Dremel's EZ Drum sander mandrel -- about damn time

I have the Dremel tool drum sander mandrel on the left. I don't think the design has changed since 1962, and it sucks mightily. Sanding drums get stuck on it and new ones don't fit on it (at least not for me). I just read Stuart Deutsch's post on Make about the EZ Drum Sanding Mandrel, which sounds like a game-changing improvement on the black rubber mandrel.

Dremel has introduced a couple of new “EZ Lock” rotary tool accessories in recent years that allow for tool-free bit/disc/pad changes. The newest EZ-change addition, a sanding mandrel, has quickly become one of my favorites. With the old-style sanding mandrel, you must toil with a small screw before and after swapping in a fresh sanding sleeve, but with this one you just push and pull.

I have been quite pleased with the direction Dremel has been headed. They dominate the rotary tool and accessories market, so they don’t really need to upgrade little things like mandrels, but they have been doing it anyways. Recent models, such as the 3000 and updated 4000 series rotary tools, feature a built-on collet wrench, and it looks like the upcoming Dremel 4200 will feature a new completely tool-free collet-lock mechanism.

Tool Review: Dremel EZ-Change Sanding Mandrel

• [slideguy]

  Looks to me more like the kick drum beater from hell.

• [Bob Knetzger]

  Now it they’d just fix the non-adjustable collets..and the mounting stud for the carbide cut off discs as well!

  • [tros]

    I think they actually have the EZ-version for the cut-off discs as well. I greatly enjoy both of these.

• [Glippiglop]

  Finally!  I agree the black rubber sander is next to useless, it’s like it was designed by someone that never intended to use it.  Good to know that this problem is finally fixed.

• [len_c]

  about damn time indeed.

• [vonbobo]

  Yay! Never thought about it, but dremel does have a few products that have been in need of an upgrade.

• [therealjonelle]

  i use the old one everyday at work. i also found it really difficult and time consuming to switch them out but then i figured out if you soak them a bit in water or put a little vaseline on the rubber then the new drum slides right on.

• [electricdoodle]

  Horrah! I use my Dremmel for everything from household DIY jobs to scale modelling, but the sander drum has always been a bit of a pain. So this is great news. To be honest though, I feel we are lucky to have a product that we have so little to moan about, I really would feel a bit lost if I didn’t have my Dremmel (I have tried other brands, including the cheapies, and noting is as well made.)

  • [Nagurski]

     Foredom is much better, IMO.