Dremel for kids?

Justin Passing

Justin Passing

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First to set the scene - I'm suddenly alone so need distraction, and a neighbour is a single parent home educating 3 boys. The mother is very bright but hasn't anyone to teach her kids the sort of thing her dad taught her. Sexist yes, but realistic, I think, to perceive a problem. Highlit in her case by marrying a bloke who would call someone in, to put a number on the front door.

She won't accept charidee so I'm going to have to "lend" things. I thought a dremel kit with the routing etc attachments would get the kids going, They're around 9-12 yrs old at the moment. Fiercely intelligent. (one's doing ancient greek gcse, to get a better ide when translating the sctiptures, natch).


I don't have a genuine Dremel, - what I was wondering, is if they would be too chunky for small hands???

I have a razor saw and mitre box , to do some balsa carpentry without too making too much mess. ANy other ideas?
 
dremel also comes with the attachment , that should be fine , i have 7yr old grand child who has used - only once

PPP would be a must - and also what is it you plan to do with the dremel

I purchased a kit off amazon when it was down from almost £200 to £125 great kit has various attachments etc

I also purchased at the same time on a deal , the vice and the router kit, drill stand and holder

this is the kit i got

and all these bits

Rotary Tool Attachment Accessories For Drill Dremel Grinder Cover : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Shop Rotary Tool Attachment Accessories For Drill Dremel Grinder Cover. Free delivery on eligible orders of £20 or more.
www.amazon.co.uk




Dremel 335 Plunge Router - Rotary Tool Attachment for Precision Routing, Cutting, Drilling, Trimming & Inlay Work : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Dremel 335 Plunge Router - Rotary Tool Attachment for Precision Routing, Cutting, Drilling, Trimming & Inlay Work : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
www.amazon.co.uk

Rotary Tool Accessories Kit, Longmate 544pcs Rotary Tool Bit Set 3.2mm Shank Universal Attachment for Easy Cutting, Grinding, Sanding, Sharpening, Carving, Polishing, Engraving for Wood, Glass, Metal : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Rotary Tool Accessories Kit, Longmate 544pcs Rotary Tool Bit Set 3.2mm Shank Universal Attachment for Easy Cutting, Grinding, Sanding, Sharpening, Carving, Polishing, Engraving for Wood, Glass, Metal : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
www.amazon.co.uk

 
I've let my youngest loose on a ye oldie band saw, he enjoyed using that he may have been 10 at the time, he enjoyed cutting out the letters of his name, otherwise he's done basic sawing, drilling (battery drill/drill press) and screwing, mainly making crude boxes/small planters out of scrap wood, that also requires some accurate(ish) measuring/marking out so good there too or at least the intent was. Got him into a bit of bicycle maintenance too as he's into riding, tube/tyre replacements etc, cleaning the chain, he's a dab hand at cleaning the parts of a derailleur in a tub of white spirit. Obviously all supervised. He can tighten up/adjust bits on his scooter/skate board, when he remembers, he's done it for a few of his friends too apparently, when he's been out and about.
 
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Fair play to you for your plan and fair play also to the mum for not just plopping them down with the 'putor.

I had my grandmonsterskids (7 & 9) banging in nails prior to laminating a floor just a couple of weeks ago and they loved it. Agree with all FMT's comments and would add gardening. helping wash your car as other possibles.

FWIW there are plenty of Dremel clones around at << price. Mine came from Lidl IIRC. Wouldn't want to use day in day out but for occassional use: perfick!
 
A mate that I was at school with did a lot of model aircraft building at the age of about 12. I don’t think his dad had much involvement. Balsa, scalpels and glue.
I’d say the 12 year old would be fine with minor supervision, using a Dremel. The 9 year old would need close supervision.

In another life I worked in a university art dept. It is scary how many 18 year olds have zero idea of how to join two bits of wood together. We had massive induction courses as we had full woodworking workshops that would kill the inattentive.
 
Justin Passing said:
First to set the scene - I'm suddenly alone so need distraction, and a neighbour is a single parent home educating 3 boys. The mother is very bright but hasn't anyone to teach her kids the sort of thing her dad taught her. Sexist yes, but realistic, I think, to perceive a problem. Highlit in her case by marrying a bloke who would call someone in, to put a number on the front door.

She won't accept charidee so I'm going to have to "lend" things. I thought a dremel kit with the routing etc attachments would get the kids going, They're around 9-12 yrs old at the moment. Fiercely intelligent. (one's doing ancient greek gcse, to get a better ide when translating the sctiptures, natch).


I don't have a genuine Dremel, - what I was wondering, is if they would be too chunky for small hands???

I have a razor saw and mitre box , to do some balsa carpentry without too making too much mess. ANy other ideas?
Click to expand...

A few years ago I worked for a lovely family. As a parting gift, I gave the kids a cool/hot melt glue gun and a Japanese saw. Mr customer already had a cordless drill. I figured that a pull saw was safer than a push saw.
 
check the basics first
make sure they are aware off general dangers off tools as they have had probably zero exposure so check the absolute basics first
 
ETAF said:
dremel also comes with the attachment , that should be fine , i have 7yr old grand child who has used - only once

PPP would be a must - and also what is it you plan to do with the dremel

I purchased a kit off amazon when it was down from almost £200 to £125 great kit has various attachments etc

I also purchased at the same time on a deal , the vice and the router kit, drill stand and holder

this is the kit i got

and all these bits

Rotary Tool Attachment Accessories For Drill Dremel Grinder Cover : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Shop Rotary Tool Attachment Accessories For Drill Dremel Grinder Cover. Free delivery on eligible orders of £20 or more.
www.amazon.co.uk




Dremel 335 Plunge Router - Rotary Tool Attachment for Precision Routing, Cutting, Drilling, Trimming & Inlay Work : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Dremel 335 Plunge Router - Rotary Tool Attachment for Precision Routing, Cutting, Drilling, Trimming & Inlay Work : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
www.amazon.co.uk

Rotary Tool Accessories Kit, Longmate 544pcs Rotary Tool Bit Set 3.2mm Shank Universal Attachment for Easy Cutting, Grinding, Sanding, Sharpening, Carving, Polishing, Engraving for Wood, Glass, Metal : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Rotary Tool Accessories Kit, Longmate 544pcs Rotary Tool Bit Set 3.2mm Shank Universal Attachment for Easy Cutting, Grinding, Sanding, Sharpening, Carving, Polishing, Engraving for Wood, Glass, Metal : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
www.amazon.co.uk

Click to expand...

Thats the Dremel kit and accessories I was looking at.
I know there are lots of cheapies - I have a couple I only ever used for making holes in PBC's. They're OK for THAT but not a lot else.
It's quite a good solution for me to own them and have them use them - then I have them available!. The mum doesn't have space either.

I saw this on ebay and bought it for them - it holds anything, has a mess collecting tray built in, rubber feet, decent nick and less ££ than most.
It can live in the garden shed! I have one somewhere, useful for all sorts of things. They want a plumbing demo sometime.

Good point about the PPE. LIke covid. Visor would be better than a mask but hard to store.
I got them these too:
1765330436364.jpeg
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1765330824990.jpeg


Those hex shank bits work in any screwdriver, fine for thin ply and plastic boxes.
Good point about the japanese saw, I found a small one.

I'm gonna have to find some "old" wood - mum wouldn't let me buy new!

Small plant pot holders, spice racks, can go into production. and things


I'm going to have to learn H & S. A little whie ago I was using a 8" circular saw to cut some shiplap. I had the saw running in one hand, upside down, guard restrained by my thumb. Then pushing the wood across with the other. Up a step ladder. A passer-by felt the urge to come and have a word.
 
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Visor would be better than a mask but hard to store.
Click to expand...
be carful with visor - i have a couple from screwfix and they are great - BUT i was doing some drilling and channelling with varios tools and the DUST blows UP the visor onto my face
I'm gonna have to find some "old" wood - mum wouldn't let me buy new!
Click to expand...
have a watch of some rag 'n' brown videos - he goes around hes town and collects loads of waste wood
 
Scroll saw may be safer than a band saw, and it works well for cutting styrofoam shapes etc

One of my favourite lessons from primary school D&T was one where we made bulldozers, diggers etc with balsa wood and a syringe as the hydraulic ram, water filled and powered by a short length of rubber tubing to another syringe in the operator's hand

In another lesson, making simple cars using battery packs, motors, hot melt glue and rubber bands driving the axles, turn them on and get them spinning and let them whizz across the playground to someone who would turn it round and send it back. So simple, no steering, yet immense fun
 
robinbanks said:
Scroll saw may be safer than a band saw, and it works well for cutting styrofoam shapes etc

One of my favourite lessons from primary school D&T was one where we made bulldozers, diggers etc with balsa wood and a syringe as the hydraulic ram, water filled and powered by a short length of rubber tubing to another syringe in the operator's hand

In another lesson, making simple cars using battery packs, motors, hot melt glue and rubber bands driving the axles, turn them on and get them spinning and let them whizz across the playground to someone who would turn it round and send it back. So simple, no steering, yet immense fun
Click to expand...

I purchased my stepfather an Axminster scroll saw years ago. He used it once. He now has a bandsaw and uses that often.
 
Same here, I have a band saw and a scroll saw, both bought for cheap/old off Marketplace, I've never actually used the scroll saw but used the band saw loads.
 
opps said:
I purchased my stepfather an Axminster scroll saw years ago. He used it once. He now has a bandsaw and uses that often.
Click to expand...
Not sure what point is being made here, but I specifically mention a scroll saw because you don't cut your fingers off if they come into contact with a running scroll saw blade

No way would I let any children, least of all my neighbour's children, anywhere near a bandsaw, but a scroll saw is very easy to master and orders of magnitude safer
 
Rather than a big bulky Dremel, how about the much smaller Parkside PFBSA4A1 from Lidl.
I have 2 of these, ideal for small detail stuff and works as well as the Big D.
They also do a 276 piece carousel of all the accessories/bits for them.
1765402822866.png
1765402891931.png
 
robinbanks said:
Not sure what point is being made here, but I specifically mention a scroll saw because you don't cut your fingers off if they come into contact with a running scroll saw blade

No way would I let any children, least of all my neighbour's children, anywhere near a bandsaw, but a scroll saw is very easy to master and orders of magnitude safer
Click to expand...
Scroll saws have pretty limited uses and are fiddly to use. Live a little.
 

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