Proxxon vs. Dremel rotatry tools

[bkukowski]

Which do you think is better for a wood/plastic router? edit: If you could please leave your reason for choosing one or the other, i'd appreciate it. Thanks in advanece!

[bkukowski]

hate to double post, but still no votes?

[ger21]

You'd probably be better off with a laminate trimmer. I've never seen a Proxxon, but dremels don't have a lot of power, and they have a lot of runout. A good laminate trimmer like the Porter Cable 7310 is about $100.

[debogus]

I vote for laminate trimmer , or a roto-zip ( it comes with 1/8 and 1/4 collets)

Anybody try the "Ridgid" brand laminate trimmer ?
It has a variable speed control,also cost about $100 at home depot.

I started with a dremel . I found that I was using it at less than half speed most of the time and it just didnt have the torq .
Even slower for engraving plastics ( even less torq).

Both Home Depot and Lowes were out of stock on laminate trimmers .
So I'm trying a roto zip /HF speed control setup ,for now.

( the fastest I can cut is 20 ipm)

Sorry for the sideways skew on your topic/poll , just my opinion.

Dave

[bkukowski]

thanks!! if any mod wants to, please edit my poll to include rotozip and rigid laminate trimmers. (I couldn't figure out how to edit the poll myself)

[fyffe555]

Ah, neither. If you can't support a 3.5" router look for a laminate trimmer with a cast or metal lower section supporting the bearing. This allows you to firmly mount the spindle to your Z axis. It also means you can reliably swap out the bearings if needed, for more accurate bearings too if you wish. A lot of the trimmers have plastic lower sections between the bearing and mount point which will flex to some degree when cutting which we don't want.

A Dewalt DW670 or the PC 7310 are both good bits of kit and are around $100. Both have 1/4" collets and 1/8" collets or adapters are availabe too so you're not limited by bit sizes.

Andrew

[bkukowski]

i think my router may not be able to take a laminate trimmer, its phoenix one of cranky's (kleinbauer's) designs

[fyffe555]

Nope, 7/8 hp is way too much for that, design isn't stiff enough and it's axis movement wouldn't be fast enought for the cutter speed.

[bkukowski]

so a dremel would be best?

[bkukowski]

for those who said proxxon, have you used both? If so, are they better? It seems like they're harder to find.

[Xerxes]

Yes. I have used some Dremels and Proxxon IB/E. Proxxon runs more quetly and vibration free. It also has better speed control that holds RPM better under load.

However, I wouldn't recommend either one as CNC router spindle. More stiffness is necessary.

[bkukowski]

what would you reccomend for my small cnc router xerxes?