Huggy Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 This is a bit random for the forum but... In the appalling winter we're having, both myself and Mrs. H have been giving the old Dremel 3000 a bashing, and the speed control switch failed - a common occurrence I believe - sticking in top speed. We have bought another, but I want to repair the old one as we are both busy, and while I can get a switch easily enough, damned if I can get the thing apart! All screws removed, brushes out... the two halves will not come apart has anyone here had any cause to dismantle one? It's the 3000 model, other models look straightforward enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon burch Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 You need to run a scalpel along the seam under the stickers on both sides. It will then come apart. Mine has just been repaired by a friend who knows more about electronics than me. I thought my switch had failed as it just died, bough a new one but made no difference. Turned out to be a broken wire on the coil which he said looked like it had been poorly manufactured. Simon Edited By simon burch on 05/01/2016 14:32:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Hi Huggy Maybe it's a daft question, but have you removed the front cap, or as it's called in the 3000, the "EZ Twist integrated wrench/nose cap". Here you have the manual, an in the page 8 you have a picture of what I mean. Also, in case it's any good, I've found the below picture, with the different parts of the 3000 models. Good luck! Edited By AVC on 05/01/2016 14:34:42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon burch Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 Good picture. See parts number 8, those stickers will hold the two parts of the body together. I guess you could peel off, but much neater to split. Simon Edited By simon burch on 05/01/2016 14:58:47 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryorbik Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 I repair these units on a regular basis both at work and for other club members and I normally warm the stickers with a hair dryer first then to soften the adhesive then use a scalpel blade to carefully lift one corner before removing the sticker. The adhesive on the stickers is good for two or three reapplications. The switch is a weak point but it is also a good idea to have a look at the four field winding connection pins which locate into sockets in the brush holders. The field winding wires have varnish to insulate them and are merely a push fit into a slot in the connection pins, so if there is any sign of blackening on any of them (indicating a dry or poor connection between the wire and the pin or sometime the wire may have fractured and has been sparking to the pin) carefully remove the pin , scrape the enamel off the wire and carefully solder them to the pin to make a secure connection. Care is need as the wires are quite thin and I normally use a dab of flux on both the wire and pin to ensure the solder flows freely. Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggy Posted January 5, 2016 Author Share Posted January 5, 2016 Wow thanks gents! I could find nothing about the sticker thing on ANY forum thread via Google or Yahoo, and even a guy I asked at the firm that sells spares up in Derby failed to mention them! He did remind me not to pull the two halves apart too quickly though, so that various springs and things disappear in different directions. Many thanks guys, I'm now on it. Thanks for the additional info too, most useful. We shall become a two Dremel family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 [ I normally warm the stickers with a hair dryer first then to soften the adhesive then use a scalpel blade to carefully lift one corner before removing the sticker. The adhesive on the stickers is good for two or three reapplications. ] Thanks for the tip Barryorbik , heat gun on the label works great ! Googling ''Dremel faults'' show the speed controller failure is indeed a very common fault ! The annoying thing is that club mates of mine still own Dremels that are 10+ years old, and the variable speed controller are still running as good as when they first bought them ! Mine failed within weeks, I lost the receipt, luckily found it again, but not before I had taken one of the labels off using the heat gun to investigate . The label went back on no probs, didn't have to take it apart, just took it back with the receipt and exchanged for a replacement. Moral of the story to myself here .... Always save the receipt in a safe place ! ( well ... till I forget again ) Like a lot of stuff these days ...... things ain't made as well as they used to be ...... no over-engineering and built to a minimum budget ! ... but I guess I still wouldn't want to be without my Dremel ...... Ronaldo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 Bought a clone from Aldi a while ago. No problems and less than a third of the price and it fits all the dermal accessories. It is now permanently attached to my dremel router so I don't have to bother swapping around. I will certainly buy another next time they are on offer. This Sunday they have small metric tap & die sets at £14.99. Edited By kevin b on 06/01/2016 21:57:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryorbik Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I cannot find any confirmation but believe that Bosch bought out Dremel a few years ago and it appears the quality changed. I still have a black cased twenty+ year old Dremel which has done lots of use and that has never had anything other than a couple of sets of brushes but my second one (a 3000 purchased about two years ago) had a switch failure at less than 3 months old and was replaced under guarantee and I had to replace the switch assembly again last year. Seems nothing lasts these days !! Barry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Banner Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 I was recommended to go for a Proxxon tool instead of the Dremel. Has been great so far and just bought a flexible snake attachment for it. too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggy Posted January 9, 2016 Author Share Posted January 9, 2016 Posted by Barryorbik on 06/01/2016 22:38:43: I cannot find any confirmation but believe that Bosch bought out Dremel a few years ago and it appears the quality changed. I still have a black cased twenty+ year old Dremel which has done lots of use and that has never had anything other than a couple of sets of brushes but my second one (a 3000 purchased about two years ago) had a switch failure at less than 3 months old and was replaced under guarantee and I had to replace the switch assembly again last year. Seems nothing lasts these days !! Barry You're right Barry, the replacement switch (which came very quickly and was only about £11 inc,postage ) came in a Bosch box. Easy job once I got the thing apart, thanks to the tips received here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redex Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I too have had the broken winding problem on my Dremel 3000 - repaired similar to Barryorbk's explanation above and has been ok for some months now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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