What do those Dremel bits do? Well I’ll tell ya!
Yeah, I’m an overachiever.
I originally thought I could fit all of my notes from Jill Timm‘s class, The Amazing Dremel, into one blog post.
Bwahahahahahahah!!!
I did not take into account how many notes I took during the workshop. In fact, my table neighbor at the workshop teased me for two days on how many notes I took.
My plan is to split the information into three blog posts:
- Dremel bits and what they do (hey – that’s what you’re reading now!)
- Tips for using a Dremel with specific materials
- Dremel resources for artists
Please note that this post only focuses on what the bits look like and what they do. Oh, and the bits mentioned are the only ones that we used in the workshop – we didn’t use any routing bits. Sorry.
That said, let’s talk Dremel bits.
I think that one of the things that both attracted me and freaked me out about the Dremel was its huge buffet of accessories. The packages are labeled by use, but it still seemed like gibberish to me. Jill created the perfect environment for overcoming my Dremel fear.
You can read about my class in the following blog posts:
This post is in no way meant to replace the total awesomeness of taking Jill Timm’s class. I benefited so much from hearing Jill’s experiences and seeing her work in person. If I had bought a Dremel and experimented with it on my own, most likely I would have never tried it on the range of materials that we did in class.
Jill recently announced that she’s taking her Dremel class on the road and would love to be scheduled by your group. I highly recommend the class if you have a chance to attend.
The main categories of bits, according to Dremel, include the following:
- Carving & Engraving
- Sanding
- Cutting
- Grinding & Sharpening
- Cleaning & Polishing
These categories are pretty consistent among other manufacturers of rotary tool accessories, so you can often find alternatives if you shop around. Carving & Engraving I used two different types of bits that fall into the carving & engraving category – diamond bits and high speed cutters.
Diamond Dremel bits
Diamond bits can be used with the following materials:
- Aluminum
- Bookboard
- Ceramic tile
- Glass
- Mirror
- Steel
Dremel high speed cutters
High speed cutters can be used with the following materials:
- Bookboard
- Linoleum
- Wood
Sanding
Sanding involves two different parts – the drum and the sanding band. Sanding bands come in different grits, just like sheets of sandpaper.
Dremel sanding bands and drum
To use the sanding band, you simply slide it over the drum. Replace it when it wears out. Easy peasy.
Sanding bits can be used with the following materials:
- Aluminum
- Bookboard
- Plexiglass
- Polymer clay
- Wood
Cutting
There are different types of cutting wheels for different materials.
Abrasive cutting wheels
Abrasive cutting wheels can be used with the following materials:
- Bookboard
- Plexiglass
- Wood
Fiberglass cutting wheel
Fiberglass cutting wheels can be used with the following materials:
- Aluminum
- Ceramic tile
To use a cutting wheel, you have to attach it a mandrel.
Dremel mandrel
Unscrew the tiny screw on top of the mandrel and remove one of the washers.
Slide the wheel onto the screw, then add the second washer. Attach the screw to the mandrel base and tighten.
Replace the wheel it when it wears out.
Grinding & Sharpening
Grinding and sharpening stones are made of two basic materials: silicon carbide (green bits) and aluminum oxide (brown, orange, pink, or grey bits). You may have noticed that some of my grinding stones are oddly-shaped. This is because the stones wear out with use. You can reshape your grinding stones using a dressing stone.
Orange stones
Orange stones can be used with the following materials:
- Ceramic tile
- Glass
- Mirror
- Steel
Blue/green & Pink stones
Blue/green and pink stones can be used with the following materials:
- Aluminum
- Ceramic tile
- Glass
- Mirror
Cleaning & Polishing
Felt polishing wheels and cones are used in combination with polishing compound.
Dremel polishing felts and mandrel
Dremel polishing compound
To use a polishing felt, you have to attach it a mandrel (different from the cutting wheel mandrel). The felt has a tiny hole in the center of it – you screw the mandrel into the hole to attach it.
Felt polishing wheels and cones can be used with the following materials:
- Aluminum
- Ceramic tile
- Glass
- Mirror
For further reference, you can check out Dremel’s website for information on all of their attachments. Even better though, is this very sexy poster: Dremel Accessories Guide Poster. We got one of these posters from Jill in our workshop packet.
I can’t decide if I want to hang it in my studio…
29 Responses to “What do those Dremel bits do? Well I’ll tell ya!”
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my husband used the cut off wheel (fiberglass) this weekend. it took a long time to figure out how to use the mandrel. thank buddha for google.
I never would have understood what to do with the wheels without having taken the workshop. I haven’t looked at my manual since I bought my Dremel. I’m sure there’s directions in there on how to use the mandrel, but I don’t care. I’ve decided to be stupidly stubborn and stumble my way through the rest of my learning.
All injuries welcome!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my dremel. I use it for art, working on my moped and general fun and mayhem. Now I want to do some prints…. hmmmm
I love my Dremel too. I need to get back into calling him by his proper name, Stan. I love Stan. We’re probably having a rendezvous later today…don’t tell anyone.
nicely done–your presentation is very clear–my dremel (used and a gift) came all jumbled up, so this was very helpful. it’s a tool i hope to use more often.
Velma -
Two more posts are coming, so stay tuned.
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Well, last week, I dug out my box o’ bits (must be 30 years old now!) with an idea of trying some bits on lino. Then I saw your post, voted for more info and…ta-daaa!
Thanks very much. Of course, you have a modern Dremel and I have an old something-or-other, but I’ll see how I go.
(My set does not have a name. It is sad.)
Diane -
It’s never too late to name your Dremel – what are you going to do, call it Hey You? Actually, that could be funny.
My next post will include tips for using a Dremel with specific materials. I learned something interesting about linoleum, so stay tuned.
I have a Dremel but I hardly ever use it. I guess I have no idea how to use it really. I have used it to sand things and that’s about it. I could probably find lots of things to do with it if I took the time to figure it out. I guess I need to take a class too!
Stacie -
In general, I’m usually pretty comfortable with picking up a tool and stumbling my way through learning how to use it…there was no way I was doing that with a Dremel.
I’m really thankful that I had the opportunity to take the class. I’ve been using Stan on a pretty regular basis in my studio.
That didn’t sound right, did it?
Is the box of goodies (ie, the attachments) available to the lay person outside of Jill’s class? Do you know where?
Mary -
I think Jill said she got the accessory kits from China. I imagine she got a discount for buying them in bulk for her classes. I don’t know how much they cost because they were included in our materials fee.
You could try contacting Jill and see if she’ll give up her source.
Get thee to http://www.micromark.com/
You can order all sorts of absolutely amazing Dremel tools, bits and accessories, including the wonderful wooden box set (often available on sale for about $20). I would be lost without my Dremel (no name – does your right hand have a name?)
I make pens, pipes (for tobacco – no really!) miniature carvings, and all manner of work related stuff with my Dremel. Its almost 25 yrs old and still going strong.
Best!
Wow! I had no idea what most of my bits and pieces were for so this is a really valuable post. Like dinahmow’s my Dremel is pretty old and certainly doesn’t have any instructions. I’ll hang on every word you write about it.
Carol -
I hope that the post inspires you to use your Dremel now – it’s sad and lonely. It told me that.
At last, someone to tell me what to do with the pink pointy bit!
Kim -
Glad to be of service!
Elissa
Really? Polymer clay? I thought you could only use the wet/dry type of sandpaper on polyclay? I’d love to hear how you use the sanding bands on polymer clay…I was hoping to find the black kind (scientific name
) of paper for my cordless dremel, but no luck so far.
Melody -
Yep, you can use a Dremel on polymer clay – and it’s messy! You can see the piece I worked on in this blog post about a workshop I took with Jill Timm.
I can’t recall if I tried the sanding bits, but I imagine the main issue is that you can’t work in one place too long or you’ll gum up the sandpaper.
After we worked with a particular material, class members shared their experiences working with different Dremel bit/material combinations – you can read my notes in this post.
Elissa
Your post is great. I only recently heard about dremels, but i am so smitten. I’m not a very technical person, but i really want a dremel. Can i use it to cut down and make holes in book board for binding? I think that is what i would start with, but reading your site, there so much more i’d want to do!! Also, can you recommend a good starter dremel? There seems to be a few different ones. Cordless, sets with a bunch of attachments.
Thanks again for sharing the wealth of your dremel knowledge!!
Leena -
You can use a Dremel to cut bookboard, but mostly for small areas. If you’re trying to cut large pieces of board, I’d recommend using an X-acto knife – the blades are cheaper to replace than Dremel bits. I’ve used my Dremel to drill holes and it’s awesome – much easier to handle than my power drill (yes, I use a power drill).
I don’t know much about specific models, although my teacher told us not to go for the higher-end models – that advice makes sense for beginners. I don’t have a cordless model, but I wish I did! I’m using a series 300 Dremel and haven’t run into any problems with it (other than the cord getting in the way).
If you’re on Twitter, you can send a message to @Dremel and they’ll answer any other questions you might have.
Elissa
Nice work on this page. The pictures and descriptions combined were very helpful. Thanks!
Dan -
Glad you found the post useful!
Elissa
hi all,
i buy all my Dremel bits of a lady on ebay she sells loads of different types all the above and more im so happy with the money i save on the bits link below if anyone is interested
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/gingernuts-2008/m.html?_nkw=dremel&_sacat=0&_odkw=&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313
Ben -
Thanks for the tip!
Elissa
Very Good Tips, Even dremel catalog doesnt mention such tips on using the accessories. I have a dremel 3000 and wasnt sure how to use the attachments.
Many Thanks !!!
Joey -
Glad you enjoyed the post – have fun with your Dremel!
Elissa
Just stumbled on this post. I’ve had my Dremel 395 for many years and love it, but I’ve recently begun to expand my horizons. Your post is very helpful in knowing what to do with all those attachments that are just waiting to be used! It would be a really good idea for everyone to read the manual (important info for care maintenance and SAFETY!). Last week I found a flex shaft along with several other goodies at a yard sale for $12 and everything works great! Now all I need to do is figure out a name!. Your information is fantastic and I love your sense of humor!
Margo -
I’m so glad that you found my post useful!
I agree about reading the manual – I suffered an unfortunate injury when using my flex shaft (it HURT). I have a tendency to want to jump right into using a new, shiny toy and it hasn’t served me well.
Elissa