Carving/Sanding - Dremel Tool

This is the entry level/price rotary tool by Dremel. It is a series 100 model. In this photo the tool is set up with a 1/2 x 1/2 inch sanding mandrel and a sanding sleeve. Some folks like to use the rotary tool as a roughing tool, to speed up the removal of wood before employing a gouge or a knife. Some will use the tool as a carving device to both start and finish a carving. Their are several cautions that must be taken. First, is eye and lung protection. Safety glasses and a good mask plus proper ventilation are a must. But there is at least one additional thing to note. The series 100 Dremel is a single speed tool at 3500 rpm. That is a fast speed. The problem with this fixed speed come when one tries to use some of the sanding and cutting tools. Before attempting to use any sanding/cutting bit in the Dremel 100, check the bit for its rated rpm. Many if not most of these bits are rated at a maximum rpm of 30,000. That means that they would be very dangerous in the Dremel 100, which has a fixed rpm of 35,000. A general rule to follow is the more aggressive the tool is, the slower the speed to be used. But, before buying a bit to use in the series 100 tool, check the bits rated rpm.