Dremel 285 and plunge router

[BadBob]

I have the Lee Valley router base. I purchased the whole kit because I have other needs than drilling holes.

[OCtoolguy]

7 hours ago, BadBob said:

I have the Lee Valley router base. I purchased the whole kit because I have other needs than drilling holes.

Thanks for posting this. I never knew this existed. All I have to do now is collect enough cans and bottles to afford one. At 80 years of age, I better get to collecting.

 

[Scroll-N-Skydiver]

11 hours ago, BadBob said:

I have the Lee Valley router base. I purchased the whole kit because I have other needs than drilling holes.

Do you happen to have any pictures of this in use with your dremel?

[OCtoolguy]

15 minutes ago, Scroll-N-Skydiver said:

Do you happen to have any pictures of this in use with your dremel?

If you got to the Veritas/Lee Valley website, they show it in use. Very nice tool. Pricey but nice.

[Scroll-N-Skydiver]

21 minutes ago, OCtoolguy said:

If you got to the Veritas/Lee Valley website, they show it in use. Very nice tool. Pricey but nice.

For my needs, this looks nice and seems a medium price point. I don't need the rails and things with the broader kit. $94 is easier for me to bite off than $199.  

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/power-tool-accessories/router-accessories/101544-veritas-plunge-base-for-rotary-tools?item=05J6501

The mini tools line:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/tools/brand/veritas/miniature-tools

What are those used for? i've never seen such tools. Had NO idea the existed. They appear to be serious tool though. So I assume there is a market. What are people making with these?

[OCtoolguy]

21 minutes ago, Scroll-N-Skydiver said:

For my needs, this looks nice and seems a medium price point. I don't need the rails and things with the broader kit. $94 is easier for me to bite off than $199.  

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/power-tool-accessories/router-accessories/101544-veritas-plunge-base-for-rotary-tools?item=05J6501

The mini tools line:
https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/tools/brand/veritas/miniature-tools

What are those used for? i've never seen such tools. Had NO idea the existed. They appear to be serious tool though. So I assume there is a market. What are people making with these?

I would say that they would be great for a serious inlayer type of person. I did some inlay using a regular sized router and a 1/4" flat bottomed bit. I would have been so  much easier with one of these and a Dremel. Did you go to Veritas and watch the videos?

 

[Millwab]

On 2/9/2022 at 12:45 AM, Dak0ta52 said:

The chuck on my drill press wouldn't clamp down small enough to hold the smaller bits I needed. 

I had the same trouble until I started using this adapter with my full size drill press.  Holds the small number bits without a problem to drill inside entry holes. 

[Dak0ta52]

1 hour ago, Millwab said:

I had the same trouble until I started using this adapter with my full size drill press.  Holds the small number bits without a problem to drill inside entry holes. 

I also purchased one for my floor drill press and it worked pretty good. I will exaggerate bit wobble if the arbor and bit are slightly off center. I have now gone to the Dremel tool with the plunge router attachment. It works much like the Seyco Scroller's Drill. I've heard a few say you can break a bit using my setup because of the play in the plunge router but I haven't experienced that. I try to keep the plunger shafts on the router attachment lubed and when I press down to drill the hole, I always use both hands on the router to make sure I'm pressing straight.

[BadBob]

11 hours ago, Scroll-N-Skydiver said:

Do you happen to have any pictures of this in use with your dremel?

Best I can do.

 

[Scroll-N-Skydiver]

3 hours ago, BadBob said:

Best I can do.

 

Awesome! Thank you!

[RabidAlien]

12 hours ago, Dak0ta52 said:

I also purchased one for my floor drill press and it worked pretty good. I will exaggerate bit wobble if the arbor and bit are slightly off center. I have now gone to the Dremel tool with the plunge router attachment. It works much like the Seyco Scroller's Drill. I've heard a few say you can break a bit using my setup because of the play in the plunge router but I haven't experienced that. I try to keep the plunger shafts on the router attachment lubed and when I press down to drill the hole, I always use both hands on the router to make sure I'm pressing straight.

 

Same here, that adapter works well in my desktop drill press.  I think my bit is a (ahem) bit off-centered, but if I put the end on the piece where I need to drill, then start the drill, it puts a hole where I need it and I've been using the same drill bit for a year or more now.

[CharleyL]

You can buy adapters for routers to use the Roto Zip Bits, also 3/32" and 1/8" shank bits made for Dremel tools to use them in the smaller router 1/4" collets. They exist, but are sometimes hard to find. For tiny bits like these to be able to use them in a drill press, there is a small chuck with short hex shaft intended for use in hand drills like those impact drills, and these can be chucked into the larger drill press chucks that are common in drill presses, since frequently these larger chucks don't tighten far enough to hold these tiny bits. With one of these small drill chucks installed in the large drill press chuck, you can then add just about any tiny drill bit, or Dremel type bit. 

I actually use even tinier bits than Dremel. I have an air powered tool that is about the size of a fat Magic Marker that uses 1/16" bits and spins at about 200,000 RPM, running on 40 PSI of air pressure. An air brush compressor will run it. It's a modified Dentist Drill and I do relief carving with it, like you have seen on fancy gun stocks and small high-end woodworking. At 200,000 RPM there is no side pull when cutting, like you get at lower Dremel speeds, so it's much easier to use for fine carving. I have recently posted a cross with vines and leaves cut out with the scroll saw and then the vines and leaves were shaped using this air powered carver.

 

Charley

[Scroll-N-Skydiver]

That drill sounds awesome. You use it to good effect.

[CharleyL]

On 1/31/2023 at 5:41 PM, Scroll-N-Skydiver said:

That drill sounds awesome. You use it to good effect.

Mine was made by Paragrave, but they no longer seem to exist. SCM is a good quality brand of the same kind of power carver. They aren't cheap, but worth every penny for a good reliable one. The SCM are actually about 1/3 off from when I bought mine. There was another brand called Power Carver, but they too don't seem to exist anymore. Bits are standard 1/16" shank dental bits. I get my dentist to sterilize and give me his older bits, since they use a new bit for every patient, and they don't wear out enough to be a woodworking problem with just one use. They sell for about $2 each and up on the internet anyway. There are several sources, but I've included the link to the one that I like. Search for "1/16" dental bits" to find more sources. My Paragrave carver is over 25 years old and is still running fine.

Charley

 

https://scmsysteminc.com/power-carver/

https://www.lascodiamond.com/

[Scroll-N-Skydiver]

I haven’t been on a message board or forum in years and years. I must say, y'all are absolutely amazing! This is a wonderful community here and I really appreciate it. Thank you again @CharleyL!

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, Scroll-N-Skydiver said:

I haven’t been on a message board or forum in years and years. I must say, y'all are absolutely amazing! This is a wonderful community here and I really appreciate it. Thank you again @CharleyL!

You found the best scroll forum on the web. 

[CharleyL]

Yup, we're the best, and mostly friendly and helpful too.

Charley