Hello all,
I have no experience at Smithing at all but would like to learn. When working on different interior parts like in smoothing out your trigger pull I have heard that a lot of you use a dremel tool. Be assured I'm not going to just jump in and start to grind on things for the hell of it. I'm going to take a class, but I would like to know what type of Dremel tool (Motor Unit) I need. And what assorted bits & type of bits to purchase. Any help would be and will be greatly appreciated I assure you. If your answer is long just send me a message. Thanks Again!,

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Dennis in Idaho

Wow...

Dont bother with a dremel... get a couple varieties of Arkansas stones for working on internals. Polishing with a dremel or any other rotary tool is asking for more trouble if one is not already very experienced with both how gun parts function in relation to one another and using such power tools on small metal bits with tight tolerances.

What the Cpt said.
While a Dremel is a marvelously useful tool for many tasks, grinding on the lockwork of a S&W is not among them.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

PUT THE DREMEL DOWN AND STEP AWAY FROM THE REVOLVER!

Trigger jobs seldom ever need anything beyond a few small stones, I recommend Jerry Miculek's trigger job dvd, he does a good job of explaining the relationship of the internal parts, what to stone, and what to avoid.

A few passes with 800 - 1000 grit wet/dry paper will do enough to a metal surface. The paper allows more flexibility on parts a stone cannot reach. Stones work well but without experience you can overdo very easily.

I've been working on guns, handguns in particuler, since the mid 1970s. A Dremel tool works fine for removing the serrations from triggers; it should never be used inside of the frame of a quality revolver.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

You'll get lots of different opinions here about what to use for a proper trigger job, but you'll get near unanimous agreement about what not to use, and a dremel is it. I'm not even aware of any pro gunsmiths who'll use a dremel for an action job save for rare, very specific purposes.

I'm a fan of fine emery cloth as a starter (and only if needed), 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper for general polish and hard to reach areas, and fine white ceramic stones for general and final polishing.

Always start with the gentlest abrasive first and see if that will do the job; move up to more aggressive ones only as necessary, and finish with the mildest ones again.

Detailing the lockwork is really a matter of less is more.

I always use hard Arkansas Stones to smooth up the rough spots
some, then follow Jerry Miculek's advice, "If you had a buffing wheel
you could buff out all of these parts, it ain't going to hurt them none."

To do that I use my Dremel Tool and felt wheel with some Flitz
for a light, finishing, polish of the areas I used the stone(s) on.

For the record, I have never used any other Dremel attachment on
the "internals." Just the small felt buffing wheels, and those only lightly.

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Ogy

Kinda reminds me of using 60 grit with a light touch to touch up that surface job rather than stop and walk back for a piece of 600 grit

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Forum consigliere

Just in case someone is confused on what felt is, here is
what I was referring to when I used the term, "felt wheel.".

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Ogy

Dremel tools also work great to polish a feed ramp (using a felt tip with rouge) on an auto.

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Dick

GOOD info above, no need for "power hand tools" for any action work, we ONLY use it to prep before refinishing "some" firearms (mainly cylinder flute work.....) you could use one to grind off ( out) the serrations of a triggers surface for a "double action" trigger (smooth) but thats about it......or as noted "maybe" for throat work on a semi autos feed ramp, but even then we';ve seen far too many "butcher jobs"........careful, "think"

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dan
NRA Benefactor,PMA

Remember, power tools operate under "POWER"! Power is great... But, it and finesse are mutually exclusive!

Have used a Dremel cutoff tool to bob a hammer on a M36 once, and like others, used a series of Dremel round stone tips to get rid of trigger serrations.
Used up a few Dremel felt wheels and polishing compound to round off corners on the back of that hateful Dragoon-style triggerguard on a Ruger Super Blackhawk gripframe I was putting on a .41 Blackhawk.

And other than a few feedramp polish jobs on a few auto feedramps, I believe I've done about all it's wise to use a Dremel on guns for.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

It's always good to remember that the same same can be said about any tool.

Stones or emery cloth can also do a lot of damage if not used properly,
another example comes to mind. I know a lot of canvas-covered canoe
builders and when they are driving the tacks through the planking
on the outside of the hull, using a hammer, if they don't stop when they
reach the planking they will dent the wood, leaving what are called
"hammer blossoms." They can get some of these out by wetting
the wood, which swells up, before doing their finish sanding.

Basically, it's not the tool per se, like the hammer
mentioned in the example above, but the operator.

I've spent years reconditioning vintage drums & related hardware and the
worst projects I have had to deal with are where others have tried to do it
themselves and caused damage. I always cringe when I see advice where steel
wool, or scotch brite pads are mentioned knowing the damage they can cause.
Both steel wool & scotch brite pads are useful tools, when used properly.

Here is an older thread where using the proper methods & tools,
as well as taking your time & knowing what you are doing with
those tools, whether powered or not, also apply.

best way to clean Stainless

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Ogy

Things can go very badly very quickly with a Dremel or any power tool for that matter. You don't hear about people accidentally cutting off fingers with a handsaw.