Dremel Tool advice, please...

[Harry Faversham]

I'm after trying to grind/file the weapons from Warlords British Paratroopers. I want to re-arm 'em with SLRs to serve as Wild Geese and orì UNIT Troopers. Has this gadget the bollocks to do the job?
 

[HerbertTarkel]

Heck yes.

There are some really fine carving and grinding bits.

BUT- plastic is going to melt if you do it too fast. You’ll learn…

I use my Dremel for loads of stuff like that. To gain better control, I added a pistol grip style handle on mine, it made a huge difference.

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

I recommend a flex arm connected hand piece and foot pedal rheostat for the best control.   For the money, a Foredom flex arm that jeweler’s use is the better tool. Far less vibration and heat in the hand piece. Better chuck too.

[Cubs]

Do you mean for drilling holes? Drilling holes in metal or plastic, I always use my pin-vice hand-drill. Perfect control, it doesn't melt anything, but it takes a little longer.

 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293699684257?_skw=pin+vice&itmmeta=01JDWZQX5C93G8BTQH3TPDRZ01&hash=item4461dd87a1:g:~5QAAOSwGcFlS3YB&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKmD00E4L73MQ0n1fXMH9F10R8cPf3jC0ED1Xr8a4SeQOZiV4W9SGFgYAgTfUrKtolV7GvD1b3vgT%2Fffq8XFWU%2FSkqZgsODen544zUBDRYf3lNQ9oy8jaBRyL7jXjsILdqn6WpuQggcTZO8KGjsaqBMZIBI8HuMiTcpuzreDbfeRSjLp88loXLlgCgJdU3Cfx5UNZYhJhonESQAT4K4ip5BFxuMzza%2BjTnFptYbmr0eS5KDdOBsCc0p%2BOoTSmbYE7KVzQHEEd0wGivOJEXhDYI2j%7Ctkp%3ABFBM8NLfn-9k

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

Yes, a pin vise is adequate for drilling but for grinding and filing a hand file or piece of sandpaper doesn’t quite have the capacity to reach a nook or cranny, even if you are using a riffler file.   Rotary tools and file or grinding burs have their place.

[Dubar]

I would use a Dremel and scalpel type blade to remove the big chunks and a pin vise and files to remove finer details and make holes.

[Brian Smaller]

Heck yes - it will do the job and then some.

Just make sure you have a good grip on the miniature. I lost control of one I was drilling once and it flung off my dremel drill bit at 20,000 rpm or whatever and embedded itself into the kitchen window frame - missed the glass by half an inch.

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

Gripping a fig probably is best achieved with a jeweler’s  screw clamp.  But you were working at too high a speed.  Even the most aggressive grinding should proceed at low rpm. certainly not drilling.  Slow and steady with lots of pullouts to remove shavings will save you a broken bit and your eye. High speeds are for polishing and burnishing.

[FramFramson]

Yes, I found it impossible to use my Dremel for miniatures without the benefit of a foot pedal. Luckily they're not expensive.