Comments on: Turn Your Dremel Into A Plunge Router

By: Roscoe

Roscoe — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:44:07 +0000

I have a fixed base which I actually like for just one task: it excels at routing out hinge mortises in cheap fiberboard doors. I’m not much good with a chisel in such wimpy material and arger power tool would shred it.

By: Steve Thompson

Steve Thompson — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:42:35 +0000

I’ve never used this, but I used a stewmac (see Brad’s comment above) to rout the beveled edge of a guitar pick guard for a guitar I was restoring for a friend. The small agile Dremel router was just the trick for the multi layer plastic pickguard, and it was easier to control the speed on the Dremel to avoid melting the plastic - not to mention the control factor.

The guitar project is here if anyone is interested: http://supergimp.com/indexguitar.html

By: Buck

Buck — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:11:00 +0000

I hate this thing. It’s a flimsy POS. Even when every screw is as tight as I can get it without the thing breaking, I found that it’ll still let the bit wander about even when cutting something as soft as pine. Forget having a straight line if there’s a knot or something that affects the density of the material.

I like the dremel router table. It’s been good for trimming & rabbeting the edges of plastic sheets. I don’t buy electronics project boxes anymore, and the main reasons for that are the dremel router table and the scrap bin at TAP Plastics. I wouldn’t suggest trying to cut hardwood or metal with it, though.

By: james b brauer 66

james b brauer 66 — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:28:28 +0000

I have a fixed router base for my Dremel, but unless I take up making doll house furniture out of veneer and balsa wood it isn’t worth fooling with. I know a lotta people really like Dremels, and I’m glad they find them usefull. But I’ve had one for about twelve years now and it is pretty much useless for anything I need to do. Every couple of years I need to make an itty bitty cut in a tight space in metal, and break out a few cutoff disk. Other than that I find other tools work better.

What convinced me to wear safety glasses was a shattered cutoff disk knocking a gouge out of the plastic lense directly in front of my eyeball.

By: Brad

Brad — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:23:53 +0000

Stewart-MacDonald’s base doesn’t plunge and is a little more money. But, it’s really well built and a pleasure to use. Not a bit of plastic in sight. It’s great for inlay work.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Dremel_rotary_tools,_attachments/1/Precision_Router_Base/Details.html#details

By: jgb

jgb — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:02:07 +0000

I love my Lithium Ion Dremel, but hate not having a corded Dremel when I see neat attachments like this that won’t fit.

By: Fletcher

Fletcher — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:56:47 +0000

I second Arnold’s observation that the Dremel does indeed shift, and the whole thing is rather flimsy. Used it briefly as a table router (mounted it to the underside of a milk carton) where it worked marginally better. Ultimately shelved it and haven’t touched it since.

By: Arnold

Arnold — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:15:13 +0000

I bought this and immediately returned it. It’s not very stable and the dremel will shift while the bit enters the piece because of it. I also opted for the table version and the piece that holds the dremel is also flimsy on there. Granted I was cutting material like pine and mdf, but maybe those hobbyist that work with balsa or other projects that may not need precesion cuts will benefit from this product.