AusBonsai

Hi All

I know this has been covered before, but not for a while...? I want to buy a basic carving tool. ie dremel (which I have other uses for). Not looking at a Die Grinder at this stage...

I want to get a dremel type tool (to start with, for smaller stuff). Does anyone have any suggestions?
I was looking at the Dremel 3000 and the 4300. The key specific difference I can see is, power and "Electronic Feedback". Is the 4300 better for the bigger stuff when I might occasionally need to carve (obviously not as good as a Die Grinder)?

Does anyone have anything else that they would recommend?
Anyone have the Ryobi (the one available at Bunnings - can't paste the link as bunnings is experiencing technical issues).

Thanks,
Phil

Have a look at a Ryobi 400w Trim Router. It has a 6.5mm (1/4in) collet and is small enough to handle nicely. Great with long reach bits like Little terrier and the like or long series carbide ball bits.
Alot stronger than a small dremel with 3mm collet.

I recently brought the ryobi rotary tool. I wish i just brought the dremel to tell you the truth I cant find any info on if the bonsai nibblers fit the ryobi.

I've also been looking for someone in Australia selling the bonsai nibbler tools but havent had any luck yet.

Keels wrote:I recently brought the ryobi rotary tool. I wish i just brought the dremel to tell you the truth I cant find any info on if the bonsai nibblers fit the ryobi.

I've also been looking for someone in Australia selling the bonsai nibbler tools but havent had any luck yet.

Nibbler carving bits for sale in Oz noted in this recent thread: viewtopic.php?f=102&t=24085#p241938

Alan Peck wrote:Have a look at a Ryobi 400w Trim Router. It has a 6.5mm (1/4in) collet and is small enough to handle nicely. Great with long reach bits like Little terrier and the like or long series carbide ball bits.
Alot stronger than a small dremel with 3mm collet.

I did have a look at these but I haven't seen much info about real experience.
Has anyone got one of these. What bits do they use? Can it be used with other dremel bits (ie not just used for bonsai carving)?

Yes Phil I have one and its great to use, nice and light smaller than a die grinder which I also have. Takes 6.5 or 1/4 dia shafts on any wood carving bits, engineers long series slot drills and milling cutters and profiling bits. I have found dremels are good for really fine work but lack the robustness of a 1/4 ins shaft/collet especialy on harder woods and easily stalls.
Of course you can use as a router too with standard router bits for your display table building.

I am still hoping someone can provide their experience on the dremel 4300 vs 3000 or have either?
I don't want to end up one day with Die Grinder, Dremel, Trime router etc...

Also is it worthwhile having a flexi-shaft?

I have a Dremel 4000. Not sure how much different from the 4300 it is except for a larger motor and more attachment options. None of the bits it comes with are big enough for bonsai carving - the teeth are too fine and they get clogged up with sawdust in about 5min.

I have some third party bits I got from some website but there’s still a limit to how big you can buy as it only supports a 1/8 inch shaft on the bits. Even though they’re still not as big and course as I wanted they’re miles better than the bits the machine came with. It should be good enough for smaller trees. I should add that I only use mine for tidying up chops and making uro, so I’ve never used it for larger deadwood carving and I suspect it would be inadequate. The bits also tend to burn the wood while carving, probably because RPM too high but if you turn it down too low it stalls. It works enough for me, for now.

Edited to add: mine came with a flexishaft which I only used once. It is for very fine work and I don’t find it useful for tree carving. You’d use it for work fine enough that you’d need to hold the tool like a pencil. I find for carving work the tool has too much “kick” and you’re better off holding it with two hands for better control.

I have a Dremel 3000 with the flexishaft and use it with the multipurpose bits. I have a die grinder and a bit similar to a terrier but the Dremel is great for doing the smaller detail and getting into areas where the bigger die grinder can't. It is also really good to use with wire wheels to clean up after burning to get rid of the fibres from the carving.

Hi Phil,
I have 3 carving tools.
1) Dremel 800 Lithium 10.8v
2) Dremel 8050 Lithium 8v

Both of these are great little tools that can be used anywhere, so I can carve on location where my trees my trees are situated without lugging them 50m downhill to my workshop and back again. The Dremel 800 is a superseded model (the 8220 is it's current equivalent) runs up to 35,000 RPM, the 8050 is a current model, smaller and lighter, runs at up to 28,000RPM. Battery run time is about the same, charging is 3hrs.

I use a variety of bits, my faves are the carbide point bits, there are genuine Dremel Structured Tooth Cutters, I have 2 that I use all the time if I want to hollow out small areas, one is a disc, the other is more of an elongated oval.

See here for more info on carving bits: http://woodcarvingillustrated.com/blog/ ... ving-bits/

As the others have said, these are best suited to smaller trees or detailed work.

My third carving tool is an Arbortech Mini Grinder, a 710w, 240v wood removal beast: https://www.arbortechtools.com/us/mini-grinder/
Need to cut a hollow right through a 3 inch thick trunk? Easy. Add the industrial blade and tear deep grooves and remove more wood like a chainsaw. Saburr Tooth in the USA make carbide point discs for these in a variety of shapes and textures: http://www.saburr-tooth.com/

Cheers,
Mojo

Thanks for the thread Phil and also Mojo for the links to Woodcarving Illustrated.