Best Small Wood Art Tools

When it comes to small projects or cleaning a larger project it is hard to beat dremel wood carving bits. Of all the options available on the market this is one of my go to art tools for wood art. The value and function really is hard to beat. It is important to note that this is a wood shaping tool more than a traditional cutting tool. Nevertheless I will discuss how it can be used effectively.

If you are into modeling Dremel may not be the best way to go. Often model makers complain that the tools Dremel offers are too big and clunky. Additionally the speeds that the tools operate in are too high as even at 5,000 rmp a bit will melt plastic. This is all true.

Nevertheless for woodworkers it has some unique advantages that for some time even I overlooked. Now I love what it can offer. It is a great way to get started in wood carving.

Dremel Stylo Best Tool Used In Engraving

Those of us who are older remember the older dremels that were big, bulky, and clunky. The Dremel Stylo is slim and sleek thus works well as a wood engraving tool. Naturally it will not fit in the hand the same as a blade cutting tool such as a knife.

When it comes to simple work such as engraving quite simply no other can compare to it. It is not limited to wood. It can also engrave on metal and some have used in on surfaces such as etching on glass. It also has been used to engrave jewelry which I find interesting. In terms of this capability it is the best tool used in engraving hands down.

What makes it the best is more than its slimmer package. For something this small to be able to reach 22,000 rpm and give consistent reliability having a good lifespan is not easy to find. Obviously 22,000 rpm is not something that will be used often. Yes Harbor Freight has cheaper alternatives. Note I said consistent and reliable and the cheaper alternatives fail. In other words as it makes contact with the material you want the rpm to remain constant while engraving.

Up front know that this is not a hand held replacement to a cnc cutting spindle. Cnc wood cutting spindles typically max out in this 21,000 to 24,000 rpm range. A spindle will be used for cutting anywhere between 10,000 to 18,000 rpm more often than not. So the fact that the Dremel Stylo can achieve that mark in speed is great but it is more for engraving. So lets get into what the tool is and is not.

Think Wood Shaping Tool More Than Cutting

To make the best comparison for easy understanding I will continue to compare this lightweight tool to a heavier cnc spindle. A cnc spindle is made for cutting. It has the power and torque to bore through material again and again. If you throw material at a spindle it will just ask for more. This is not true with the Dremel Stylo.

Its limitations is within the motor. It can only take so much load so it is a light weight tool for hand use. This is very justifiable as no one in their right mind will try to hand use a cnc spindle. The Stylo can handle light material removal, that is what it was made for. Thus it excels at engraving, and if you keep the word light in the idea of “cutting” you will be okay.

Higher speed motors typically have less torque by their very nature. Thus a spindle that is higher speed for wood cutting should not be used on something like metal cutting where lower speed and higher torque is preferred. With the Dremel Stylo the same principles apply yet it is a small lightweight brushed motor. So stay within its limitations as it was not designed to be a load bearing cutting tool.

#1 Best Used With Engraving Designs

You can cheaply purchase wood engraving stencils online or at hobby stores. It is simple to use. Lay the stencil on the piece of wood, tape down then color or pencil in.

Once you have the area colored in remove the stencil. Here is where the “cutting” or rather the engraving for art with wood begins. Decorative lines are easy to trace with a little practice.

Take the Dremel Stylo and begin to use the appropriate bit to remove material. You can purchase a dremel engraving kit that will also come with various bits for material removal. The grinding bits will work well for light hog removal of material across a surface area. Then there are more refined tipped bits for more intricate design work.

If you notice there are no bigger blade tipped bits that you would typically find in router or cnc applications. For small silhouette art designs on small objects like boxes or signs the Dremel Stylo is great. It is a free hand tool so some practice will be needed.

Typically when used to remove material less is more. In other words a lighter pass will do better than trying to remove a lot of material at once. Also note the direction that the cutting tool spins. Those who work with routers and have practiced how to cut by feeding the wood grain from different directions will learn quickly. Nevertheless there is a principle to take note of here.

If you move the stylo in the direction that the bit is spinning it will remove more material and cut deeper. If you move the tool in the direction away from its spin it will still remove material but it will be lighter and is great for smoothing an area that has been cut already. Also the movement you make in conjunction with the grain can create a smoother surface. If it is against the grain or cross grain it can be rougher. Speaking of rough wood lets get into the Stylo’s second greatest use.

#2 Best Use In Wood Art Finishing

For us guys and gals who have the heavier tools like routers and especially cnc mills we all know the story of tool marks and rough edges. While this will not help much will tool marks it will help with those rough edges. With its price point where it is at I have it for this purpose.

Know up front it is not the final finish tool that will replace our ultimate finishing tool. Nothing really beats our fingers using sandpaper in those tight spaces for that final touch. Yet it will go a long way to getting you to that point faster once you get used to it.

There is a nuance to its use as a finishing tool but nothing that an experienced woodworker cannot get the hang of quickly. It took a little more time for me as I entered the wood world backwards. I started with the big boy toys before I began to use the smaller tools. When it came to finishing, for years I stuck to older tried and true methods by hand.

The trick is getting accustomed to the bits and what they can do, or not do. As a sanding tool the wheels are great for knocking off loose ends. It can also help in some of the more stubborn areas saving the fingers a little ache and pain.

For wood panel art it can be more challenging for some of the bits. Yet when you have hand cut or milled 2.5 d relief carving it definitely can smooth out some bad places. If a vbit opens up the grain more than is desired it can smooth that surface giving a more uniform look and feel.

Objects such as spoons, boxes, ornaments, generally items in a 3 dimensional form the tool does better than with panel art. Despite this understand I am comparing what is still a very useful tool in a useful application to its best optimal use.

Features And Practicality

Its speed can be controlled from 5,000 rpm to 22,000 rpm with an adjustment of a dial. If you have used any dremel tool before then you will be accustomed to this feature. In principle this is no different. Where the dial is at though is what I like. It is on the back end of the tool so it is less likely to be bumped by accident.

The cord is nice in that at least it is 6ft long. I hate short cords and for me 6ft is a minimum. Anyone who has a shop knows there are never enough plug ins for power no matter how many you install. Where you need it to run is not always as close by as you would like to a power source. On the bench it is perfect as there is more than enough cord to let you move around the object at hand.

One of the surprising features is how quiet it is. This I love. Its bad enough wearing glasses plus mask then to have hearing protection to add is a pain. Obviously depending on the nature of your work when bit is applied to material hearing protection may still be needed. Nevertheless if it is needed it is not because of the whining motor sound of the tool. A baby could sleep in the room with this thing running.

The locking mechanism is not really any different from most other Dremels or hand tools we are already acquainted with. It does the job. More importantly the Dremel Stylo is compatible with other dremel bits. This too is often a standard with a few exceptions to the rule over time.

In short its clean, slim, and built for its singular purpose that it does very well. As a starting tool for wood art it really does not get better for an engraver. At its price one really cannot go wrong and as the brushed motor will eventually go out as all do, its a cheap throw away and replace.

Corded Vs Battery Powered Options

I understand the appeal of a battery powered tool. In fact when it comes to cordless drills I would not have it any other way. Saws today can come cordless as well and yes for general construction they can do wonders. My choice of cord vs battery power comes down to the application.

Let me explain the problems with battery power and why it is an issue with wood art. A freshly charged battery will work perfectly. Yet as the battery depletes it will reach a point where voltage begins to sag. This voltage sag will begin to impact the quality of your work when bit meets material.

This issue goes back to the very beginning of this article when I was speaking to the Dremel Stylo being able to maintain its high rpm. Although we may never use 22,000 rpm it can hold its speed when applied properly. The reasons for corded power supply is a lot more than just the battery going dead. That is merely an annoying inconvenience.

Battery powered tools such as drills or saws when used in general applications or construction have little to no impact upon the project as voltage sag happens. In fact you may notice the drill or saw slowing a little as it bites in and you know it is almost time for a battery change. Yet you keep going with no consequence.

In terms of wood art this is not the case. To keep the work consistent the supply of power must be constant. Likewise the tool itself must perform to standards all the time. We become accustomed to the feel of that tool and what it is doing. This feel is what our muscle memory learns while working on projects and we depend on that reliability.

There is nothing worse than making it halfway through a project to look back and see where the battery began to sag in power. This creates inconsistency in our wood art. I do not want to anticipate or watch for that moment when I must adjust my methods of application across my work. Perhaps I am just picky over small nuances yet I can see a difference.

Much of what will determine the choice between the Dremel Stylo and other options can be features such as battery or corded power. To each their own. Nevertheless for me the Stylo is a must have in the shop. No it is not the be all end all of hand tools, yet I do not know of a single tool that is.