never used one so I may be wrong about that). Foredom's big weakness is the bearing pockets aren't very stout, so if a bearing goes you start to have problems. The one I have that did that was fixed by shimming the bearing in the pocket. That could be what the Dremels did too, as the symptoms mine had were roughly the same. The way Dremel cases are made it wouldn't surprise me if that was it, but none of my problems were preceded by a bad bearing the way they were with the Foredom that I fixed.

[Blaine]

Sorry I can't help. I gave up on Dremel brand tools years ago after the life span got shorter and shorter with each one. The last one died in less than a year with only a couple uses. Dremel was no help, only offering to sell me referbs at far too close to full price.

I bought a Black and Decker one.... knowing B&D isn't what it once was and that it probably wouldn't last, but at least it would be cheaper. Well it's going strong after many years and lots of use. As is the one my father bought to to replace the Dremel brand I bought him that also died.

Good to know....A buddy claims that one he bought a Harbor Fright is going strong after 10 years, and lots of use.

[TedH]

I've had a Ryobi for nearly 20 years, and lots of use. It still works as good as the day I bought it.

[Chuck 100 yd]

My Dremel variable speed is going strong after over 10 years. That said,it is not one of the most used tools in the shop. It MIGHT have,maybe, 4-5 actual hours running time on it. Mine hangs on an adjustable arm behind a bench vice and has a flex shaft on it. My air die grinder gets the most use.

[bgmkithaca]

I got my variable speed tool in 1993 and can't seem to kill it-two brush replacements now. Mine is used quite a bit in the shop but has seen maintenance on a regular basis, if it quits today I don't feel that it owes me a thing.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Just send them back to Dremel. They will fix it cheaper than you can buy the parts. Depending on the age/model they may fix it for free.

[Paladin]

Just send them back to Dremel. They will fix it cheaper than you can buy the parts. Depending on the age/model they may fix it for free.

+1, Did it twice

[Old No7]

Just send them back to Dremel. They will fix it cheaper than you can buy the parts. Depending on the age/model they may fix it for free.

Good idea, but mine was listed on the "* No Repair Available for These Models" which was in the fine print...

I ended up getting a replacement model without too many accessories, as I had a nice storage case and a host of accessories from the last one.

Will be interesting to see how long this one lasts, but I needed it for a quick project.

Old No7

[Greg S in AK]

After wearing out 3 Dremels in my earlier years, I finally went with a Foredom tool. If you use it alot, the Foredom has the power and reliability to last year after year....