Hey everyone! Welcome to another article of What The Bleep Am I Doing?! An Artist’s Guide To All Things Creative. For this weeks’ article, I’m going to be talking about the one tool that every prop maker, cosplayer, and everyone in between should have in their arsenal of tools. The dremel. This article will be all about what it is and things I wish I knew when first using this finicky little bugger. So let’s get to it shall we?
What in the world is a dremel?!
Ah the dremel, something that when I first started creating I had absolutely no clue what it was aside from the fact that it was some kind of tool that was handy for sanding and detailing. But it’s definitely so much more than that. According to good ol’ Wikipedia, this is the basic premise of a dremel.
Dremel (/ˈdrɛməl/ DREM-əl) is an American brand of power tools known primarily for its rotary tools. Dremel’s rotary tools are similar to the pneumatic die grinders used in the metalworking industry by tool or moldmakers
Wikipedia
Translation? It’s a tool that moves fast enough that you can basically use it to shape and sand almost any material you want for the project you’re working on. This cuts sanding time in half, and makes all of your edges and other parts of your project that are less than appealing, look amazing! So, it’s definitely a tool worth looking into for your projects.
What I wish I knew
Now heres the major bit of the article. Here, I’m going to give you guys some major tips about using the dremel that I myself wish I knew when I first started with this tool. So hopefully it’ll be able to help anyone whose new to the tool or just needs a refresher!
- For a smaller dremel, hold it like a pen–seeing that it’s going to be longer and sleeker. But, if you have bigger dremel–one that is seemly a lot more chunky and feels a bit bulky, hold it like a pencil. I’ve always found it a bit odd that there are different sizes, but it’s just how they are made I guess. But knowing how to hold your dremel is actually really important so you have an easier time using it especially if you don’t have the extension for it. Which I recommend since it gives you easier control over it.
- Be sure to check your Dremel instruction manual because then you will have less confusion when trying to change your dremel bits. Trust me on this one. Else wise you’re going to be searching for a looong while on how to interchange the bits.
- When you’re done using your dremel, be sure to wipe it off with a wet paper towel or suck up the dust with a vacuum. Maintenance is super important so you can keep your dremel working for longer.
- Go slow at first when working on your project. And carefully adjust the angle and speed as you go along so you don’t make a mistake you can’t take back.
- When in doubt, YouTube it. There’s surprisingly a lot of helpful tips for various projects on there. So, YouTube can be a very valuable resource.
- Make sure you mark down which sanding drum is what grit, so you don’t get confused and end up using the wrong one. Like label the container each go into.
- Have a box or a vacuum with you to catch the dust because there will be a lot flying around.
And lastly…
Be careful when using it! It’s still a tool that can cause a lot of damage if your not careful!
Well, that’s all from me. I hope some of these tips help you guys out in your dremel experience! If you have any questions feel free to ask! I’d be more than happy to answer!
That’s all for now,
Rebel Fae out!
The Rebel Fae 