Dremel for 'carving'?

[AES]

Agree with Lons' point about using a "Dremel" variable chuck, rather than "just" collets (my Workzone came with just 3 sizes of collet, no chuck).

But if you're careful choosing your sanding, drilling, cutting, etc, accessories, you can limit yourself to a shaft size/s which fits your chosen collet (I'm on 3.2mm dia as a more or less standard). And using either the drill directly with a collet or via a flexi shaft with a collet does lead to a slightly smaller "package" in the hand for careful work - a bit easier than with using a chuck.

But I agree 100% with Lons - if you're unable/unwilling to "standardise" on a shaft dia for your accessories, changing collets is a bit of a ***, and a chuck gives you much more flexibility (sorry, no pun intended)!

Re whatnot's point above about using a "normal" drill with a "big" flexi shaft being too noisy, personally I don't find the overall noise of the "normal" electric drill compared to that of the "Dremel" drill much different in "loudness" - different tone yes, but overall, about the same to me - and anyway, the shop vac I use more than drowns either/both of them out anyway!

But I notice you're forced to work indoors (or outdoors when it's fine). Under those conditions you may need to be more careful - neighbours when outside, family when inside. I think that the noise of the "normal" electric drill may well be more "penetrating" over a wider distance than the "Dremel" type drill. But dunno for certain.

 

[DrPhill]

Photos would help. For this I usually use a drill to take out as much waste as I can then crumble the edges of the carving into the drilled out areas

When I first read this I did not take it in as a drill was not the solution to the immediate problem. When I went to do some carving today I made a point of considering where a drill might be used - and there are several parts of the same job that benefit enormously from using a drill to clear material.

So a belated thank you - I had for some reason excluded drills as carving tools and your prod was very helpful.

I will still need a rotary tool at some stage, but the drill achieves some of what I was thinking of doing.

I know a drill is a much lower speed, but would it be practical to try attaching some of the grinder tips to the drill? I may be able to get a bit further that way......

 

[AES]

Just as you say Dr. Phil, an "ordinary" drill is much slower than the Dremel type.

I've not tried it myself (on wood) and anyway have VERY limited experience in carving. But I can't see why you shouldn't at least have a try.

IF the burrs you already have are multi-tooth type then I GUESS they may be a bit more successful, but just as a matter of interest, in the little bit of "burred carving" I've done, I've always had the Dremel set at around 20,000 or more rpm. Whereas I think most "normal" 2 speed drills have a max speed of about 2,000 or so rpm - i.e. one tenth! But give it a try - as always, on a bit of scrap first I suggest.

 

[woodbloke66]

In the Oscar Pipsonesque bar stools I recently completed, I'd class them as 'sculptural' as opposed to 'carving' which to me implies a lot more detail. I used a variety of carving/sculptural tools including Ax 'Rider' gouges (excellent if anyone's interested) Sabuur burrs in a hd flexible shaft (great but expensive) a tct cutter from Ax in the angle grinder (mean and vicious) together with a 40g flap sander, a good selection of cabinet rasps from WH and the really good pneumatic sanding system from Kirjes stocked by Classic Hand Tools. All that lot produced a vast amount of dust and debris which was taken of with a Ax Evolution powered respirator - Rob

 

[AES]

One thing (tools actually) that I forgot to mention is a small UK Company called Permagrit.

Apart from one cut off "saw disc" that I use only for special metals and GRP, I only use their "fixed" (file & sanding block type) tools.

But based on those fixed tools I would think they would be ideal (maybe a bit coarse?) in this context. Rather expensive but well worth it because tool life seems to be in excess of 30 years based on my own experience. They're tungsten carbide grit "fixed" to the base carrier by means of vacuum deposition. If/when they get clogged (with paint for example) it's no problem to clean them by means of a quick wipe with thinners, acetone, stiff wire brush, anything else you like.

Usual disclaimers.

Catalogue non line here:

http://www.permagrit.com

Here's a page from the catalogue showing their rotaries (which, as above, apart from one thick cut off disc I have NOT tried):

HTH