By Bob Duncan
I can’t imagine a person who doesn’t need a rotary tool. They are famously useful in woodworking, but can also be used for cutting, sharpening, engraving, polishing, and so much more. It’s an indispensable household tool.
Dremel’s latest model, the 4300, is particularly handy if you’re new to rotary tools because it comes with a variety of bits and attachments—you don’t have to buy them separately. Of special interest to a scroll sawyer are the sanding drums and discs in a variety of grits, a nylon wheel that works really well for removing fuzzies without taking away any solid wood, and two different sizes of ball-shaped carving bit that I use for adding texture or engraving names. The only bit I miss in the kit is either a flame-shaped or a cone-shaped bit, which I use to clean up the inside of frets and to carve fine texture.
The Dremel 4300 provides a good balance between power and speed. It has more power than some of the company’s lighter-duty models, but it still has the speed needed to give you good control. It’s not intended to replace either a powerful flexible shaft tool or a high-speed micro motor, but it can handle most projects that require one or the other. It has a comfortable weight and offers a good grip. The LED light at the tip helps get light right where you want it.
With the 4300, Dremel returned to the standard collet-style bit clamping system, which I find more secure than the spring-loaded lever the company used on the previous model. It also includes a three-jaw chuck that allows you to both change bits without a wrench and use bits with different shaft diameters without changing the collet. The trade-off is that the three-jaw chuck doesn’t grip bits as securely as a collet. While you have always been able to purchase the three-jaw chuck separately, this is the first kit that includes it. I have lost more wrenches than I can count, so I especially appreciate the ability to use the nose cap in place of a wrench to change bits when using the collet system.
The MSRP for the Dremel 4300 is $120. Visit www.Dremel.com to find a local retailer.
Looking for more info on adding carved details to your scroll saw projects? CLICK HERE for an article that will help you choose a tool and bits, and introduce the techniques.
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