A large drill does not always solve the problem. The heavy body with an electric motor does not make it possible to perform high-precision operations manually, because the master’s hands get tired quickly. Hard-to-reach places are also impossible to drill due to lack of access, and flexible drives, often included with power tools. Therefore, you need to buy a mini drill. These are devices of a particularly compact size that allow you to operate manually with drilling and engraving operations on metals, plastic, ceramics or wood. They differ from larger analogues internal device, cartridge design and performance characteristics.
Key Features
The mini drill collet clamp is the only type of locking device. The impact type is not provided, so working on stone is impossible. It is only possible to perform precise engraving. It uses a small asynchronous electric motor with a high number of revolutions, and the body is made of durable corrugated material that is easy to grip by hand. IN this moment There are two types of design: with an autonomous motor and a flexible drive. By analogy with dental instrument last option often called a drill, and the drill itself looks like a thick stationery pen.
What to look for when choosing
Be sure to consider the following characteristics when choosing the optimal model:
- Regulator mini drills can allow smooth speed changes or step switching. It all depends on the task at hand. Typically, stepless change is necessary when working with a large number of different materials, for example in repair shops.
- Number of revolutions directly affects the ability to drill into delicate materials. You will be able to choose between rotation speed and torque, which are the basic characteristics. Over time, you will be able to adapt to your power tool and drill the most accurate holes. Typically values start from 10,000 to 50,000.
- Weight. This is also a determining factor. At long work your hands get tired quickly.
- Case length. It is necessary to understand for what operation the device will be used. Don't forget to add the length of the clamped drill.
- Shank. Depending on the type of cartridge, it may be different design this part.
- Supply voltage. It will not be possible to use the electrical network directly due to the windings being too weak. An adapter is required, the output voltage from which ranges from 6 to 36 volts.
- Chuck material. The soft brass used allows, in case of jamming of the drill, to use turning in the chuck without damaging the electric motor. There are no other types of protection in such a compact package.
Industrial options
Due to the high energy consumption when large quantities connection points, these devices can be connected to a pneumatic or hydraulic drive. They are characterized by increased torque and simplicity of the device. Their cost is so low that they are considered consumables. There is practically nothing to break in them. They are especially often used in mechanical engineering to create military equipment and all types aircraft. You can also buy a micro drill of this type for household needs, but then you will need to purchase a compressor or hydraulic unit. This is a profitable purchase for repair shops.
A mini-drill, like most power tools, can be powered either by mains or battery. Before deciding which option is right for you, consider the conditions in which you intend to use this device. If you have constant access to the power grid, feel free to choose the first option. If you plan to work with a mini-drill outdoors or in rooms where there are no outlets, give preference to a cordless tool.
One of the most important parameters engraver is the rotation speed. Its size is various devices can vary between 15-35 thousand revolutions per minute. Mini-drills with minimum rotation speeds are intended primarily for polishing and grinding. If you need the device for sharpening and cutting, choose a model with the maximum number of revolutions.
On modern market Among power tools, you can find simple engravers with a constant rotation speed, which reduce the voltage of the motor during operation, and therefore are not intended to perform demanding tasks. high precision operations, and variable speed mini drills that allow you to change the number of revolutions per minute as needed.
Avoid buying an engraver that is too small and light, no matter how convenient you may find it. The fact is that compact instruments do not have a cooling system, so they overheat very quickly. While using this mini drill, you will have to stop working every few minutes.
The most popular and reliable manufacturers of mini-drills are: Zubr, Kalibr, Energomash, Sturm, Dremel, Ryobi.
Mini drill attachments
Models that include a flexible shaft and a hanging bracket are not only more convenient to use. Also, these elements provide faster and better cooling of the tool engine.
Before you buy a mini-drill, make sure that the kit includes tools designed to perform various functions nozzles For grinding, sharpening saws and leveling surfaces, attachments made of materials of different densities are designed in the form abrasive wheels and stones. For carving and milling materials such as stone, wood and metal, attachments in the form of sharp or, conversely, rounded cones and wire brushes are suitable. For cleaning and polishing, it is better to use disc attachments and bristle brushes with varying amounts villi.
Electricity has given humanity a lot, and it is impossible to imagine life without an electric tool. Universal source power allows you to create universal tools, the need for which is amazing. One of the representatives of such universal electrical equipment is an engraver.
If you look at electric engraver into a magnifying glass, it will turn out to be nothing more than a type of drill. It’s just that the dimensions of the tool are much smaller, and functionality significantly expanded. Like conventional drills, engravers are equipped with a relatively powerful electric drive. Electric drive not only creates sufficient torque, but also very high speed rotation of the nozzle.
The majority of engravers are based on the rotational principle. But there are also shock varieties in which Electric Energy transferred to the kinetic energy of the impact. Special nozzle knocks out particles of material from a sufficiently hard material, leaving the necessary drawing or inscription.
The main characteristics of engravers come down to several:
- tool weight;
- motor rotation speed;
- number of universal nozzles.
The preference of craftsmen is given to a lighter tool, with a shaft rotation speed of up to 20 thousand revolutions per minute, with a set of a wide variety of attachments. Typically the weight of the engraver does not exceed 1 kg. This is due to the fact that engraving work is done manually, and tools heavier than 1 kg are difficult to work with for a long time. Light tool It's better to work for a long time.
The variety of attachments determines the range of functionality of the tool. Therefore, this range depends proportionally on the number of nozzles. The list of attachments may include:
- collets, couplings, jaw clamps;
- engraving attachments;
- cutting and polishing wheels;
- miniature drills;
- burs of different configurations and sizes.
In addition to attachments, it is possible to attach flexible shafts, which allow, by extending the drive shaft, to perform additional work without experiencing discomfort.
For a home workshop, for household needs, an engraver with a rotation speed of up to 20 thousand revolutions per minute and a power of about 200 W is sufficient. Professional engravers have a speed of up to 30 - 35 thousand and a drive power of over 250 W.
Electric engravers are produced by many companies with famous brands: Dremel, Bort, Sturm, Einhell, Hammer, Bosh, Makita and many others. Such a serious attitude towards such an unenviable instrument is expressed in permanent job to improve the design and offer new attachments.
Why do you need an engraver?
Engraving work is work that always requires special precision. Functionally, the engraver can drill, cut, mill, clean and polish, apply inscriptions and drawings. But all these works are connected with the jewelry of their execution. You can process wood, metal, different types ceramics, glass and plastic. When using diamond-cut attachments, the functional range of the tool increases many times over.
Without an engraver, the work of jewelry workshops and enterprises producing souvenirs is impossible. Because in addition to purely technical purposes, an engraver can create works of art from metal, wood or other precious and decorative materials.
And the engraver’s technical goals are at any industrial enterprise– from restoring parts to creating miniature units that cannot be made with any other type of tool.
When using diamond-cut attachments, the functional range of the tool increases many times over. But working with such a tool requires some experience and professionalism.
Engraver manufacturers we trust + (Video)
A good branded tool is worth the money paid. The best characteristics The manufacturers and their models included in this review have:
| Model | Rating | Characteristics | Rating indicators |
| Sturm GM2317FL | 1 | Power 170 W, rpm from 8000 to 32000, cartridges 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, weight 700 g, 120 attachments and accessories | Tool for home |
| Dremel Hobby Edition F0130290JJ | 2 | Power 35 W, speed up to 6000, weight 310 g, 2 nozzles | Handicraft tool |
| Skil 1415 LC | 3 | Power 125 W, rpm 15000 – 35000, cartridges 2.4, 3.2, weight 730 g, 25 attachments and accessories | Quality-price ratio |
| Dremel 3000 – 1/25 | 4 | Power 130 W, rpm 10000 – 33000, cartridges 0.8, 1.6, 2.4, 3.2, weight 550 g, 25 nozzles | Carrying out precision work |
This rating list You can expand, add other manufacturers, other rating criteria. The market for engravers, their functionality and basic characteristics are changing almost every day. Each specialist can create his own rating list based on his needs and preferences.
How to choose an engraver + (Video)
When choosing such a tool, it is necessary to clearly understand the purpose of use. It is necessary to take into account the quality of the material being processed, the list of functional operations, the necessary and sufficient volume of attachments and devices. First of all, you need to decide what you plan to do.
Mini drill is different from impact engravers because it can be used not only for engraving. It can be used to cut and drill, clean and polish. You need to carefully familiarize yourself with the equipment, because for such work it will be more expensive to purchase attachments separately. For hard-to-reach places, a model with a flexible shaft is useful.
You also need to decide how often the engraver will be used. If the work will be performed every day, then you need to select the most reliable model. This could be Dremel, Proxxon or Foredom. And it is better to select a power reserve for professional work from 250 W. The power reserve will allow, due to the large torque, to work at low speeds. For handicrafts and hobbies, the Einhell, Hammer, Bort, Storm or Skil models are quite sufficient. Their declared power is in the range of 100 - 200 W.
The material with which to work is also important in the choice. Glass, wood and soft metals can be easily processed with a mini drill with speeds up to 20,000. Gems, steel and hard alloy materials can be processed by a mini-drill with speeds up to 30,000 and their mandatory adjustment. This will allow for precise tuning. Otherwise, you will have to use an impact engraver.
After determining the purposes of use, a tool is selected according to technical specifications– power, shaft speed and tool weight. And the selection is completed based on such indicators as the noise of the tool, its ergonomics, workmanship and price. But, even without experience working with an engraver, you can choose a tool according to the above criteria.
Today we will introduce you to a small multi-tasking tool - a mini-drill, which goes by many names: engraver, grinder, drill, dremel. It received the latter name thanks to its inventor and founder of the company with his own name, Albert J. Dremel. As the names indicate, the range of work performed by this machine is infinitely large - it can cut pieces of material, make engravings, grind, polish, cut shaped grooves, make holes - and all this with amazing accuracy! For its versatility, accuracy, ease of operation and light weight, the mini-drill is popular among designers, jewelers, furniture makers, restorers, engravers, cosmetologists, as well as among handmakers.
Customer reviews:
Review #1: I am satisfied with the purchase. Works great, already tried it. Delivered directly to your home by courier. I recommend.
Review #2: I ordered it for a friend’s birthday, he had wanted such a device for a long time. The set is more than rich, the box arrived intact, delivery was fast. The Dremel holds speed, the cartridge does not hit, I thought it would be noisier. So far so good, time will tell.
Review #3: An excellent engraver. Works as it should. It gets a little warm at high speeds. The complete set arrived. Packed well, in a box, nothing fell apart. Delivery to St. Petersburg, super-fast in just 2 days. The seller is sociable, he told me everything, answered all my questions. In general, you can write for a long time, but it’s better to order and enjoy. In a word, I recommend it. Some positive emotions.
Seller's reliability: excellent!
Delivery within Russia: free!
Customer reviews:
Review #1: The seller sent quickly! Well done! Well packed. Although the parcel got damaged along the way, it still arrived in order. The drill works - everything is fine! The drill is small, convenient - very useful thing, buy with confidence and use! Good luck to all!
Review #2: The machine itself is well made and feels good to hold in your hands. The size is smaller than I even expected. A handy flexible hose also works well. I took a tool for post-processing plastic and wood. I ordered it with a full set of extras so that I had something to start working with.
Review #3: Fast shipping, great packaging! Great respect to the seller! Sociable, friendly and focused on results and clients, THANK YOU! I took the maximum package. The Dremel itself is wonderful, it has enough power, but keep in mind that this is not a 750W drill))). Working with cutters is a little difficult. High minimum speeds, when polishing acrylic or plastic you will have to be especially careful. I RECOMMEND!!!
Seller's reliability: excellent!
Delivery within Russia: free!
Customer reviews:
Review #1: I tried it at work. Super! An irreplaceable thing, it is much simpler and easier to work with wood. I also bought a set of saws for this drill from the same seller. Excellent for cutting wood. I recommend the product and the seller
A mini drill with attachments can be used where it is impossible to work with conventional tools. This approach will allow you to work even with the smallest details. Visually, this is the same device, which has lower performance than its older brother.
Possibilities
An electric mini drill can be called both a drill and grinder. The attachments on this device allow you to carry out numerous works, such as polishing, drilling, grinding, milling, cutting, engraving, cleaning, sharpening and applying patterns.
Device
Each mini drill is a grinder, and all the capabilities that have been described are achieved through attachments that are installed on the device. The main difference is the high rotation speed, which ranges from 10 to 30 thousand revolutions per minute.
Some models have a flexible shaft, which allows you to work even in hard to reach places. How to choose a mini drill, read in the continuation of the article.
Choosing a budget tool
If you want to pick quality device, which will not hit your pocket, then best choice will become hammer md050b.
Hammer md050b
With a power of only 8 watts and a torque of 15 thousand revolutions per minute, we can say that this device is worth the money.
Light weight, which is only 0.4 kg, will not put strain on your hands. When purchased, the kit includes a fairly wide selection of attachments, as well as additional components that simplify work with various materials and surfaces.
Whirlwind G 150
Whirlwind G 150 is also rightfully considered a budget model, but is often used even in industrial scale. The power of this device already reaches 1500 watts, and 30 thousand revolutions per minute do their job perfectly. Such a device is also considered an engraver, as it performs the same functions. The weight of the device is already 1.15 kg.
Another model that has the same cartridge, but more high power, can already perform more serious tasks. But in general, the characteristics of mini-drills vary within the same range.
With your own hands
In some cases, when you need to carry out single work, you can not buy a device, but make it yourself. This does not require any knowledge or numerous details.
To create a homemade mini-drill, you only need available components and an engine. For example, you can take a motor from an old tape recorder, which is quite enough for small jobs. Let's take a closer look at how to make such a miracle technique.
Since the tape motor runs on 6 volts, a battery is required that is built into the design. If you don’t really strain yourself, you can buy a collet chuck.
It is also better to come up with some kind of housing where the entire structure of the future mini-drill will be assembled. The first thing you need to do is solder two wires to the engine. Drill the right size must be installed in the cartridge. You also need to install a cartridge on the engine shaft.
By the way, the shaft can be of two types: 1.5 mm and 2.3 mm. At this point, the mini-drill will be ready, but all that remains is to connect the power and turn on the device. In general, such a device will maintain fairly high rotation rates.
You can use an old antiperspirant as a body, where the entire structure fits perfectly. Look at the photo of a homemade mini-drill, you will understand how to assemble such a device.
A power button can be placed on the body, and the cartridge head can be carefully removed from the cap. On the other side, where the bottom is, you need to make a hole through which the power cable will come out.
When everything is prepared, you just need to place the entire structure inside. This approach has a lot of advantages: there is no need for additional costs for tool elements, a minimalistic compact body, convenient control and operation, as well as a unique appearance.
You can also find plenty of video instructions on the Internet if something remains unclear. Such a thing will be very practical, as well as productive; moreover, you will not need any skills to create such a device with your own hands.
Photo of mini drill
