Dremel tool

[Oldnamvet]

After many years of woodworking and working on cars, I thought I would try amateur gunsmithing as a hobby. Since I work a lot with wood, stock repairs, inletting, etc seemed like a good entry point. And I have a number of rifles that could stand some small repairs to the stocks. Now to the question, do the gunsmiths out there use dremel tools or is some other small rotary grinding/cutting/sanding tool better? What unusual task do you use them for?

 

[mete]

I've used Dremel tools [and other rotary cutters] for many years and they certainly have their uses . However they are inappropriate tools for many jobs also. For woodworking such as stocks a good set of sharp chisels and gouges and scrapers are much better. If you are working on critical components like triggers and sears NEVER use a Dremel.

 

[rangerruck]

you have to be very careful in using a dremel. the speed with which you can permanently alter or damage or even just over sand something is amazing.

 

[Jim K]

The Dremel is either:

a) The greatest gift to gunsmiths since the safeside file or
b) The ruination of more firearms than anything except turn-in programs

Depends on the user. Practice with it on old parts and pieces of metal before tackling any real jobs.

Jim

 

[1911Tuner]

Dremel

Before starting any gunsmith work...Take the Dremel out on the highway and let 3 or 4 semis run over it. Then come back to the bench and start.

 

[Oldnamvet]

Ummmm. I was thinking more of polishing with the felt wheel and minor wood working (as with a miniature router) rather than grinding. I have tried grinding with them before and you normally can't control the system that well for fine work. I did manage to cut a set of bumper bolts off a car with one. Took a while and a package of the carbide disks but it was the only thing that fit into the spot to do it. That is as fine a work as I have done with one. And for woodworking, I do use chisels, planes, and other hand tools the majority of the time -- right down to hand cut dovetails.
From some of the answers I either heard the voices of experience or people who watched someone else make a mistake with a dremel. Run over it with a semi?? That is pretty extreme.

 

[1911Tuner]

Ummmm. Run over it with a semi?? That is pretty extreme.

Yeah...but it positively removes all temptation to use it on your guns.

 

[slopemeno]

A Fordham tool is much more likely to be found in a serious gunsmithing shop.
Brownells sells them. They're not cheap but they last a lifetime. Get the one with the 3 jaw chuck.

 

[Jim K]

The "semi treatment" is pretty extreme. The Dremel is like any other tool, if the person using it doesn't know how, or won't spend time learning, it is easy to mess up. But if tools that can mess up guns should be scrapped, screwdrivers, drills, and files would be at the top of the list, followed by stones, lock pliers and wood chisels, not to mention welding equipment. Lathes and milling machines will be on the list also, but are too expensive for the average kitchen table tinkerer; it takes a real professional to mess up a gun with them.

Jim