It died, but it gave me a loooong time of good use!

Lisi · #1 2012-04-28, 5:45pm

Wow...after 8 years of at least twice weekly use and cleaning hundreds of beads (per week!), my cordless Dremel died. It's been dying for months, but today this was it! It quit for good when I had about 8 beads left to clean. I can't do bead cleaning without it, so I ordered another right away! I really can't believe that a rechargeable power tool can live that long and with that much use. Those rechargeable batteries always start pooping out by not taking a full charge after a while. I've never really been too fond of cordless power tools, so my Dremel surprised me. Likely it's the motor with mine, and just to replace the battery for that price, I'm better off with the new one. Yay! I'm glad I was able to afford to get it now, because by Monday afternoon, I will have about 300 beads to clean!!

I had one of those wire cleaners with the wooden handle, which was for the 1/16" holes, but that isn't going to be enough. I must have the Dremel for my BeaDreamer bit to get those holes on the transparent beads sparking clean. I got the MiniMite this time, and it's about half the price of the one I had before, which was the MultiPro. The MiniMite has 4.8V instead of 7.2V, but that's okay, I only use the low setting anyway.

I'm already wondering how many years of use I'll be getting out of the new one! lol!

spixton · #2 2012-04-28, 10:29pm

I'm glad, but surprised to hear it. I mean glad it worked so well for you. I've had two and both were bunk! Battery gave out well inside a year.

Maybe I should try again.

bluhealer · #3 2012-04-28, 11:30pm

You can't clean that many by hand, you'd be as long cleaning as making them....

Lisi · #4 2012-04-29, 5:13am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluhealer

You can't clean that many by hand, you'd be as long cleaning as making them....

Ha! You know exactly what I mean! You also make a LOT of small-medium beads each week, so you know how much fun cleaning is!

Oh, I must make a correction before I forget! I was tired when I wrote this last night, and my first line says "hundreds of beads". That was "per week", so it's thousands upon thousands of beads! lol!

Lisi · #5 2012-04-29, 5:27am

Quote:

Originally Posted by spixton

I'm glad, but surprised to hear it. I mean glad it worked so well for you. I've had two and both were bunk! Battery gave out well inside a year.

Maybe I should try again.

I think my trick to it lasting so long is to fully discharge the battery before placing on the charger again. Leaving it on the charger for a full charge is best too. When I was in a hurry to get beads done and didn't want to wait, I would charge for a couple of hours because I knew it would poop out if I didn't. But I seldom did that, and I believe that what kept it working for so long.

The behavior has been faster..slower..faster...for about three months on what should have been a full charge. Drove me nuts sometimes, because I had a huge amount of beads to clean. A month ago I had it standing up on a shelf near my kitchen back door and hadn't touched it in a few days, and while I was doing dishes, it turned on by itself, and on the high setting! Freaky! Unless that was a ghost! The button had not been moved. I'm deaf so I didn't hear it, but my husband did and he came in the kitchen to see what the noise was! lol!!

loribeads · #6 2012-04-29, 12:14pm

I think you will find that the MiniMite's smaller battery won't last as long as the MultiPro - meaning it won't last for as many charges. I have had both and the MiniMite battery lasts for about 12-18 months worth of charges. I keep buying them because they are pretty comfortable to use.

Lisi · #7 2012-04-29, 2:16pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by loribeads

I think you will find that the MiniMite's smaller battery won't last as long as the MultiPro - meaning it won't last for as many charges. I have had both and the MiniMite battery lasts for about 12-18 months worth of charges. I keep buying them because they are pretty comfortable to use.

Okay, then since the MiniMite has a little over half the battery capacity of the MultiPro, I'll expect it to last about half as long. So that's about 4 years!

Like I said, with any rechargeable battery, be sure to power it all the way down before putting back on the charger. When you do, then be sure to power it all the way up. If it doesn't give you years of service after proper use and charging and, then it might be a lemon. Could be a defective battery, the charger itself, or the Dremel motor.

bbisker · #8 2012-04-29, 2:19pm

After taking a class with Kristina Logan, I started cleaning my beads with silicone carbide grit. After you take the bead off the mandrel you just dip the damp end into the grit and run it back and forth in the bead. Works like a charm and cleans your mandrel as well. I don't remember off hand what size grit I use, but I'll look it up if anyone is interested. I just bought it on eBay and transferred some of it into a spice jar and you are ready to go.

bluhealer · #9 2012-04-29, 9:27pm

We have the foot pedal and the extension for a conventional dremel. Hubby has rigged it up to hang from a hook over the cleaning tub, so I'm not fighting with it when I'm cleaning.

loribeads · #10 2012-04-30, 10:33am

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbisker

After taking a class with Kristina Logan, I started cleaning my beads with silicone carbide grit. After you take the bead off the mandrel you just dip the damp end into the grit and run it back and forth in the bead. Works like a charm and cleans your mandrel as well. I don't remember off hand what size grit I use, but I'll look it up if anyone is interested. I just bought it on eBay and transferred some of it into a spice jar and you are ready to go.

I would be very interested!

myrdlebp · #11 2012-04-30, 8:17pm

Quote:

It died, but it gave me a loooong time of good use!

That thread title is cracking me up!

Okay, I'll go back to my room!

houptdavid · #12 2012-04-30, 8:32pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by myrdlebp

That thread title is cracking me up!

Okay, I'll go back to my room!

I didn't say it so you can refrain yourself too!

Lisi · #13 2012-04-30, 8:57pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by myrdlebp

That thread title is cracking me up!

Okay, I'll go back to my room!

That was fully my intention!

My mom and I were known as the queens of dry humour, and just to screw with people, it was fun to talk in riddles.

glasshouse · #14 2012-04-30, 9:59pm

It's a double entendre. A riddle is more like a puzzle.

Lisi · #15 2012-04-30, 11:08pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by glasshouse

It's a double entendre. A riddle is more like a puzzle.

Your reply had me a little befuddled for a moment, because I didn't mean for it to be "sexual" at all! I had posted on FB about the Dremel dying and many of my FB friends are members on here, so by reading the title, they could guess what I was talking about. Therefore, it's "talking in riddles" in this case. lol!

Back to what this thread is supposed to be about - the cordless Dremel is a reliable and long lasting tool if taken care of properly. I would recommend this brand to everyone who doesn't like to clean beads by hand.

bbisker · #16 2012-05-01, 1:59pm

The silicone carbide grit I used is 220.

glasshouse · #17 2012-05-01, 10:01pm

Right.... I think Gayle may have been cracking up for a different reason than you thought

My cordless Dremel died after 11 months. I will never buy another one. Maybe they changed factories or the source of their components after they made yours. A lot could change in 8 years.

I went back to using my corded foredom flexshaft. It is probably 20 years old so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it either, lol!

Lisi · #18 2012-05-01, 11:46pm

The new one does have a 2 year warranty, and I made sure I saved the receipt, but I'm not going to be too hopeful that it will last more than that. I'm glad they are only $20 to replace.