Ive been looking for a Dremel tool to add to my tool kit, but most posts that I've read here say that even the lowest speed is too fast and may burn plastic kits, and reccommend the foot switch to control speed. My question is whether or not the foot switch can be used with the variable speed Dremel tools?

Any help would be appreciated.

I can't answer the footpeddle question. I would like to chime in on the dremel 750D. Its a cordless model with two speeds. I believe roughtly 7,500 rpms and 15,000 rpms.
This has worked out very well for me. I do 1/35 modeling and some 1/72 AC stuff. I work with wood, plastic, plaster, resin. My style is slow and steady. I can only remember one or two occasions where variable would have been nice.

Hope I haven't made it harder on the decision point.

From what everybody seemed to say in earlier posts, even the 5000 rpm model was too fast, and would cause problems. But you experience is that the 7500 rpm is okay? The guy at the model shop says "If you go slow enough, you'll never melt the model". Does that seem to be your experience too?

Thanks...

I have the same one and agree completely.

Bribo
I haven't melted anything even evergreen or plastruct styrene. I have taken to much off a few times, hence my slow and steady pace. If you feel you can go light on the pressure I would recomend the 750D. The only material that I have taken too much off of has been styrene. My son has even purposefully tried to sand down balsa to see how much dust he can make ( #:-) silly kids) and he had to work at it. As far as melting - I haven't at all.
I use sanding drums, sanding disks, circular saw, grinding bits (stone kinds) and grinding burrs (metal rasp types as small as I can find). I love mine.

I too would like to chime in on the cordless model which is what I have and use, As long as you do not bare down REAL HARD, And working on low speed you can use it on any kit.
Since I MOSTLY build in 35th, and 42nd scale, I have had no problems, except if I bare down too hard, In which case I left abit of a crater in the spot or took off too much, Either way, JUST like an airbrush, You have to learn how to use it. IF you choose to get one, Do like
I did, Find some spare plastic, OR an old model that you don't mind practiceing on. And you will get a better idea of how to work with it. Good Luck

DAGGER-1

Thanks for the advice guys, the only real question i have left is: when you say "low speed", what qualifies as low? 200 rpm, 5000 rpm? forgive me for being dense, but I want to make sure I'm on the right page.
thanks again!

Don't sweat the questions - As I've heard from someone else - "The only bad question is the one not asked!"
On the 750D the low speed is 7,500 rpms. There is No variability on this model, you get ON Low (7500 rpms) OFF and ON High (15,000 rpms), that's it.

I can't comment on the cordless model, but I would still suggest at least looking into a regular one and getting a variable speed control. The reason that I say that is that I use me Dremel for sanding as well as drilling. I attach roadwheels to the dremel and then hit them with sandpaper and the fine steel wool, but if they are going to fast you will ruin them. This is a real timesaver when it comes to cleaning up roadwheels. If you don't think that you'll be using the tool in this manner than forget what I said, but if this sounds like something you may want to do I would certainly look into the variable speed controllers.

That goes back to my original question... Does the foot controller work with the variable speed models, or only the single speed. Any thoughts/experiences?

Sorry Bribo. I personally have a sinlge speed with a variable speed controller (although mine isn't a foot controller, it is just a little box with a speed dial on it) so I can't comment on the variable speed dremel with the variable speed controller.

Adam,
That is actually what I've been looking for, The box with speed control on it. Do you mind me asking where you found it?

Brian

BTW, I did purchase the 750. Can't wait to try it out. Thanks for the advice on that one.

Brian

To be honest with you I have no idea where it was purchased. It was given to me by my father when he bought me the dremel for Christmas 5 or 6 years ago while I was still a poor college student. It was his before that and looks pretty old. I swear that I've seen them at my local Sears hardware store though.

Ok. I remember in the FSM article a few months ago, they had a picture of one, and it looked pretty old also. I'll keeep my eyes out, though. I just don't know if my hand/eye/foot/etc co-ordination is good enough for the foot switch

Thanks Again.
Bribo