Mini drill or cordless drill

[TimGS]

Hi,

A question on drills. I have, courtesy of DIY antics around the house, this cordless drill http://www.bosch-professional.com/gb/en/gsr-14-4-2-11359-ocs-p/

I gather if that if I want to use mini-drill bits/grinding bits/etc that they might not fit well in a 'large' chuck, but I can get an adapter that probably won't be too pricey.

Alternatively I can buy a mini-drill, but that's more expensive, especially for occasional use.

Are there any pitfalls to the former cheaper option? Am I likely to find the larger drill too clumsy for smaller work?

thanks,
-- Tim.

 

[Graham Hughes]

What are you wanting to drill with it? (And don't say holes ) If you are looking to drill the odd small hole not requiring great precision then that one would probably be ok. If you want something to drill more accurately, for example for handrail knobs or brake hangers and the like then I would think you probably need something a bit smaller and lighter. If it is only for occasional use with small drills in plastic and sheet metals you might consider whether you need a power drill at all and find an archimedian drill fits the bill better. If you think you might want to drill real precision holes, something like making valve gear or loco chassis, you will want a good minidrill and a stand. (Or a precision pillar drill but that will be even more expensive.) I had an Expo Titan for years and it didn't get a lot of use as a drill. When it finally bit the dust I replaced it with a Proxxon and stand and the quality and the difference is so marked I end up using it for things I would never have thought of before and would have used a hand drill. It is so nice to use I could spend time drilling holes just for the fun of it

[KalKat]

What he said ^^^^ :yes:

[shortliner]

If all you want to do is drill holes in plastic or similar - I would get a rechargeable cordless screwdriver from Lidl or Aldi, and buy a small hex-shaft mini chuck from ebay

Something like this eBay item number: 261371326726

[JeffP]

I have the WORX Li-Ion screwdriver bought recently half price from Homebase, comes with ten bits and a charger.

[edcayton]

You need much higher spindle speeds for smaller work. I bought a Dremel which is overkill for what I need. The cheap Aldi/Lidl jobs would be fine. You do need the small collet chuck too.  I think a cordless one could be handy, but will only buy cordless tools with Li-ion batteries now.

 

Ed

[TimGS]

What are you wanting to drill with it? (And don't say holes )

Drill holes.

 

I was also thinking of grinding and cutting. Something like the Proxxon FBS 240/E.

 

Good question though, especially as I haven't done any railway modelling for a while, aside from Trix TTR, which isn't quite the same thing as I have in mind here. Probably in the short term just simple plastic kits, detailing my Union Mills 2P, and track cutting as far as railway modelling is concerned, though I wonder if the ability to use mini-grinding wheels could be useful for getting into tight corners on cars that a normal grinder cannot reach (I have two Citroen 2CVs; the steel is poor quality; periodic welding required). Sorry - that's not so much   as off-forum.

 

 

Perhaps it's a luxury I don't really need. I've made simple plastic kits before in OO, and any drilling was done by pin vice. For track cutting I've got a razor saw, and to be honest for the amount of track I anticipate cutting it's as good as a non-issue anyway. I can probably manage without, though wonder if I had one I'd end up wondering how I managed without.

 

I've seen flexible shafts for normal size drills - perhaps that would make more sense?

 

-- Tim.

 

 

 

 

[KalKat]

A flexible shaft is something I've had and found very useful - and I'm getting another for chrimbo. One thing I have found is that mini drills are too fast for drilling plastic - they melt the material; it is very different for metals however, you do need speed for small drillbits.

 

In what I do, the ability of both types are used on a job by job basis. If you aim to do some platework (loco frames for instance) then a mini drill in a stand will be very useful. If you aim to do quite a lot, then a pillar drill should be added too.

 

Just a quick word on 'the other use' the discs on dremel type tools wear extremely quickly when cutting automotive steel

[PenrithBeacon]

I have used, a good many years ago, a DIY drill with a DIY drill stand. I found it was far too insensitive. More recently I bought a drill press which has its virtues but which is not really suitable for most of the drilling tasks the 4mm modeller  does. I'm beginning to think that a Dremel drill and drill stand would be best but I haven't yet invested.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-4000-Rotary-Tool-4000-4/dp/B0033UWLX8/ref=sr_1_2?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1418401605&sr=1-2&keywords=Dremel

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-26150220JB-Workstation/dp/B0012RQG94/ref=sr_1_7?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1418401605&sr=1-7&keywords=Dremel

 

Regards

[Graham Hughes]

Something like the Proxxon FBS 240/E.

 

That is what I have, along with the vertical stand and it is excellent. I haven't used the Dremel equivalent (I chose the Proxxon one instead) so can't make a comparison but, while it may be equally as good, the Proxxon one is so nice to use it is hard to imagine it could be better. I could quite happily spend an afternoon drilling holes just for the fun of it.

[PenrithBeacon]

That is what I have, along with the vertical stand and it is excellent. I haven't used the Dremel equivalent (I chose the Proxxon one instead) so can't make a comparison but, while it may be equally as good, the Proxxon one is so nice to use it is hard to imagine it could be better. I could quite happily spend an afternoon drilling holes just for the fun of it.

I'll take that as a recommendation and when I invest I'll go for this one. BRM recently had a video review of the Proxxon.

 

Regards