- 3 Comments
- HOTNESS UNHOT
Lowes has the Dremel 6800-01 2 Amp Trio Rotary Tool Kit for $50 with free in-store pickup or $6 shipping to home. Features a 90-degree pivoting handle, on-board dust extraction, and 10,000 - 20,000 RPM. Also includes a circle / straight edge guide (TR800), 3/4" sanding mandrel, multi purpose cutting bit and carry case.
$50
Of little use due to mfgr election to use 3/16 diameter bits rather than standard sizes of 1/8 and lower. Perhaps someone will sell a reduction sleeve to enable use of standard 1/8 bits here.
UPDATE: Reduction sleeves for Trio 3/16 collets to standard 1/8 mini-tool shaft.
I have seen none under 'normal' sleeve rates of around $8 - if any are found they have been extremely expensive machine items costing far more than the Trio. Now, however, I see one seller at a slightly more reasonable $20:
http://www.sella.co.nz/general/business-farming-industry/industrial/manufacturing-metalwork/metalwork/w1qdsq/
but they claim the price is subject to best offers. I suggest that $8.00 is a reasonable best offer if shipping is included.
^ New Zealand doesn't subsidize postage like China does (AFAIK), it'll probably cost half that to ship it to the US... at least a few years back I vaguely recall the rate for shipping a minimal sized package with a CPU in it to NZ was $5.something. Maybe a small padded envelope is a little cheaper.
I'd imagine that you could use 1/8" bits if you just take a piece of sheet metal and cut it to length with a couple slits so it's a shim/sleeve that takes up the extra 1/16" inside the Trio's collet. Maybe a piece off a soda or coffee can would work, or a piece of fin off a heatsink or car radiator or A/C coils, etc.
Another alternative might be to get a spare cheap collate, flux and fill it with solder then drill out a 1/8" hole then take a utility knife to redo the side slits. Seems more complicated than it would be to actually do it, I just don't know if the solder would flex enough, but it wouldn't need to flex much if your hole is precise. Probably best to use lead or even low temperature lead + copper (still some tin in it too) based solder since it's softer than most.
Regardless, I agree it's a dubious choice Dremel made to go with 3/16".