Introduction: Dremel Pointer for Precise Shaping

About: I am a teenager, building since I was 4 (and soldering since I was 7). I enjoy building things and inventing all kinds of little projects, some of which I share here!

Whenever I am attempting to Dremel a finer piece at a specific height, I use a Dremel mounted to a special table that mounts onto the workbench. However, if the Dremel bit does not go all the way through the piece, I cannot see where my bit is cutting. To solve this, I created a pointer that will allow me to see the location of the bit to allow for more

Step 1: Supplies

We will need…
-Lexan (You could use cardboard or thin wood, but Lexan is better)
-varius nuts with bolts and washers
-Wood glue
For tools, we will be using, ironically enough, a Dremel. You could also use a coping saw in addition to a drill bit, but this is easier.

Step 2: Making a Base

This Dremel pointer will need a place to be mounted. In order to do this, I made a stand out of a small rectangular piece of Lexan. I did not want to attach mine permanently, so I took advantage of the two holes that were conveniently placed right where I wanted them by drilling into the base that I had made. I then added height in the form of washers so that the base was as high as the main worksurface of the Dremel table. They were held in place thanks to some nuts.

Step 3: Making the Pointer

The pointer is what will tell us exactly where the bit is, and so to make sure my ability to see what I am doing is not impaired, I think it should be made of Lexan. I cut the hand so that there was a definite pointer at one end, and so that it continued upward in order to allow for mounting. I also drilled a gap all the way down the piece (Excluding the pointer), as this meant that I could adjust the height. I cleaned it up and was ready to go!

Step 4: Putting It All Together

In order to mount the pointer to the base, I used a long bolt. The bolt went into a hole I drilled into the the base, and was held in place by a nut. In order to keep the pointer at the height I needed, I added another nut and placed a washer onto that for stability. The pointer was then placed onto that, and a new nut was screwed on to hold it in place.

Step 5: TaDa!

With the pointer in place, I can now see where the bit is if I can’t actually see the bit. I find it to be helpful in more precise Dremeling situations where I can’t go all the way through the piece. I hope you enjoyed this Instructible, and I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, or questions. As always, have a nice day!
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