Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I hope this hasn't been posted (I searched for this and could not find anything) but I was wondering if there were any cheap rotory tools for megnetising miniatures.
I have spend the last few hours searching the web and I came to the conclusion that I should ask here.

All I need is a cheap, electronic spinning rotary tool with interchangable drillbits, not fancy like a dremel. The price range would be under $40 AU as I'm not very wealthy, I have alreay bought magnets, which are very cheap (100 for $7).

If anybody out there has tried any tools similar to what I'm looking for, please tell me, Im aiming to use a similar technique that Cattatafish has used on his leandraiders.

Cheap as you get for what you ask for:

http://www.harborfreight.com/80-piece-rotary-tool-kit-97626.html

Traditionally, people just use a hand drill, I use my Black and Decker with a steady hand, but a Dremel works just as well.

I also use a hand drill, as it offers better control I have found than using a rotary tool.

You can get them at most hobby stores, but here is a link to the GW one.

http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat470006a&prodId=prod1095460

There are a lot of varieties out there, I prefer one which is NOT double sided, as they are more comfortable to use.

fenrir1997 wrote:Cheap as you get for what you ask for:

http://www.harborfreight.com/80-piece-rotary-tool-kit-97626.html

Traditionally, people just use a hand drill, I use my Black and Decker with a steady hand, but a Dremel works just as well.

I have that exact same dremel, thats my "detail" dremel. I have another one that I swear has a car engine on it, because it turns everything into dust But that dremel posted works really well, and the kit it comes in has a CRAP ton of bits. My only complain is it seems a bit under powered when you try to use it for say, grinding off a head or something, itll do it, but it takes longer.

I'd get the Harbor Freight set if you just want something for light hobby use. HF tools are very hit or miss with their quality control, but they've got a solid return policy, it may just take some time to finally get a decent tool. I've had decent luck, and I think the savings are often worth the risk.

If you want something beefier down the road that can handle everything from hobby to construction tasks without breaking the bank, check out the Black & Decker RTX. Double the torque of a comparable Dremel with much more sturdy construction (than the low-end Dremel models, at least) at a fraction of the cost. The extra oomph means it's a bit heavier and runs louder at the higher RPMs, but a cheap flex shaft solves the first issue and you should rarely need the highest speeds for hobby use.

Just stay away from Dremel brand tools in general. Their accessories are still great, but the quality of the cheaper tool models seems to have slipped quite a bit, in recent years, without the price tag following suit. I've used my dad's Dremel from the '70s quite a bit and it's rock solid, if grossly underpowered. I've seen the speed controls crap out on the modern basic variable speed model within a week. Several times.

Agree on the HF thing. Ive had that dremel for probably close to 10 years now, but Ive also bought tools from them that Ive had to return once or twice before I got one that doesnt puke out. Keep the receipt is all Im sayin

I give up on my Dremel for drilling (okay for other tasks). But at a minimum of 3000rpm its is too much for plastic (it melts) and metal miniatures (polishes).

I'm switching over to the Tamiya hobby drill as soon as I can get one delivered to the UK. It offers the same control as a regular hand drill but in a smaller package.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=tamiya+electric+handy+drill&cid=7304086989282777760&os=sellers#

Be careful, you really get what you pay for when it comes to power tools.

Get something cheap, and it'll most likely not be up to the job, and you'll only have to spend more money in the long run.

Uhm...... read my post above. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, but I have plenty of cheap-O tools that work just fine

IMO money is never wasted on good quality tools. Buy quality and buy it once. A good quality tool, used properly and and maintained lasts for decades, possibly even a lifetime.

Of course this is coming from someone whos tools are almost exclusively Craftsman and Stanley...

Doomthumbs wrote:

LOL I love your most direct application of the most literal sense of everything.


On srs note: drills will tend to be expensive, while dremels are cheaper.... You are still looking at shelling out a lot of money, but if youre already doing it, go and buy something useful. You never know when you might actually have to pick the tool up for carpentry, so you are better off having it ready when you need it. Drills are unwieldy when you have to attack plastic, so hence I reccomend a dremel. If you are trying to do metal, then you will probably need a drill. And don't skimp out, you want quality in case, as I mentioned, you need to pick it up to do a little home improvement. Make the lifetime investment, its well worth it.

Oh, I forgot my usual rotary tool thread caveat: Rotary tools aren't drills. They can be used to make holes with drill bits, sure, but that's really not what they're meant for (high speed, low torque means stress on the motor and hot, dull drill bits).

If you're just drilling holes for magnetizing, get a pin vice - they're damn near indispensable in this hobby (holing models by pins for painting, drilling, holding uncomfortable needle file tangs, twisting wire, etc.) and cheap, to boot - preferably one with interchangeable collets (for a range of bit sizes) and a swivel back (ball-ended would be my 2nd choice. Double-ended vices just aren't convenient to actually use - yes, you only have to switch bits half as often, but you can't use palm pressure and fingertip twisting for fast, accurate drilling).

Thanks guys, not sure what I'll get yet but I will be buying one soon and updating this post with a few pics (I will probably forget!).
Just a little bit more info, I won't be sawing off heads or cutting things in half (I cannot convert to save my life), all I need to do is drill 1.5mm deep holes into a few vehicle and mini's. I also will not be using metal, espicially now with the new finecast, I don't neccecerally like working with metal mini's.

Thanks all for the info, I cannot wait to start megnetising, wish me luck and keep this post goin'!

If your just drilling small holes, get a pin drill. Dremels are odd creatures in the fact that they all spin in different directions. So if you get one that turns say to the left, and your drill bits are for right turns, you just wasted your time. Dremels are more for clearing off detail work, smoothing down minis, and hacking things off

Just use a pin vice.
You only need an electric rotary tool if you are trying to drill into metal miniatures.