Tamiya Drill

Item Number: 74041

Reviewed By Jerry Davis, #42470

The drill features portability, a trigger switch for control, a 2mm drill bit and two types of chucks.  I wondered if Dremel collets would fit into the shank that enabling the user to use drill bits as small as .80.  I had some old collets (I think from an old Dremel long gone) around in my hobby drawer and true enough, they fit this little machine like a glove.

This little mighty mite is actually a kit that needs assembly.  Molded in blue, orange and gray plastic, the external and internal parts are attached to sprue trees and overall construction is easy.   Tamiya includes the external housing and all sorts of things that go on the inside such as electric motor, reduction gears and metal contacts for the batteries along with the trigger mechanism.  The tools required for assembly are a medium Phillips screwdriver, a small phillips screwdriver, a set of long nose pliers for help in the attachment of the “E” ring and a sprue cutter to remove the parts from the sprue trees.  By the way, Tamiya markets “E” ring pliers.  It seems that “E” rings are a very common item on RC cars.  Two “AA” cell batteries that power the drill are not included.

I began to cut the parts off the sprues and within about 30-40 minutes the drill was assembled minus the “E” clip locking in the drive mechanism that I managed to launch into the stratosphere.  No problem, Tamiya included 3 “E” clips in my kit, just in case this happens I suppose.  I used a set of long nose pliers to attach the “E” clip and greased the gears with the lube that was included with the kit.  Now was the time to put it to the test after I installed some batteries.

Ta-da, it worked!  The performance of the little drill is superb!  Contrary to the high speed and torque associated with Dremel and other like tools, this handy gadget has a nice gear reduction that enables the drill to turn slow enough to drill into plastic without melting the plastic as a Dremel may do.  I have a Black and Decker tool at home with a transformer that reduces the speed but not sufficiently enough to permit me to handle jobs that could use less speed.  The pistol grip and weight of the Tamiya drill are nice features that allow for accuracy. This drill is very easy to handle and easy to direct the work.  It works great on drilling holes in resin also.

All in all, this is a nice little tool to have around in your tool box or hobby room.  The cost isn’t too prohibitive listing for about $22.00 retail or so.  It is available at most well stocked hobby shops or through on-line.  Many of our club members have purchased the drills and “customized” them with specialized paint and decal jobs.  I am very satisfied with this tool and highly recommend it.  So now when I break off a road wheel and have to drill the broken piece out, I can do it with ease with my Tamiya Electric Handy Drill.

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