Well the day has finally come. After 2.75 years of faithful service, my first Dremel has bought the farm.
For a few months now the variable speed switch has been erratic, only going to the lowest speed, requiring a shove to get higher. Now the switch is totally dead, and the Dremel’s days are over.
Even though 99.99% of the time I only use it for the cutoff wheel, the Dremel has been an invaluable tool in my quest to do whatever it is I do. It has worked on every project of mine since the first 2006 Xbox 360 laptop, and finally conked out during the dual builds of the final THQ laptop and the long-suffering original hardware C64 portable.
All is not lost, however. Dremel is a Wisconsin company so I had no reservations about buying a new one. I also bought it at the local Ace Hardware store and not the Farm & Fleet… even though this support strategy didn’t work for Circuit City I’m hoping it’ll keep the local Ace open.
Ben – check out http://www.dremel.com for warranty repair info. Looks like they will repair it for a max charge of less than $100… Of course, you could probably do the same, but they already have the parts 😉
Don’t let a seemingly dead dremel go to waste! Take it to the emergency room and let the surgeons bring her back for another 2.25 (I have no delusions that it would last just as long again) years of XBOX carving, Ataria making goodness!
Oddly enough, my Dremel (a 400XPR) kicked the bucket recently as well. It was a little over a year old. I called up the folks there, and they were VERY cooperative. They gave me the address, and I sent my Dremel out and had a new one (or refurbished maybe) within a week. No questions asked – no “we need a receipt” or “blah blah red tape.” They also come with a five year warranty, so, I think that might have helped.
As long as the mysterious blue smoke that makes electronics work isn’t released its STILL ALIVE!
Had the same thing happen to my 400XPR about 6 months ago. Dremel sent me a free replacement within a week!
I’ll sell you my Dremel 😛 somebody robbed my house so I now have hardly any personal belongings left or any money, aside from what is on my computer desk and my Dremel… 🙁
If it’s only the switch that broke… why not just open it up and fix it for the $0.99 cost of a new switch?
@ lamelama22:
It’s not the switch. My Dremel did the same thing – it’s little pieces of material (in my case, it was metal) that got into the motor. Then it sparked, and the magic smoke came out.
Hate to burst your bubble Ben, but Bosch bought the Dremel brand a while ago, so I believe it’s German now.
I have a Foredom flexshaft tool that’s about 35 years old and still going strong. (they’re not cheap, but worth the price.. and manufactured in my home state of CT 🙂 ) It can only be used at the bench, but the pedal control is really nice. My dremel has been great for automotive work.. cutting off rusted bolts, etc. I just noticed the switch is starting go on mine too.
http://www.foredom.com
Check the motor’s brushes as well. The brushes wear out in about 60 hours. As with the switch and brushes, lots of parts are replaceable like any good power tool. Even if the motor is burnt, that is replaceable as well as long as cost is not an issue and you just want to keep _that_ Dremel going.
May I suggest that purchas another brand next time…
Proxxon!
http://proxxon.com/
Had mine for 5.years and it work like new even though it does not look so good : P
I’m from Iceland,
so give my english a break : L
if your dremel isnt working right I will gladly give you a few bucks for it. I could use a better dremel. the battery in mine is shot and I cant find a replacement without spending more for the battery than i did for the entire tool kit!