Dremel is a fast moving company and continues to come out with new products much sooner than other companies I have seen in the past for their rotary, Multi-Max, Saw-Max and Trio tools. I receive new products and samples of accessories including a rotary tool shield that includes a new EZ Lock Mandrel and some other bits that are commonly used with the Dremel tool.
The Dremel Shield is the perfect companion to your Dremel rotary tool and really helps with that spark fly off you get when cutting metal. It also protects you from slivers of wood and plastic when cutting those materials, many times I have been cutting and wishing for just this type of protection.
I always have eyeglasses on that are eye protection from flying debris but I would like to not scratch my glasses when doing simple jobs like drilling and cutting small objects. The Dremel Shield is an easy to use and always on device to protect any user and does not require any finding or remembering where you put it.
The shield replaces the housing cap that is screwed onto the front of several of the rotary tools around the bit of the tools where several different attachments connect to the tool. The screw on part of the shield fits tight while the clear plastic shield itself rotates around the screw on piece but is slightly tight so it stays where you twist it.
The shield itself is two inches wide and sticks out an inch and a half from the screw on piece so it protects pretty well when using your rotary tool. The shield may not protrude far enough if you use a chuck and do not have the bits or cutting wheels fully seated in the chuck.
The Shield does give you at least some protection even if the blade or bit is not behind it so you do get protected from flying debris but the sparks from cutting metal is the main reason to use it. The shield does an excellent job of having most of the sparks flying off of metal cutting so you don’t have to worry about debris hitting your face.
The Dremel Shield and the Dremel Chuck are the two main things I recommend when buying any of the Dremel rotary tools no matter what you use the tools for. Dremel has also recently started releasing a new type of cutting and sanding mandrel called EZ Lock that allows easy removal and installation of cutting wheels, sanding discs and wheels.
The EZ Lock uses a spring loaded mandrel with a pull down collar and hour glass shaped end that holds the disc or wheel on the mandrel. The disc or wheel is held in place due to the shape of the part you pull back and the hole shape of each wheel or disc that installs by pulling back the collar on the mandrel.
The EZ Lock is just what this DIYer and crafter was looking for when trying to cut and grind his way through the many projects using mostly cutting wheels. I have done a lot of projects using cutting wheels and was pleased to see Dremel design an easy way to put wheels on a mandrel a lot quicker than those small screws.
The EZ Lock comes as the single mandrel in a package with a cutting wheel or a couple of other accessory packs like the one with the Dremel Shield. Dremel now sells a wide variety of cutting wheels, sanding discs and a diamond sanding wheel for the EZ Lock mandrel which works extremely well.
One hint for using the EZ Lock mandrel is to put the mandrel into the chuck or collet and tighten down the chuck or collet before putting a wheel or disc on the mandrel. This way the rotary tool holds the mandrel while you’re trying to pull down the collar for an easy way to install the cutting wheel or disc your trying to use.
The other accessories I received from Dremel are some blades for the Dremel Multi-Max oscillating tool, Dremel has some new blades for their tool that makes do it yourself jobs quick and easy. The blades complete the lineup of wood and metal cutting for the oscillating tool whether you have the battery or corded version of the Dremel Multi-Max.
The Dremel Multi-Max makes quick work of jobs like trim work around doors and windows using the oscillating bladed tool that cuts and scrapes using a variety of blades. The oscillating blade rotates 1.5 degrees to each side for a slight back and forth action that translates into a fantastic cutting and scraping tool.
Oscillating tools give you a new way to cut at odd angles and in tight spaces like between joists and flush to floors like installing trim around doors and windows or scraping tile off a floor. The Dremel Multi-Max oscillating tool has a quick change aspect unlike other oscillating tools where you don’t have to remove the nut holding the blade on.
The blades and scrapers have a slot instead of a hole to make replacing blades quicker and you have much less of a chance to lose the screw that holds the blade on. I really like the Dremel Multi-Max and the new blades give even more versatility to this handy tool for use around the home and in the garage.
The new blades give you more choice when choosing the blades you need for a particular job from a wide assortment of toothed blades for cutting that I received. Dremel has also come out with some impressive looking blades including a cutting knife and a Multi-Flex blade that makes detailed cuts.
Dremel has not just designed tools and then moved on to the next big tool, they continue to develop and make all their products better even years after. Check out the new Dremel accessories at their website which can be purchased through the site or at several home improvement and other stores like Wal-Mart.
Dremel Website
