HAAAA, nothing like a dremel-type tool in the hands of a novice gunsmith. As they say, you can cut it off, but you can't cut it on....

 

I take the no Dremel on the work bench rule as serrious as I take the no live ammo on the work bench rule.

I know a very good pistol smith his comment was " I have been working on 1911's for 30 years. If I can wreck stuff with a Dremel just think what you could do"

 

Rotary tools DO have a place on the gunsmith's bench, but the trick is knowing HOW to use it, WHAT to use it for, and the TYPE of tool heads that are used for various purposes.
In my case the tool was a Foredom flex shaft.

When I was in business I avidly read the gun magazines for gunsmithing articles.
That way I knew what repairs I'd be seeing over the next month or so.
Among my favorites were "How to use a hammer handle to re-barrel a revolver" and "How to improve your pistols trigger pull".

 

The only time I have used a Dremel is to grind down a spur hammer to eliminate hammer bite.

Never use a Dremel on anything hard to replace.

 

Who wrote the article?

 

Stanton L. Wormley Jr.

 

All it means is that we need to watch gunbroker etc and profit on the wrecks that will be out there shortly, just saying :biglaugh:

 

If only I had a dollar for every time I've racked the slide on a used 1911 at gun or pawnshop counters only to see where some drunken bubba violated the feed ramp with a dremel. It makes me sick when its an older Colt.

 

The "Bubba's" of the world don't read or understand the information presented in this forum, much less the articles in the "American Rifleman".
Unfortunately there remain a number of folks that believe their incomplete knowledge of a 1911 or any other firearm qualifies them to pickup hand tools including Dremels and "improve" things.

 

With a Dremel I can screw up a part in 30 seconds...with files and stones, it takes a couple of hours:rofl:

NRA Life
US Army, retired

 

Dremmel's are our friend-if we can make money fixing it.I just don't understand this,a Dremmel is a cheapass Foredome many Smiths use,what part is so hard to learn to use it?I'm a 30 year Master paint and body tech but I figured this crap out years ago without bondo!

 

The latest American Rifleman magazine has an article on things to do to improve the reliability of the 1911.

The use of a dremel is mentioned a few times....

......A quick read and a fired up dremel should result in a boon to the professional gunsmith's business......

I was thinking the same exact thing!


I polished the feed ramp on the frame of my Stainless II with some 800 grit on a dowel, like the article said. Wouldn't dream of doing any sort of machining on it without a jig or a guide of some type. I'm just not that good at free handing anything, especially with a highspeed tool like a dremel.

I used to work on aircraft, and I swear I could elongate a 5/16 bolt hole through a sheet of aluminum with a highspeed drill.

 

With the FTFs I've had, I would think that throating the barrel would solve my issues. Too bad I don't have the testicular fortitude to use a dremel.

 

This makes me laugh, a dremil is a dangerous tool, when I was building my .22 1911 I used a dremel a few times, I also had to buy some parts mort than once because I ruined them. Yes I am a novice too, imagin that huh. I did eventually get it right on all the parts but was costly when you don't know what you are doign and you learn by trial and error....

 

While I admit to the callous sin of owning a Dremel, I have only used it on a 1911 once, with a Felt bullet-point and a small dab of Flitz to smooth a breechface a little. Main use I have for it is with Nylon wirewheels to clean old varnish/stain off of pistol and Rifle Stocks with Checkering. Works great for that.

 

I read the article and the Author Stanton Wormley does state "A Dremel tool can be used to carefully throat a barrel" to be fair he also states " If you lack confidence in your own skills leave this to a Gunsmith lest you ruin these expensive components"
Good article with technical details and in no way infers Bubba should sit down at the table and tear into his 1911. Now that being said with the amount of "I want to build a 1911" threads I read anything is possible.

 

A dremel is your friend if you use it to polish with the little felt tips and some compound. But once you break out a grinding stone, cut-wheel, or a high speed cutter, that's when the trouble starts.
But I also don't see the point in trying to chastise anyone for messing up their gun...one of the very best lessons to learn, quite honestly, in what not to do. And I guarantee you that any gunsmith on this board screwed up some guns suing the wrong tool when they were learning, too.

 

But I also don't see the point in trying to chastise anyone for messing up their gun...one of the very best lessons to learn, quite honestly, in what not to do. And I guarantee you that any gunsmith on this board screwed up some guns suing the wrong tool when they were learning, too.

The issue is that Bubba slicks up the gun which proves to be unsafe. Then in the (Hopefully) absence of injured bystanders ... he trades the gun off at a gun show or to a equally dimwitted friend and the cycle repeats until the gun is repaired or makes it to a quality smith to be restored to safe condition. That interim time between initial Bubbization and repair is a scary place.
Joe

 

Great article, it should really boost frame sales.

 

Turbo or Blower boost on the Dremel?

salty

EDIT: Truth to tell, I have one and like it, like other stuff, is a handy tool. Not quite as risky as using a circular saw while standing on a ladder.

sd.