Dremel -- Good Carving Tool For Beginner?

[James Fairchild]

I currently pursue oil painting and photography as hobbies and I'm
considering wood carving as another pleasant way to pass the time. As a
complete novice, I don't know much about wood carving tools and I'd
appreciate opinions pro or con about the Dremel MultiPro. I've looked at
their kit that includes the variable speed MultiPro and the Flex-Shaft
attachment. Would a tool of this sort make it easier for someone just
starting, or would I be better off buying hand tools? If I get the Dremel,
which bits are the most useful for small projects?

Thanks,
Jim

[Jan Wyman]

Hay Jim,
Get a flex shaft machine. They're made for the jewelry industry, but
can be used for carving all kinds of things. They have a universal chuck
in there - no "collets". You can use any drill or tool you can find
anywhere.
Yeah, they're a bit pricier than SOME of the dremel outfits. A flex shaft
complete kit goes for around $150. This includes a foot pedal. Much easier
to regulate your carving speed. If you need to know where to go to get one,
contact me off the list and I'll give you some places to go for a good deal.
I might be able to get you a used one, if you're interested. I've had mine
for 15 years, with constant daily use - and it's still just fine.

I mainly carve ivory, bone, jet, hardwoods of various types, and wax.
The flex shaft is great for these.

There are some BIG carving machines out there. Larger than either the
flex shaft or the dremel, but smaller than a chain saw. It depends on what
you want to carve, size wise.

And, yeah, get some hand tools. Some rasps, files, and chisels. Try
doing your "rough out" with the machinery, and then do the fine details
with the chisels and hand tools.

Kind regards,
Bre

[Rick Cook]

Boy, there's a way to start a thread!
The truth is that power carving (with the Dremel) and conventional carving
(with hand tools) are somewhat more different than oil and watercolor painting.
Some people, like me, alternate for different kinds of projects. Most folks
just do one or the other.

It's so much a matter of personal taste, I can't advise you which method you'd
be best off with. I tend to do most of my wood carvings with hand tools and use
power tools on materials such as tauga nuts, stone, etc. One thing I will tell
you is that if you go the power carving route, you'll definitely need a good
dust mask and (if you work indoors) a dust collection system -- at least for
projects of any size. Small stuff you can get by with just the mask.

The other thing you will most definitely need is a pair of safety goggles. The
$5 cheapies are fine, but don't neglect eye protection! Power carvers throw
small pieces of stuff in all directions, including right back in your face.

Which bits you need for power carving depends very much on the scale and kind
of work you do. There are two considerations here, shape and materials. The
flame bit is probably the closest to an all-around carving bit and a lot of
woodworkers (myself included) prefer the synthetic ruby ones for working wood
or similar materials. However when you're just starting out you might want to
stick with high-speed steel because they are a lot cheaper.

The Dremel Multi-tool is a good choice for a beginner who isn't going to be
doing large or heavy work. It's definitely light duty and after 20-40 minutes
of work it's going to get hot to hold. That means it's time to knock off for a
stretch, cup of coffee and to let the tool cool down. The shaft attachment
isn't on that tool isn't very useful, IMHO, because it is so light duty. The
selection of bits that comes with it is chosen for general utility and light
metalworking rather than carving, so most of them won't do much for you.

The hand tools are cheaper (if you buy a light-duty beginner's set for $50 or
less), however they aren't necessarily easier to use. The problem is
sharpening. You've got to know how to sharpen hand tools, even if they come
properly pre-sharpened. Until you learn this vital skill you're going to have a
miserable time trying to carve. You don't need a lot of fancy equipment --
download the scary sharp FAQ -- but you do need to practice sharpening. You
should also keep a leather strop charged with polishing compound next to you
while you work and strop your tools often. It makes all the difference, believe
me.

Overall, the best advice I can give you is to see if there is a woodcarving
club in your area and attend a couple of meetings. Most clubs include both
power and hand carvers and the members will be happy to share their experience
with you. Here in Phoenix, there's also a group of carvers that meets
informally at the local Woodcraft store to carve and tell bad jokes every
Thursday night. I've learned a ton of valuable stuff since I started going.

Happy carving!

--RC

[hitu...@my-deja.com]

I have found the Dremel to be under powered and most of the burrs are
useless because the were made to work on thin or light metals.The
advantage is getting into tight places.That is it.The cons outway the
pros by far,but the sanding tools are very useful if you use them with
a machine that has more torc.I have a Dremel and a Roto-Zip and use the
latter the most.It will also take up to 1/4" tips so you can use rotary
rasps and things like that.It is also much more dangerous to use.Sooner
or later I am going to get hurt using it,but even with knowing that I
still use it.
David Thatcher

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Before you buy.