Runout: Dremal or RotoZip?

[RogerTango]

Which inexpensive tool has the better shaft runout? Im not putting a man on the moon here... but I always look at quality before I buy.

Thanks-
Andrew

[Fixittt]

Have you thought of maybe the wolfgang engineering high speed spindles on ebay? I run 2 of them in my wax cutting mills. Perfect for what your wanting to do.

[irving2008]

Rotozip is lot better than Dremel.... or at that low-end (in terms of spindle power) also consider the Proxxon tool (130W). Next level up and equivalent to the Rotozip but IMHO in an easier to handle format, Dewalt 28885 (500W) or 28886 (700W) die-grinder, Kress 800W or Kress 1050W

[RogerTango]

I looked for the spindle on ebay but couldnt find one, would you be able to post a link to one please? The only ones I saw ere pretty high dollar.

Thanks for the tip on the Roto. I *think* it will chuck down small enough to take Dremal accessories??

Andrew

[Fixittt]

http://stores.ebay.com/Wolfgang-Engineering

[TOTALLYRC]

Originally Posted by RogerTango I looked for the spindle on ebay but couldnt find one, would you be able to post a link to one please? The only ones I saw ere pretty high dollar. Thanks for the tip on the Roto. I *think* it will chuck down small enough to take Dremal accessories?? Andrew

The roto zip comes with a 1/8" collet. That is what the dremels use.
Also can get 1/4" and something else.

www.rotozip.com

[Riceburner98]

Originally Posted by Fixittt Have you thought of maybe the wolfgang engineering high speed spindles on ebay? I run 2 of them in my wax cutting mills. Perfect for what your wanting to do.

Are you using the motors he sells as well? Any thoughts on noise? Louder / quieter than a rotozip / dremel tool @ 20k rpm? (damn neigbors... LOL) I wouldn't mind having one of these to swap onto my mill for stuff like PCB's, but only if the noise is comparable to the Taig setup @ 10k rpm, preferrably quieter.. (Is the motor a vacuum cleaner motor, or something like that?) I'm thinking maybe a slower motor (if it's quieter) with a faster pulley speed-up... They look real nice anyway.

[Fixittt]

its smaller then a vacume cleaner the spindle motor is only 3 1/2 inches tall. Its a small motor and alot quieter IMHO then a dremel. I used that setup on both my machines. Its a torquey little motor. I bought a harbor freight router speed controller for it. I was machining white plastic cutting board almost 5 mm`s deep (LITHOPANE) and was surprised that the initial plunge and cut didnt stall the motor. My second spindle is a older one and I had a bearing go bad. But I ordered 10 new bearings so I have some on hand. My first spindle motor that I purchased thru ebay is still running strong, and I have run the piss out of it. Had to get a replacement motor but the bearings in it as still smooth and quiet. For what I am doing with the wax and lithopanes it works great. I would much rather replace one of these every couple years then have to try and find a way to afford a NSK spindle.

[ckirchen]

Do not use a Dremel. This past weekend, I built a CAT40 Dremel holder and I have since scrapped it because the runout was brutal. The armature is very true, but the collets are crap. The best I could get it to run at was .006" TIR and that was a fluke. Every time I tightened the collet, the runout was different. The average was about .012" TIR. I tired different collets and even Dremel's drill chucks, but I got the same results.

.012" TIR turns a .025" ball mill into a .031" ball mill. Not good if you need to get into small areas, plus the cutter is only cutting with one edge.

I read in a Proxxon IP/E reivew that 3 slot collets are superior, but more difficult to make. Also, aluminum is a bad choice for collet material.

I ended up using the machine spindle at 6,000 rpm and reducing the feedrate. Obviously, cycle time was longer, but at least the tool was true so tool life and surface finish didn't suffer. I ran the operations at night, so it wasn't so bad.

I plan to buy an NSK unit (50,000 rpm) as I get more of this fine detail work. In the meantime, I might build a Proxxon unit.

[TigerPilot]

Originally Posted by ckirchen Do not use a Dremel. This past weekend, I built a CAT40 Dremel holder and I have since scrapped it because the runout was brutal. The armature is very true, but the collets are crap. The best I could get it to run at was .006" TIR and that was a fluke. Every time I tightened the collet, the runout was different. The average was about .012" TIR. I tired different collets and even Dremel's drill chucks, but I got the same results.

Are the rotozips better? I just bought today this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=380077183055

Yoram

[ckirchen]

I'm not sure about the RotoZip, perhaps someone else can answer that.

FYI, Proxxon advertises .001" TIR for the IP/E and NSK advertises .0001" TIR. I would say that .001" is about the maximum you want, less if your work requires accuracy and you want the cutter to last.

[TigerPilot]

Originally Posted by ckirchen FYI, Proxxon advertises .001" TIR for the IP/E and NSK advertises .0001" TIR. I would say that .001" is about the maximum you want, less if your work requires accuracy and you want the cutter to last.

Are we talking about the Proxxon handheld 100W tool? If yes, that's even weaker than the Dremel. I want my machine to do more than just PCBs. That's why I bought the 6A unit and not the less expensive 5A unit.

Yoram