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Adam Rotary Tool
February 18th, 2008 03:26 PM
I find the rotary hand grinder tools very useful for sharpening and restoring old woodworking and Lawn & Garden tools.

I own both the Dremel and Craftsman varieties.

The only thing I would recommend for either brand is to get the variable speed versions.

The single-speed and high/low machines limit the accesories that can be used with the "moto-tools".

I've just finished removing some light rust with a wire brush accessory and am in the process of reforming the edge of an old... Buck Bros. in-cannel carving gouge.

The rotary tool is making a very arduous task into a more reasonable time activity.

I will "finish" the job with traditional slip stones though.
Joe Dremel
February 20th, 2008 12:33 PM
Dremel makes the Sears units...I have one of the last USA made units out there.
Adam New Accessory
July 13th, 2008 02:06 AM
Now Rotary Tools don't often have new accessories introduced for them.

But, for the purpose of rust removal and possibly "softening" former owner's engravings Dremel has some abrasive "puffs" that do an excellent job of power removal, without leaving grinding or sanding marks.

There are two kinds of these puffs.

The standard holed puffs that need to be mounted on a standard threaded screw-head mandrel that the cut-off wheels use.

And, a new "quick-change" version, that requires a quick-change mandrel.

If you go through a lot of puffs, you can pay a little extra for the quick-change stuff.

Otherwise, the more traditional (slower) mounting arrangement is less expensive.

These puffs are great.

I highly recomment there use for places and projects that more conventional wire brush products don't seem to be working on.

They disintegrate (exposing fresh surfaces) as they work, so be sure to wear eye protection - just like with the rotary wire wheels.
Adam Lithium Ion Tool
August 25th, 2008 03:09 PM
Hey, that new 7.2 volt Lithium-Ion powered Dremel rotary tool is a good'n.

I no longer have to string 50 feet of extension cord across the shop to clean out the ratchet blank wells.

It's powerful, too.

It has a completely different feel than the older NiCad powered units.

All it needed was a new collet.

They SELL new collets in the store!
Paul cordless Dremel
August 26th, 2008 12:22 AM
A buddy of mine has one of them new cordless lithium ion Dremels.

He likes it pretty well.

Seems to last long enough, too.
Adam Common tools
August 26th, 2008 12:31 AM
The really great news is that the corded and cordless rotary tools can share the exact same tool bits.

What a relief!

At around 3 to 4 dollars per tool, that could get exciting if there was duplication needed.

The Craftsman and Dremel tools share the same tools, too.

I can not fit all of my tools in any ONE container.

One?

I own a "few" rotary tools, with all the restoration work I do.

Why that Craftsman Ball Pein hammer bolo took two days (off and on) to cut the 4 oz. head in two.

Took TWO rotary tools, what with the cool-down time from abrasive cut-off wheel cutt'n.

And, a hacksaw blade (gummy/tough center).

But, now I got my Craftsman tool bolo.

I managed to keep some of the original wooden hammer epoxied in place, to the half-hammer head.

Just so the less tool savvy people might better visualize what that strange-man is wearing.

The bolo tips are round-head rivets, of course.

What do you think the "Ball" end of the hammer used to do?

:)
Joe Snap On version
August 27th, 2008 12:37 PM
I have a Snap On/Blue Point "moto tool" that Dremel made for them.

Dremel actually suggested I trade in an American made tool for today's imports. I told them no thanks :).

It needs a battery, but that should be about it.
gasman hammer
August 27th, 2008 01:25 PM
Adam, I believe that the ball end of the ballpein was used to flare tubing. Bill
Adam Lost
September 1st, 2008 04:33 AM
Took me a while to find this old post.

The Ball Pein Hammer has many uses.

It's one main use is the hammering of metal.

It is hardened and tempered to do precisely that.

I am sure a ball pein hammer could be used to flare tubing (hopefully in combination with some sort of die).

It has been termed a "Machinist's hammer" because of its metal working purpose.

Solid rivets are also worked using this tool, in combination with another tool called a Rivet Set.

The pieces of metal are drilled to accept a round head rivet.

Once the thickness of the riveted joint has been determined, the rivet is cut to that length, plus an additional 1.5 times the diameter of the rivet.

The rivet is placed in the hole between the sheets of metal and a hole portion of the rivet set is placed over the rivet (backed by something solid - like an anvil) and the set is tapped to drive the metal tight and project the rivet's extra metal fully outward.

The rivet is given a sharp wack with the flat side of the hammer, to swell the projecting metal and begin the upsetting process.

The ball on the hammer is use to refine the end of the rivet's metal circularly into a crude dome shape.

A domed impression on the Rivet Set is used to form a smoother rounded end on the upset side of the rivet.

Alternate peening and doming is done, until the joint is tight and the rivet head well formed.

Short of the pneumatic impact tool that was used on old riveted sky-scrapers, this is the only tool I am aware of that does this rivet forming process.

They still sell soft iron rivets that work well with this hand process.

The ball pein hammer is also THE tool to use on any sort of metal contact operations, such as work with the various punches and metalworking chisels.

The ball pein hammer has also been used to make cutouts in replacement gaskets, by gently using the balled end to cut the impressions in the gasket material when the material is precisely struck on the metal "edge" of the holes in casting that are being gasketed.

Crude. But, it worked.

I have a pretty well rounded assortment of weights of ball peins and various off-shoots, like straight and cross pein hammers.

There was a time when anyone doing any form of metalworking would own at least ONE ball pein hammer.

I fear that time has passed, judging from many of the beat-up ratchets.

Either the heads of the ratchets are beat up, proving the ratchet owner's not owning any hammer within easy reach.

Or, the handles are beat up, proving the ratchet owner not having a Break-Loose-Bar, a piece of pipe or, in the case of a waffle-marked ratchet, not owning a smooth faced/ball pein hammer.

:(

Too bad.

They're great tools.

I'd going with either a 12 or 16 oz.'r for my first journey into ball pein hammer usage.
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