Rotary Tools - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

Chase · 01-26-2008, 12:29 AM

Just purchased the Sears rotary tool and drill press. Went for it because of the built in light.
My question is this: Is this the same tool as the Dremel. Does Dremel make it for Craftsman? Will Dremel accessories fit the Craftsman?

Chase

AKAkopa · 01-26-2008, 01:32 AM

I would think that Dremel products would fit a Craftsman tool. Most accessories for rotary tools have the same size shank to fit the arbors of the power source. I know I use Craftsman and Gyro brand along with a few cheap tools in my Dremel. You may need to change the collet on your tool is all. Check your owners manual of the new tool and see what it looks like. Craftsman would like you to think that THEIR accesories are the only ones which will fit in order to sell you only their products but chances are real good this is not the case.

Jim8Mad · 01-26-2008, 03:52 PM

I have rotary tools from Harbor Freight (cordless), Ryobi, Sears (wife's cordless), and now Dremel. The only one that gives me problems with attachments is the Ryobi. It's bout 15 years old and the only attachments I can't share with it are the ones that mount on the end like a flex shaft, router base, and others like that. The other three are compatible in all other aspects as far as accessories that can be used in the collet.

Steviegwood · 01-26-2008, 06:07 PM

I have the router base from craftsman on a dremel. Steve

Plaquerd · 01-26-2008, 09:03 PM

Chase
I don't know if Dremel still makes them for Craftsman, but I have a Craftsman flex shaft that was made by Dremel. It's over twenty years old. I've replaced the core shaft three times and I just had to replace the whole flex shaft last week. They (Dremel for Craftsman) still make all the parts for it! All the Dremel and Craftsman accessories fit it and any accessory from a 30 thousandths drill bit to 1/8" shaft tools fit it, you just have to buy the different sizes collets.
An aside, if you can find them get the mini diamond spurs, they work great for fine detail work. HF usually has a 12 piece set of them for a few bucks.

Bob Hewson · 02-01-2008, 01:51 AM

I have small dremel, and large Craftsman (offset to Foredom) which is a Dremel. I had a small Craftsman rotary (green) that was made by Dremel. The Craftsman rotaries work as well as either Dremel or Foredom. I also have a B&D RDX that is great and replaced my little Dremel.

In my opinion and from what I have seen the low cost imports that look like the old Dremels but with many colors don't have the power of the Variable dremel/Craftsman or B&D. Check out the amperage on the motor my RTX is 2 amp. Many of the imports I have seen are usually 1 amp or less.

Most accessories are interchangeable although I have heard that some of the newer imports are slightly different in size or thread... The B&D flex shaft though is superior to all the others and fits the Dremel, B&D RTX, and Craftsman.

I use mine for woodcarving, birds and small animals, and have recently bought a RAM micromotor for carving. It is a DC powered handpiece that does a great job, should have bought it years ago. BUT, my B&D is still my workhorse for carving!

Bob

kbutler6 · 03-08-2008, 01:02 AM

Can you tell me how or point me to instructions (if online) on how to replace the shaft core of a Craftsman Flexible Shaft?
Thanks.

Plaquerd · 03-08-2008, 02:22 AM

My Craftsman/Dremel shaft unscrews from the drive unit. The broken core shaft can then be removed and the new one installed. Also the "handle" end unscrews and the core shaft can also be removed and replaced from that end. Sears still carries the parts for mine and it is over twenty years old.

Jim Finn · 03-08-2008, 03:53 PM

I find the Black and Decker rotary tool superior to the Dremel because it is set up as a three speed , not vairable like the Dremel. It maintains the power and speed under load better and is a bit cheaper. I get them at Walmart. All the accesories seem to work well on either tool.
"But that is just my opinion I could be wrong" (Dennis Miller)

Jim In Texas

clu1.2 · 03-24-2008, 08:40 PM

I am a demonstrator for Dremel and as far as I can tell Dremel makes rotary tools for Sears. All of the attachments that will fit your Sears Rotary tool will fit the Dremel tools and the same in reverse. There are two tools they are designed to fit the XP400 Dremel that will not fit the smaller rotary tools. They are the hand held scroll saw and the edge planner. Dremel was kind enough to send me an 18 inch scroll saw when I started doing demo's for them and then when they changed the design last year they sent me a new one. I love free tools!!!!!!

01-26-2008, 12:29 AM	#1
Chase Seasoned WV Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Virginia, Born/Raised WV Posts: 730	Rotary Tools Just purchased the Sears rotary tool and drill press. Went for it because of the built in light. My question is this: Is this the same tool as the Dremel. Does Dremel make it for Craftsman? Will Dremel accessories fit the Craftsman? Chase __________________ Chase---Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult. Visit my album @ http://home.comcast.net/~chasesmeeks...-by-Chase.html and click on the album link.

01-26-2008, 03:52 PM	#3
Jim8Mad Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Hemet, CA Posts: 355	I have rotary tools from Harbor Freight (cordless), Ryobi, Sears (wife's cordless), and now Dremel. The only one that gives me problems with attachments is the Ryobi. It's bout 15 years old and the only attachments I can't share with it are the ones that mount on the end like a flex shaft, router base, and others like that. The other three are compatible in all other aspects as far as accessories that can be used in the collet. __________________ Jim DeWalt DW788 & Dremel 1680

01-26-2008, 06:07 PM	#4
Steviegwood Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Arthur, WV Posts: 2,146	I have the router base from craftsman on a dremel. Steve __________________ If This HillBilly Can't Fix it Then it Ain't Broke!!! My Gallery steve03@frontiernet.net

01-26-2008, 09:03 PM	#5
Plaquerd Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northwest New Jersey Posts: 1,371	Chase I don't know if Dremel still makes them for Craftsman, but I have a Craftsman flex shaft that was made by Dremel. It's over twenty years old. I've replaced the core shaft three times and I just had to replace the whole flex shaft last week. They (Dremel for Craftsman) still make all the parts for it! All the Dremel and Craftsman accessories fit it and any accessory from a 30 thousandths drill bit to 1/8" shaft tools fit it, you just have to buy the different sizes collets. An aside, if you can find them get the mini diamond spurs, they work great for fine detail work. HF usually has a 12 piece set of them for a few bucks. __________________ Dave "Tight's tight, too tight's broken" www.lakeviewscrollsawing.com

03-08-2008, 02:22 AM	#8
Plaquerd Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northwest New Jersey Posts: 1,371	My Craftsman/Dremel shaft unscrews from the drive unit. The broken core shaft can then be removed and the new one installed. Also the "handle" end unscrews and the core shaft can also be removed and replaced from that end. Sears still carries the parts for mine and it is over twenty years old. __________________ Dave "Tight's tight, too tight's broken" www.lakeviewscrollsawing.com

01-26-2008, 01:32 AM	#2
AKAkopa Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 254	I would think that Dremel products would fit a Craftsman tool. Most accessories for rotary tools have the same size shank to fit the arbors of the power source. I know I use Craftsman and Gyro brand along with a few cheap tools in my Dremel. You may need to change the collet on your tool is all. Check your owners manual of the new tool and see what it looks like. Craftsman would like you to think that THEIR accesories are the only ones which will fit in order to sell you only their products but chances are real good this is not the case.

02-01-2008, 01:51 AM	#6
Bob Hewson Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 6	I have small dremel, and large Craftsman (offset to Foredom) which is a Dremel. I had a small Craftsman rotary (green) that was made by Dremel. The Craftsman rotaries work as well as either Dremel or Foredom. I also have a B&D RDX that is great and replaced my little Dremel. In my opinion and from what I have seen the low cost imports that look like the old Dremels but with many colors don't have the power of the Variable dremel/Craftsman or B&D. Check out the amperage on the motor my RTX is 2 amp. Many of the imports I have seen are usually 1 amp or less. Most accessories are interchangeable although I have heard that some of the newer imports are slightly different in size or thread... The B&D flex shaft though is superior to all the others and fits the Dremel, B&D RTX, and Craftsman. I use mine for woodcarving, birds and small animals, and have recently bought a RAM micromotor for carving. It is a DC powered handpiece that does a great job, should have bought it years ago. BUT, my B&D is still my workhorse for carving! Bob

03-08-2008, 01:02 AM	#7
kbutler6 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1	Can you tell me how or point me to instructions (if online) on how to replace the shaft core of a Craftsman Flexible Shaft? Thanks.

03-08-2008, 03:53 PM	#9
Jim Finn Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 120	Rotary tools I find the Black and Decker rotary tool superior to the Dremel because it is set up as a three speed , not vairable like the Dremel. It maintains the power and speed under load better and is a bit cheaper. I get them at Walmart. All the accesories seem to work well on either tool. "But that is just my opinion I could be wrong" (Dennis Miller) Jim In Texas

03-24-2008, 08:40 PM	#10
clu1.2 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 8	I am a demonstrator for Dremel and as far as I can tell Dremel makes rotary tools for Sears. All of the attachments that will fit your Sears Rotary tool will fit the Dremel tools and the same in reverse. There are two tools they are designed to fit the XP400 Dremel that will not fit the smaller rotary tools. They are the hand held scroll saw and the edge planner. Dremel was kind enough to send me an 18 inch scroll saw when I started doing demo's for them and then when they changed the design last year they sent me a new one. I love free tools!!!!!!

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