Suggestions for a modelling drill

[Belgian]

Hi, As in the title I'm looking for a good but affordable hobby drill to pin metal miniatures. Does somebody has bought such tools and which ones would you recommend? Thanks in advance as I have some metal miniatures in desperate need of pinning.

Kind regards!

[joroas]

I have the Games Workshop one, comfortable and goes through soft metal easily.

[Burnt65]

I use my multi speed Dremel
But it is not necessarily "affordable" but very versatile
Keith

[6milPhil]

I use a oin vice, and a ratchet pin vice. I did try my dremel but it wasn't as controllable as I'd have liked.

[Captain Blood]

I use my multi speed Dremel
But it is not necessarily "affordable" but very versatile
Keith

Me too.

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

I have a mains powered dremel and it is a bit heavy for fine work like drilling and pinning.

I have had a cordless Dremel which I used for many years and really liked.
I replaced it with a Dremel Stylus which I like even better but is no longer available.
The current 7300 Dremel Cordless is the nearest one.
http://www.dremel.com/en-us/tools/pages/ToolDetail.aspx?pid=7300
Mick

[Belgian]

Thanks for the swift replies but should have mentionned I need a non-powered one, a dremel sounds great but I only need it for a few miniatures as I actually prefer plastic miniatures  So we have the Gw version, has somebody tried the gale force nine one?

[joroas]

I have the one in the picture above, but the GW one has a nice padded top that fits nicely in the palm.

[Cubs]

Yeah, for comfort and ease of use, the GW drill is excellent. I would buy some alternative sized drill-bits though, since I find the one they provide is a little on the large side. I have about 3 or 4 different sizes that I tend to use all the time, which are the right size for the bits of wire I regularly use.

[snitcythedog]

This one might help. 
http://www.ottofrei.com/Swivel-Head-Pin-Vise-Economy-Model.html
Hope that is what you are looking for.
Snitchy sends.

[Silent Invader]

I used to use a hobby drill - in fact I have successfully overused two to the point of breaking them! - but for pinning I now use the same as Phil. I find that I have more control and less slippage.

I use a oin vice, and a ratchet pin vice. I did try my dremel but it wasn't as controllable as I'd have liked.

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I use the same hobby drill featured above - the chrome one. I find it perfect for hobby use.

See this one for details of where to buy - however I have seen it cheaper.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Army-Painter-Miniature-and-Model-Drill-Hobby-Essential-BNIB-/310651300523?pt=UK_Toys_Wargames_RL&hash=item485442aaab

Tony

[Mitch K]

I've got an archimedes-type drill, which is effective but hard work; a 14V cordless drill/driver which has a loads of power and a fantastic slow start but is a bit big and heavy; a corded dremel-type which run vastly too quickly (it melts metal, then jams and breaks drill bits) and a cordless dremel which generally gives good service. Between these four I usually manage to gnaw the holes I want, one way or another

[Verderer]

I got two hand drills, a generic one from a local hobby shop, and a Tamiya 'hand chuck' I got from a hobby show.

The smaller pin vise is good for pinning minis etc. The Tamiya one is more robust, and in fact it can be difficult to use accurately with one hand due to its size. But it's good for larger jobs where you have both hands free, and the chuck head comes off the handle, so you can insert standard screwdriver heads etc. in it to use by hand.

[SBRPearce]

A small pin vise, normally available at railroad shops, is very useful, especially for plastic models.

I've got a plug-in variable speed Dremel, and I've settled on a system that works well for me: I made a cradle from some scrap pine that allows me to clamp the body of the Dremel to my bench, and that leaves me both hands free to manipulate the model piece being drilled. I feel it minimizes my chances of either ruining the piece or plunging a madly spinning drill bit into my thumb.