Rotary Tool Accessories & Attachments

Remember the Dremel shield (model A550) that we discovered more than 6-months ago? It has reached production and will soon be available in stores for about $15.

Dremel is also releasing new sanding discs into the EZ Lock family, which eliminates the need for screwdrivers and miniature screws to change accessories. We’re HUGE fans of the EZ Lock system since it makes blade/bit swaps amazingly quick and easy. The sanding discs (EZ411SA, EZ412SA, EZ413SA) are designed to be twice as durable as non-EZ discs, while removing twice as much material, and will be available in 80 grit, 120 grit, and 240 grit versions. MSRP is $5.

Oscillating Multi-Tool Accessories

Dremel is also releasing new higher-performance cutting blades to match the new MM40 and MM20 2nd-generation oscillating tools. Included in the launch is the MM480 wood and MM482 wood/metal flush-cutting blades, which feature increased blade length and width that allow for quicker and easier cutting performance. MSRP is $18 and $19 respectively.

There will also be a MM452 BiM segmented saw blade, compatible with all of Dremel’s multi-tool models, that can flush-cut through wood and metal materials faster than other segmented blades. MSRP is $22.

Today, 9/6/2011, the Woot Deal of the Day is a Dremel Trio, for $60, plus $5 shipping. The Trio is a multi-purpose rotary cutter that features a variable speed 10K-20K RPM motor, non-marring base, and pivoting handle. With the proper bits, it can route, sand, and cut.

We posted a Dremel Trio 6800-01 preview with a few usage example photos and additional product details that you might find helpful.

Price Comparison via Amazon
Woot Deal of the Day

In case you’re not familiar with Woot, their business is based off of the one-product-per-day model, except for special occasions (Woot-offs). The Trio will be available at this price until either it sells out, or 1am ET 9/7/11, whichever comes first.

Nearly two years ago, Dremel introduced the 4000 series rotary tool, a high-end upgrade to their 400 XPR. The 300 series tools, including the 395 MultiPro, remained a solid mid-range choice.

Dremel is soon coming out with a new 3000 series rotary tool, which offers several interesting improvements at a more affordable pricepoint. The Dremel 3000 features an EZ Twist nose cap that can be used as a separate collet wrench, 1.2 amp power rating, and a shorter and more ergonomic design.

Dremel 3000 rotary tool kits will be priced from $55 to $75, and will hit stores in September.

Dremel 3000 Features Overview

• User-replaceable motor brushes
• EZ Twist nose cap/integrated collet wrench
• Symmetric design for improved ergonomics
• 4-position collet lock
• Shorter than the Dremel 300 tools it replaces
• Combined on/off and speed adjustment slide switch
• 5,000 to 32,000 RPM motor speed
• Better fan design and ventilation vents for cooler operation
• Low noise and vibration
• 360° soft grip and improved tool balance

Earlier today I watched a Mere Mortals clip that passed on another’s suggestion to use O-rings as router bit insert stop or spacer. The idea was that the fillet between a router bit shank and cutting head affects collet clamping, leading to walk-out or excessive vibrations, and that an O-ring prevents this from being an issue.

The reasoning behind this is right, but the O-ring trick is only effective when working with shorter router bits whose heads would otherwise connect with a collet upon full insertion. Relying on this tip by itself can lead to complacency and frustration. What happens if you have a long bit that bottoms-out and with its fillet well out of the collet, and you still encounter bit walking, vibration, or uneven cuts?

Inserting a Router Bit

1. Ensure that there is no grime or debris on the router bit shank and check the collet as well. Make sure that the collet is open and the nut loosened.
2. Insert the router bit all the way into the collet as far as it will go.
3. Retract the router bit by 1/8″ or so (some manufacturers recommend 1/16″), and then hand-tighten the collet nut to hold the bit’s slightly elevated position.
4. Fully tighten the collet nut with the appropriate wrench.

Note: for solid carbide router bits, step 2 is modified – try to minimize the length of the cutting edges that are covered by the collet. I try to insert such bits into the collet by at least 1″, or more than half-way if possible. Always double check with your router’s manual or the bit manufacturer’s guidelines.

Why?

If you were to stop at step 2 and then tighten the collet, there is the strong possibility that you will achieve less than optimal collet clamping. Bottoming out a router bit – or any collet-fixed bit, impedes the tightening mechanism of the collet. Then when you try to tighten the collet nut, you may get the false feeling that the nut and collet are fully tightened.

If you have a shorter router bit and insert it until the bottom of the cutting head is close to the collet, and leave it as-is, the fillet at the interface between the bit’s shank and cutting head may affect the grip of the collet. Even if there is no fillet, there will likely be a small segment that is coated. If the collet grips onto this coated area, its grip on the rest of the bare-metal shank may be looser and potentially less than ideal.

With a loose collet, even if it is almost imperceptibly loose, a router bit can “walk” and rise up out of the collet. At the very least, this can cause excessive vibration or inconsistent cutting performance. At worst, this can pose a safety hazard with the potential to cause grievous bodily harm.

This bit-insertion technique can also be applied to other tools that hold bits and burs with collets, such as rotary tools and mills.

Even with these tips in mind, it is always recommended to refer to the tool’s user manual before use and then again periodically as a refresher.

If any of this is unclear, please let me know and I’ll try my best to show this with close-up photographs.

New videos and tips will be released monthly on Dremel’s Facebook page. [While you're at it, don't forget to check out and "like" our page as well!]

As part of the research leading up the the collaboration and project videos, Dremel surveyed 500 homeowners about what their top priority projects were. This is what they found out:

• More than two-thirds of American homeowners (67 percent) plan to tackle a home improvement project in 2011
• A whopping 78 percent plan to roll up their sleeves and do-it-themselves this year by utilizing household members to complete their 2011 to-dos
• The No. 1 room homeowners would most like to update is the kitchen; however the bathroom tops the list as the No. 1 home area consumers actually plan to renovate this year (36 percent)
• Almost half of respondents shared that they take on projects primarily to improve the value of their homes (45 percent) and one third desired to change or freshen up their décor (30 percent)
• The No. 1 reason consumers select specific DIY projects is a tie between replacing worn out materials (48 percent) and cleaning or freshening the home
• It’s no surprise that men and women choose projects based on different criteria, with survey results showing women are more likely to select projects that organize clutter (24 percent) while men would prefer to focus on fixing broken items (14 percent)

Those are pretty interesting results, and it’s great to see that more people are willing to get down and dirty to do things themselves.

I recently discussed a bit about  Gyros’ Rotary Tool Guard, which is designed to control the ejection of debris and sparks. I have been taking a hands-on look at the guard and some of Gyros’ mini circular saws and cut-off wheels, and I have to admit, I wish I had found out about Gyros’ accessories sooner.

Whereas Dremel offers only 2 wood-cutting circular saw type accessories, Gryos has several blade styles and sizes to choose from. Just to give you an idea, Gryos offers ripsaw blades, coarse tooth blades, fine-tooth and ultra-fine tooth blades, all available in several sizes. As always, by choosing the appropriate blade for the task at hand you can be sure to achieve the best possible results.

Talking about fiber-reinforced cut-off wheels, Gyros offers different disks for use on: low-tensile materials such as glass, plastic, wood, and non-ferrous metals; medium tensile materials such as hardened and unhardened steel and hard bronze; and super tensile strength materials such as hard ferrous and non-ferrous metals, stainless steel, and titanium.

Thus far I am strongly inclined to give these blades and cutting disks a huge thumbs-up. It is quite tough to do a direct Gyros vs. Dremel comparison, and I can see reasons for recommending both systems’ accessories. Overall, Gryos offers blade styles and options that Dremel just doesn’t have on the market (yet?) at all.

I like both brands as they both offer top-quality accessories, but find myself leaning towards Gryos’ better wood-cutting blade style and size selection. On the other hand, Dremel does have a clear advantage in terms of more widespread availability, and their EZ Lock system and accessories are absolutely marvelous to use.

Buy Gyros 7pc Cutting Disk Variety Kit via Amazon
Gyros Rotary Tool Accessories via Amazon
Saw Blade Info via Gyros
Reinforced Cutting Disk Info via Gyros

Are you tired of sparks and debris spraying all over the place when cutting, grinding, or sanding with a Dremel or Craftsman-branded rotary tool? After reporting that Dremel will be coming out with a safety shield attachment, I have learned that Gyros already makes such a product! This shield is meant to be used to control the spread of sparks and debris during cutting, grinding, and sanding.

Gyros’ Guard rotary tool safety shield looks to be cleverly designed and is comprised of two half-shields, with the inner piece being spring-loaded and self-closing. This construction allows the shield to be opened for workpiece access, up to a full 180° when necessary.

Gyros Guard Rotary Tool Safety Shield

Gyros designed their safety shield to fit Dremel, Craftsman and most other brands of rotary tools. Judging from the photo of Dremel’s upcoming shield design, I would say that the Gyros offers better protection given its 180°-360° shield coverage.

Dremel Shield Attachment Accessory

Gyros rotary tool safety shields are available at various retailers, and are made in the USA.

Gryos Rotary Tool Safety Shield via Amazon
Product Info via Gyros

We’ve got a brand new Dremel 400-2/30 high performance rotary tool kit to giveaway! To enter to win, leave a comment telling us what types of DIY or spring project you plan to use if for. If nothing comes to mind, just leave a message telling us how awesome you think ToolGuyd is.

This is a fantastic rotary tool – the most powerful and ergonomic one we’ve ever used! But don’t just take our word for it, check out the Dremel 4000 reviews over at Amazon. Right now there are 242 user reviews, with 198 5/5 reviews and 31 4/5 ratings.

One entry per person, and only those with contiguous USA addresses are eligible to win. Giveaway ends April 15th 2011, and we’ll select and contact a winner by the following Monday morning.

Good luck, and get ready for many more Spring giveaways!

We have learned that Dremel is putting the finishing touches on a new shield attachment. The Dremel shield attachment is made from polycarbonate, and its primary purpose is to deflect sparks, sawdust and debris away from the user.

Over on their Facebook page, a Dremel rep mentioned that although the plastic is expected to become discolored with use, it has never melted during testing. The shield will be compatible with existing Dremel rotary tools and most accessories, but cannot be used with other attachments at the same time.

Pricing is not available at this time, and it looks like the shield will be available sometime in Q4 2011.

This attachment may decrease visibility of the workpiece and cutting/grinding tools, so it’s probably something I would use on a case by case basis and not all the time.

Milwaukee tools, in their neverending mission to expand their hugely popular M12 compact cordless power tool lineup, is coming out with a new rotary tool. They ambitiously describe the 2460-21 as a new breed of rotary tool intended for use by maintenance contractors, electricians, plumbers, remodelers and other tradesmen.

The new M12 rotary tool features an adjustable variable-speed 5k-32k RPM motor and is compatible with 1/32″-1/8″ shank bits and accessories. Milwaukee will be bundling the rotary tool with their new RedLithium Li-ion battery technology.

Some of Milwaukee’s recent cordless tool additions, such as the M12 heated jacket, M12 cordless hammer drill, and M12 palm nailer, were the firsts of their kind. This rotary tool, on the other hand, will face strong competition from the market-leading Dremel cordless 8200. It will definitely be interesting to see how the two tools compare once the M12 version is released this April.

Milwaukee M12 Cordless Rotary Tool Product Info

Thank you to Joseph for the heads-up about the M12 rotary tool! We always love hearing about new tools and review requests!

Have you tried asking a big-box hardware store employee about tools and accessories? It’s not pretty – I often find that if I want information or clarification about something, I have to find it myself.

Sometimes I’ll make note of an item for future research, but more and more these days I’ll be at a local store looking for a particular item and will whip out my phone to search for more info.

Dremel has just launched a new mobile website to make it much easier for on-the-go shopping assistance. Are you looking for the difference between silicon carbide and aluminum oxide grinding stones? Diamond cutting wheel vs. cut-off wheels? How about sanding bands vs abrasive buffs? The mobile site answers questions like this extremely quickly with just a few short links.

Dremel also incorporated application videos and social media links into the mobile site, but they don’t intrude into the layout at all. They also plan to use mobile tags (QR codes) to help give consumers immediate access to more detailed product information. [Sounds good to us!]

Taking a quick look at the mobile website version, I do wish that the navigation was a little deeper. For example, if I’m at the store and see two versions of the Dremel 8200, I’d like to be able to quickly find out the differences between the two versions. Overall, the mobile site is very quick to access, and quick to use. Hopefully other brands follow their example!

Dremel’s homepage will now detect when you try to access it with a smartphone and send you to the mobile page at http://m.dremel.com/. The mobile page is currently accessible from regular computers, so go ahead and check it out!

We are giving away a brand new Dremel Trio! The Trio is Dremel’s newest multi-purpose rotary tool that cuts, sands and routs! To enter to win, simply tell us in a comment about the type of projects you would use it for! If you’re not sure, take a look at the photo gallery on our previous post about the Trio for inspiration.

Additional Giveaway Rules & Details:

One entry per person. Giveaway ends December 3rd 2010 11:59pm EST and a winner will be randomly selected. Only entrants with US addresses are eligible to win.

Dremel Trio via Amazon (Currently available for $99)
Read More About the Dremel Trio on ToolGuyd

Thank you to Dremel for providing a Trio for the giveaway.

I spotted this Nascar-themed Dremel over at Amazon and thought it was pretty cool. It seems that this is a remnant of a long-ago special edition promotion, resulting in an outlandish cost that’s double what it should be. Still, it’s a cool concept. I would definitely pay extra (maybe $5) for a skinned Dremel.

Nascar 7.2V Cordless Dremel via Amazon
Plain 7.2V Cordless Dremel via Amazon

Our Cordless Dremel 8200 Review

Dremel updated their cordless pumpkin carving rotary tool since last year. I’m not quite sure what has been changed since the tool is still powered by 4 AA batteries and has two operating speeds – 6000 and 12000 RPM.

At $20, the new version is a little cheaper than its predecessor was.

Dremel Pumpkin Carving Kit via Amazon (7000-PK)

By now, you probably know that we love random tool sightings, especially those in movies. About two weeks ago we went to see Inception. At one point in the movie, a main character uses a Dremel Stylus to carve away at her “totem.” There were a few other tools on the table, including what looked to be Eklind T-handle hex wrenches, but the Stylus was shown front and center.

Dremel’s cordless Stylus is actually one of my favorite tools for precision work. It features a pistol-grip that offers a LOT of control. There is a new detailer’s grip attachment available for full-size Dremel tools, but the Stylus’s smaller size makes it easier to wield.

Dremel Stylus via Amazon
Product Info via Dremel (1100-N)

Inception via IMDB