Professional Rotary Tool IBS/E, 38481

After tiring of duct taping the speed control and the front piece of my Dremel so they would stay in place and after reading several reviews on Amazon, I bought this little gem. As several other reviewers have noted, this tool is far better made than a Dremel (metal front piece and gear box, far better speed control design and construction, much sturdier plastic portion of the tool) and is far quieter. In spite of the wide quality gap, the price of this German-made unit is surprisingly similar to the Dremel. The Proxxon attachments are very good quality - I have purchased mostly the grinders and the metal cutting wheels - but the Dremel and other standard size attachments fit fine since the Proxxon comes standard with a set of collets that allow it to adapt to several spindle sizes. A couple caveats - DO NOT BUY THE KEYLESS CHUCK made by Proxxon if you buy this unit. Several people have because it is listed by Amazon as frequently purchased with this unit - but it DOES NOT FIT this model! (you can guess how I found out!) The other is to wear safety goggles - debris does fly off when cutting and grinding and the cutting wheels (multiple brands, not just Proxxon) can suddenly fly off the spindle, particularly if they bind a little, taking off like tiny little frisbees. Most of the time the screw just pulls through, but once in awhile it gets a little exciting (I have been cutting and shaping a lot of metal with this - it works terrifically!) Also, it is a little difficult to search for the Proxxon attachments on Amazon for some reason, but you can eventually find most of them by looking at the list of "frequently purchased with" items once you locate a few. There is quite a selection. Anyhow, I would recommend this product without hesitation and am thrilled with the purchase. I love using this little unit and have already logged a few hundred hours on it.

The positive reviews here are accurate. This tool is quiet and vibration-free through its entire speed range. It is light and comfortable to hold, and the selected speed stays constant when the tool is under load. The power cord's length is generous, but not so much so that it is cumbersome. The collets are finely crafted, and do not need excessive tightening to hold bits firmly. In fact, for work that hasn't required a lot of torque, finger tightening the collets has worked just fine. The included collet wrench is comfortable to use, and has a slit in it through which one can pass the shank of a bit with a large head. While doing my purchase research, I fretted about the problems others have had with the keyless chuck that it turns out is not made for this model. Not having the infinitely variable jaws of a chuck has not been an issue for me. The collets supplied cover six of the most common shank sizes and have met all my needs. The case is reasonably sized and is roomy inside without being cavernous. The blocks that hold the collets and accessories snap firmly into their receptacles. When the tool arrived, these blocks were loose inside the case. I had to press them in quite firmly to make them snap into place which suggests to me that either those who have had problems have not pressed firmly enough or I got lucky and received a case and blocks with tight tolerances. I measured for run out using the pre-installed 3/32" collet and one of the included bits. At the place where the shank entered the collet the reading was 0.000. That goes a long way toward explaining the absence of noise and vibration. This has been a fine purchase, and has been well worth the slightly higher purchase price versus the Dremel 4000, which I also considered. I am happy.

I bought the Proxxon Professional Rotary Tool in April 2012 as a replacement for a Dremel. Everything about this product screams quality: The packaging and case; the housing; the controls. The grinder motor was incredibly smooth and very quiet. Much more quiet than the Dremel grinder. I used the Proxxon to cut thin mild steel sheet to make forms, polish aluminum, perform porting work on iron cylinders and aluminum engine cases in vintage scooters, cut plastic, etc. The grinder was typically used once or twice per week since April 2012. Today I plugged it in and turned it on, but got nothing. I checked to make sure the electrical cord was in good condition and such. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, I plugged it back into the outlet and attempted to turn it on again. This time the motor began to turn slowly while white smoke came from the back of the housing. Very disappointing to have a tool listed as "Professional" completely fail after less than a year of use. The limited warranty is for 2 years so I am returning it to Proxxon USA for repair. Based on my experience wit this tool, I would not recommend this tool. UPDATE***** Feb 2015 I received the repaired Proxxon rotary grinder from Proxxon USA. Repair took about 3 weeks, including shipping to and from. I would rate this as a very quick turnaround time. I could tell that it was my original tool and not a replacement, which means they actually put their hands on it. And they did a great job. I've been using it about three times a week since, usually grinding/cutting metal. So I am very happy. It is still quiet and very powerful with no other problems. Fantastic no-nonsense support.

Esto es de lo mejor que ha pasado por mis manos, no demerito el valor y capacidad de los dremel peor ete modelo sobre pasa por mucho todos los modelos similares de dremel, lo recomiendo ampliamente.

I've used several rotary tools in the past, with most being cheap hardware store brands. While this one is a fair bit more expensive, it's also much higher quality than what I'm used to. Unfortunately I haven't had any exposure to the better Dremel models, so can't really compare, but I chose to buy a Proxxon when I used one and discovered how quiet and precise it was compared to the cheap tools. Even at full speed this model is much quieter than the lowest setting of the cheaper tools I've used. My use is in hobby electronics, so mainly using the alumina abrasive cutting wheels and occasionally the milling bits. So far I've found that I break far fewer of even the thinnest cutting wheels when using this tool, as the spindle is much more accurate and less wobbly. Also, this tool is even capable of reliably drilling with solid carbide PCB drills (if held with the drill-press stand, or a very, very steady hand) which is definitely not something I could say of my previous rotary tools! Overall, a dream to use compared to most cheap tools, and easier on the ears (if not the wallet) as well.

Muy buena calidad de acábados y función excelente

I use rotary tools as part of my business; I'm a professional leatherworker and burnish edges of my products using a custom made cocobolo attachment. I have broken 3 dremels and one mastercraft rotary tool before finally getting the Proxxon 38481. Every Dremel I bought burnt out after about 20hrs of use.. so far the Proxxon has been amazing. The Proxxon makes sense: Dremel and Mastercraft rotary tools spin clockwise, so I would have debris fly into my face as I worked. The Proxxon spins counter-clockwise so debris flies away from you. The Proxxon is quiet: Compared to the Mastercraft and Dremel rotary tools, this thing is almost whisper quiet. The Proxxon is well built: I can get up to 20,000 RPMs on this thing and it won't shake or whine like the Dremel or Mastercraft tools. I would almost get carpal tunnel syndrome with how badly the dremel would shake at 14-15k RPM. The proxxon just whirrs and never complains. It's a mistake to think this is a hobby tool, it's much more robust and well worth the price. I often call it a 'dremel' but have to correct myself as I think it's an insult to such a great tool.

I've only had this tool for a few days so far, so I cannot comment of longevity, but love this tool. Could have went for the Dremel, (or other brand which sell for as cheap as $30) but a previous Dremel died on me in less than a year, so I went for this. First thing, when you turn it on, you'll notice is that it doesn't have that high pitch scream sound that other rotary tools have. More of a tolerable hum. Has a dial for adjust the RMP's up to 20K. Seems to be solid and well built. The case that it comes with could be a little more form fitting for the tool, but other than that, I'm very happy with this tool so far.