Dremel 3000 slow speed problems from new

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

I recently had the need for a rotary tool. Wanting what I hoped was a better quality tool than the no-name Far Eastern imports I opted for a Dremel 3000 kit with a small number of accessories.

Turning the tool on and setting the speed selector to position 1 was rather disappointing. All it did was buzz and vibrate as if it was trying to rotate. Moving the switch to positions 2 and 3 was a little more successful, there was some rotation but with zero torque. The lightest finger pressure on the chuck would stall it. Only once the selector was turned to position 4 did the tool actually become functional and rotate as intended.

Assuming that I had purchased a dud, I returned to the store the next day for a replacement. Rather than risk a return visit I asked the assistant if we could test it before leaving. To our surprise the first two we unpacked had the same problem. After the manager came over if was decided to test their entire stock. By the time I left with a refund they had unpacked and tested 7 all of which were faulty.

Still needing a rotary tool I could only assume that the store had somehow received a faulty batch, so the next day I went somewhere completely different, this time to a local branch of a national chain of hardware stores. Unfortunately they only carried a larger kit, which at nearly twice the price included the same 3000 tool but with a few extra sanding discs as well as a hard plastic case, none of which I needed, but I purchased it any way. Imagine my shock when turning it on home to discover that it suffers from the exact same problem that the others did. It has now been returned for a refund and I have ordered a Proxxon FBS. Unfortunately the Proxxon had to be ordered online as they are not stocked locally so I will have to wait a few days to see if it is the better quality tool I am hoping for.

Given the number of faulty Dremel 3000 tools I tried from two different suppliers (so unlikely the same batch), this would seem to be an inherent design flaw, if so I would expect to find dozens of complaints all over the net, but a Google search only turned up one complaint from September 2014 which described the exact same symptoms that my tool(s) suffered from.

I am disappointed, I had expected more from a US company now owned by Bosch and manufactured in Mexico. This will be the last Dremel product I buy.
Clive

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Very strange. I used my Dremel 3000 to help my stepson remove a sheared bolt a few days ago without any problems.

I've just gone and plugged it in, and on the first setting it rotated fine, but I could keep it stalled with my fingers. On the second setting i couldn't stop it with my fingertips and nearly got a friction burn on my fingers.

It may be there's a batch come through with a consistent fault. Why don't you contact Dremel direct and see what they have to say?

Neil

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Thanks Neil,
I should have thought of that myself. I have now contacted Dremel, I will update this thread when I get a reply.

Clive

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Unfortunately contacting Dremel did not go so well.

In my last post when I mentioned that I had contacted Dremel I was being a little premature, I had their web site with the contact form open in another window but had not yet pressed send.

After spending 15 minutes documenting everything that had happened (it serves me right for being pedantic), I pressed the submit button and was greeted with the following message: "Dremel Contact Us is temporarily unavailable".

Needless to say I was not thrilled especially when I found that the form was blank after pressing the back button so I had to retype everything from scratch again. This time, after copy and pasting it to a temporary document, I tried again, but gave up after three unsuccessful attempts. Right now Dremel is not my favourite company, I may or may not call their phone support in the morning.

Clive

 

Edited By clivel on 16/03/2017 00:04:18

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

The torque problem appears to have been known for a while:

**LINK**

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/dremel-torque-118383/

MichaelG.

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Thanks Michael,
That does seems similar to the problem I was having, except in my case there was zero torque, just the lightest touch with a finger would stall it.

Anyway I did get a reply from Dremel, this is what they wrote:

Thank you for taking the time to contact Dremel. with a new tool there is a break in period. It is recommended to run the tool under no load at full speed for approximately 15-20 minutes to "seat" the motor (carbon) brushes. As the tool runs the brushes settle, the resistance in the brushes goes down which will activate the speeds in the low setting in the course of time. Without doing this procedure you can experience the tool not starting at the first detent in the speed control.

One would think that if this is a known problem they would at the very least publish this information prominently. It would allow the customer the choice as to whether they wish to undergo the running-in procedure before purchasing the tool, and it could have prevented the time wasting and frustration I experienced, and I am sure that I am not alone.

As to the practicality of baby-sitting a screaming Dremel tool at full speed for 15 to 20 minutes, I imagine that is a not too pleasant task reserved for when one is alone at home.

Clive

 

Edited By clivel on 17/03/2017 21:30:33

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by clivel on 17/03/2017 21:29:59:

As to the practicality of baby-sitting a screaming Dremel tool at full speed for 15 to 20 minutes, I imagine that is a not too pleasant task reserved for when one is alone at home.

Clive

.

… I suspect that after the first couple of minutes, you would be alone !!

MichaelG.

[Steven VineParticipant @stevenvine79904]

Indeed there is mention of a run in period, on page 13 of the Owners manual:-

 

CARBON BRUSHES
The brushes and commutator in your tool have
been engineered for many hours of
dependable service.
In order to prepare your brushes for use, run
your tool at full speed for 5 minutes under no
load. This will properly “seat” your brushes,
which extends the life of both your brushes
and your tool.
To maintain peak efficiency of the motor, we
recommend every 40 – 50 hours the brush es
be examined. Only genuine Dremel replace -ment brushes specially designed for your tool
should be used.

 

I would have thought that If Dremel were getting a lot of unnecessary returns due to this brush problem, then they would have made the notification more prominent, instead of being buried on the 13th page? Perhaps the company is unaware that there is a problem and it is taking some time to filter back to them? Strange.

edit Or maybe there is a batch of commutators and brushes that are very badly matched in the radius.

Steve

 

Edited By Steven Vine on 17/03/2017 22:22:37

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Don't they usually prominently state "Read the instructions fully, before operating the device"?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> I would have thought that If Dremel were getting a lot of unnecessary returns due to this brush problem, then they would have made the notification more prominent, instead of being buried on the 13th page? Perhaps the company is unaware that there is a problem and it is taking some time to filter back to them? Strange.

It probably varies with batches of brushes, I've never had a problem with my 3000. It isn't very noisy either, so perhaps the noise is the brushes bedding in – bear in mind they are gearless.

It is interesting that several dozen Dremels are probably in the skip now because no-one RTFM….

Neil

[Gordon TarlingParticipant @gordontarling37126]

By all means give the break-in a try, but I very much doubt it'll have anything more than a very small effect. If what they say is true, why have I never had a problem with a new Dremel? I've used lots of other brushed DC motors and, while it is recommended, break-in has rarely had any noticeable effect on performance.

[clivelParticipant @clivel]

Posted by not done it yet on 18/03/2017 08:03:05:

Don't they usually prominently state "Read the instructions fully, before operating the device"?

Actually I did read the instructions, I enjoy reading instructions when I get a new tool or electronic device.

The section that Steve found on page 13 is under the "Maintenance Information" heading, which doesn't really suggest that this procedure is necessary for a new tool. Nor does the statement that running it in will "properly seat your brushes, which extends the life of both your brushes and your tool" give any indication that this is necessary for the tool to function properly on the lower speed ranges.
Besides which the information I received from Dremel was pretty specific about running it in for 15 to 20 minutes rather than the 5 minutes as suggested in the manual.

After receiving the information from Dremel I went back to the first store to pick up my original unit. I ran it on full speed for about 10 minutes (and yes it gets very very loud after a few minutes).
Result: Speed settings 2 and 3 which were essentially non-functional before now operate as expected.
Setting 1 which previously just vibrated rather than rotate is now completely dead. I can live with that, so I am keeping the unit. If feeling strong I may just try running it in for a further 10 minutes to see if I can get setting 1 working as well.

Clive

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Sounds like very poor quality control. You'll be much better off with the Proxxon when it arrives. They are much better made.

Russell

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Much better with Proxxon, but where are they made?

Were the better Dremels made before the Robert Bosch takeover?

[Steven VineParticipant @stevenvine79904]

I use the reasonably priced Black and Decker RT650. I use it a lot, it does me proud, and I am very pleased with it.
Like Neil says, they are handy for sheared bolts in awkward places on cars.

I did have a Clarke, but that only lasted 2 hours tops!

Steve

Edited By Steven Vine on 18/03/2017 16:34:48

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by KWIL on 18/03/2017 16:19:49:

Much better with Proxxon, but where are they made?

 

Marked Made in EU.  Company address in Luxembourg but that's probably just for tax purposes!

Russell

Edited By Russell Eberhardt on 19/03/2017 10:31:56

[Allan BParticipant @allanb]

I had a clarke one too, and as said the speed controller didn’t last long at all, but the cheep ones from aldi last for about a year of almost daily use, and for the price they are disposable, then just get a new one.

Allan

[matt merchantParticipant @mattmerchant42413]

ive not had the torque issues listed here but I did have a 6 month old 3000 just stop dead while merrily butchering some 9mm MDF, no burning smell no slow down just stopped dead, a fuse change thought I! nope still dead, so another one purchased as no sign of where I thought id left the receipt (thanks to tidying wifey ). not used it yet but my issue which has been reported by others on t'interweb along with yours does suggest quality of component issues

[PeroParticipant @pero]

I recently purchased two Dremel Multipro 395 models (possibly run-out stock as I am fairly sure this model is no longer available in Australia) from a seller on Aliexpress. Both have excellent torque on start-up, straight out of the packet.

Possibly of more relevance to this discussion, from the same seller I purchased some spare brushes. As they are in unmarked bags I can't guarantee they are genuine Dremel, but these brushes are plain ended i.e.flat – no ground-in shape at all. If this is the way machines are currently being supplied it would explain why a run-in period is necessary.

Incidentally, I am still using my original Dremel (grey coloured case and bronze bearings) purchased over thirty years ago. It has no speed control and makes lots of noise (always has done) but still cuts its way through all sorts of materials, including stainless steel when treated kindly.

Pero

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

I had a Dremel 3000, it was junk. It's main problem to me was the shaft for the collets was a long way out of running true. They replaced it 3 times, so got them to replace with Dremel 4000 and paid the difference for the upgrade.

Never did get to properly try it, as any too I put into it , wobbled so much, it was not good enough to use. I checked the taper on the inside of the spindle, it was out of concentricity by 0.5mm nearly at the end of the range of my finger clock. That was the 3rd tool I looked at and wish that I had looked at the others with a dti on the spindle inner shape. Yeah I could have set up and recut the collet seat shape, but when buying new you expect it to be OK. My old dremel from 1987 has less than 0.03mm total and that includes the slop of the old bearing.

Neil

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Has anyone with a defective Dremel contacted the Bosch support centre about their problems? I have had a Dremel 300 for some years now. It gets a fair bit of use and abuse and has gone wrong a few times.

However, each time that I have contacted Bosch about it, they have collected the device from home, free of charge, repaired it free of charge and returned it, free of charge. The device is long out of warranty, something of which they have been well aware, yet they have never even suggested that there would a charge for the work.

Yes, they do go wrong, but in my experience, the back-up service justifies the cost of the device.

I had a similar experience from Bosch with another of their tools, an un-branded drill which turned out to one of their products; replaced entirely due to a flat battery, even though I had no proof of purchase and it was quite old.

Regards,

James.

[TobyParticipant @toby]

Posted by Neil Lickfold on 26/03/2017 07:18:03:

I had a Dremel 3000, it was junk.

……

my experience as well

mine was replaced (when it stopped working) with a Proxxon which is in a decent league. Quiet, smooth and (so far) reliable……

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Is it possible that some which stop working need new brushes?

Neil

[TobyParticipant @toby]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 26/03/2017 10:34:09:

Is it possible that some which stop working need new brushes?

Neil

Quite likely but I don't think mine did. I can't remember the details but I do know what when I took it apart the whole thing looked so cheaply made (and didn't run well from new anyway) that I wasn't much interested in fixing it.

I am hoping the more expensive dremels are still of decent quality but I am afraid the 3000 spoiled the brand for me.

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