Which slow speed drill should I buy?

[Richard]

I want to buy a lightweight variable speed drill for modelling purposes, particularly N-gauge. I want to be able to use a chuck to take drills up to about 3 mm and for it to be capable of slow speed, say about 100 rpm (or even less, I don’t know what would be suitable).

I expect it will be mains powered via a transformer but as long as the lead is light so that it doesn’t affect the handling of the drill I don’t mind.

I already have a rechargeable screw driver for which I bought a chuck with a 6mm hex shaft but this combination turned out to have too much play to get the drill to run centrally to my satisfaction. I also have a Dremel 300 which is a little heavy for what I want and also much too fast, even at its slowest speed (10000 rpm – good for melting plastic though).

So far the best one I’ve found is the Vari Speed Rotary Tool, HD0650, from Hobby’s but at £46.95 this is at the top end of what I really want to pay.

Comments on any suitable alternatives, or experience of the one above would be most welcome.

[BULLDOG]

Hi id recommend a minicraft drill ive had mine 22 years and still going strong nice and light and you hold it like a pen or can be mounted in a stand ive used mine for gauges o,oo,n over the years no trouble.

cheers

[Richard]

I looked at the minicraft drills but rejected them for some reason. I’m beginning to wish I hadn’t.

How does the minicraft drill perform at very low speeds?

The drill I was originally looking for was sold by Hobbycraft but they don’t stock it any more. I have since found one which looks identical made by Kaleas (formerly Bohler) which I think incorporates a gearbox so it still retains power at low speeds. It comes out at about £40 plus a suitable transformer, more than I wanted to play but I guess I’ll have to get my hand in my pocket if I find I still need one.

I eventually got a Rotacraft variable speed kit but it uses collets instead of the chuck which I originally wanted. At low speed it doesn’t have much power but I haven’t tried drilling holes with it yet.

[Tricky Dicky]

Minicraft have gone belly up suppliers like rapidelectronics are just getting rid of old stock, some things are getting hard to find such as the power supplies. I am in the market for a small hobbiest drill and I am considering the Proxxon range over the Dremel though they appear less powerful than the Dremel 4000 the attachments look much more robust and you can even get a small milling table to fit the drill stand have a look at http://proxxon-direct.com/

Richard