Hive-mind: Favorite 1/8 shank abrasive rotary/dental burs, stones & polishing wheels [AKA Dremel bits]

[OCJohn]

[Forgive the long title. My searches found little info on the topic, so I'm hoping replies here will be more easily accessible to others.]

I've had a passionless relationship with 1/8" shank "Dremel" grinders over the years. That's partially due to unfamiliarity. My auto/fab and woodworking interests have been better suited to 1/4" shank air-tools. On the rare occasions I did break out the 1/8" shank rotary grinder I never found the level of precision I'd hoped for. I found it too big to hold like a pencil, yet too awkward for fine work with the palm grip. The kits are full of tiny little bits to sort through. None are ever the size/shape I need. And instead of Fine, Medium and Coarse I got Worthless, Gouging or Disintegrates.

These days I have more jobs where a small quality bit would be useful. Import collets to debur, inside corners to smooth, ancient machines to refurbish, etc. I got a flex-shaft rotary tool with foot switch. Took it out of the box, gave it a permanent mount, a dedicated power outlet and everything... I'm investing in this relationship and want to maximize it's usefulness. But the bits I've been using are still cheap garbage. I'm hoping our members can share experience and recommendations about quality 1/8" dental/industrial bits with consumer level availability.

TLDR: Please share your thoughts on the good bits. Your favorites... Who makes them, where you buy them, etc.

Does anyone have specific experience with and manufacturer recommendations for:

• flame/cone shaped stones (deburr/polish)
• radial bristle discs
• Scotch Bite type buffing/polishing wheels
  (images below are only examples, not recommendations)

 

[Dave Smith]

[Forgive the long title. My searches found little info on the topic, so I'm hoping replies here will be more easily accessible to others.]

I've had a passionless relationship with 1/8" shank "Dremel" grinders over the years. That's partially due to unfamiliarity. My auto/fab and woodworking interests have been better suited to 1/4" shank air-tools. On the rare occasions I did break out the 1/8" shank rotary grinder I never found the level of precision I'd hoped for. I found it too big to hold like a pencil, yet too awkward for fine work with the palm grip. The kits are full of tiny little bits to sort through. None are ever the size/shape I need. And instead of Fine, Medium and Coarse I got Worthless, Gouging or Disintegrates.

These days I have more jobs where a small quality bit would be useful. Import collets to debur, inside corners to smooth, ancient machines to refurbish, etc. I got a flex-shaft rotary tool with foot switch. Took it out of the box, gave it a permanent mount, a dedicated power outlet and everything... I'm investing in this relationship and want to maximize it's usefulness. But the bits I've been using are still cheap garbage. I'm hoping our members can share experience and recommendations about quality 1/8" dental/industrial bits with consumer level availability.

TLDR: Please share your thoughts on the good bits. Your favorites... Who makes them, where you buy them, etc.

Does anyone have specific experience with and manufacturer recommendations for:

• flame/cone shaped stones (deburr/polish)
• radial bristle discs
• Scotch Bite type buffing/polishing wheels
  (images below are only examples, not recommendations)

View attachment 478315View attachment 478316View attachment 478317View attachment 478318View attachment 478319View attachment 478320

just google temu abrasives cutting tools. they area good quick inexpensive company many items and specials. you may also enjoy
the very high rpm pneumatic die grinders, or pencil sized air die grinders.
Dave

 

[RJSakowski]

I used to buy 1/8" shank carbide PC drills when I went to hamfests. The cost was as low as $.10 each. Most common sizes were less than .040" but occasionally, I could find some up to 1/4". Although flute length is usually less than 3/8", I find their superior rigidity useful even if I have to follow through with a longer HSS drill.

 

[OCJohn]

just google temu abrasives cutting tools. they area good quick inexpensive company many items and specials. you may also enjoy
the very high rpm pneumatic die grinders, or pencil sized air die grinders.
Dave

Do you have experience with anything specific you got from them?

 

[C-Bag]

Ok, I get you want only hi$$ stuff, but here’s my 2c.

I have a Foredom I got off eBay used and love it! Got several heads for it like the mini angle grinder, one collet style holder and one chuck style. I buy all my abrasives off eBay too because while quality might be an issue there’s a reason they’re in the consumable category and I don’t see any difference. I got a bag of those fluffy ones like in one of your pics and they were perfect for getting into tight places and getting flash rust off. Yeah they went away but I’ve not even dented the huge bag I got. I also bought a huge assortment of scotchbright/sandpaper wheels that seem fantastic and were also super cheap. All no name from China. I also got a small assortment of diamond burrs that have proven wonderful. I mostly use them for special grinds on my HSS bits for my shaper. I’ve used Dremels since a little kid and to my mind it’s more about technique and a good grinder like the Foredom. So far I’ve been more than happy with the cheap consumables off eBay.

 

[RJSakowski]

I have German made Biax SR355 air die grinder. It had a 3mm collet that I modified to take 1/8" bits. It turns at 55,000 rpm @ 90 psi. The tool is slightly larger than a Sharpie so it is quite easy to handle, unlike a Dremel. Air consumption is 6 cfm.

 

[OCJohn]

@C-Bag I take no pride in overspending. eBay, Banggood, AliExpress, etc. appeal to my inner cheapskate very deeply. But my low volume, infrequent use case is a poor test bed.

If abrasives aren’t the most frequently RE-ordered items here, they’ve got to be close. A call for recommendations from a group of opinionated OCD perfectionists like this place seems like low hanging fruit to me… 8^)

Anyone with a ‘previous orders’ history and two fingers can raise the collective knowledge for everyone. Lives can be changed!!!

 

[C-Bag]

Early on I got one of the big Dremel assortment kits and it was pretty disappointing in that the bits didn’t seem very long lasting . But to be fair no Dremel could take the strain like this old Foredom. They are rated by amperage and I kept shopping until I found this one which was twice the amperage. The bags of abrasive I found were a shot in the dark and are far superior to the Dremel kit.

My recent plunge was trying to cut slots in 5/32” and 1/4” tool steel pivot shafts for E clip retainers. Dremel has this EZ clic system that eliminates the mandrel screw. So far I like it a lot. They also have diamond cutoff wheels for it and they are perfect for this. I didn’t know they make better wheel called Max which my local hardware store didn’t have preferring to charge the Max price for the standard wheel.

 

[OCJohn]

Dremel has this EZ clic system that eliminates the mandrel screw. So far I like it a lot. They also have diamond cutoff wheels for it and they are perfect for this. I didn’t know they make better wheel called Max which my local hardware store didn’t have preferring to charge the Max price for the standard wheel.

Thanks!

That Foredom tool post holder is definitely something I had in mind. That just a standard size boring bar holder, or something you made/modified?

 

[Weldingrod1]

The flex shaft to tool post holder is well worth the time! 3DP is plenty strong.

I use carbide burrs for most Drexel work. CBN grinding pins last a looong time and eat almost anything.

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