Dremel Tools Take Fine Art to New Heights

With 14 years of experience in the art of wood carving, Paul Cottle of London, Ontario, Canada, recently decided to put his creative process on display and set up shop in a local Rona hardware store so shoppers can watch him work. Cottle good-naturedly admits that his project is hard to miss – he is bringing the local Thames River to life by carving its history into a 21-foot tall White Ash tree.

“Carving into such an enormous and irregular surface has tested me and the Dremel tools I’m using to the limit,” said Cottle. “There is no perspective and the curved surface makes it extremely challenging.”

Cottle finds that the Dremel 300 Variable Speed or Dremel 400 Series XPR rotary tools will do the work but has completed much of his work using the Dremel Advantage rotary saw (available only in Canada).

“As an artist and Dremel product demonstrator, I’ve found that Dremel tools are affordable and the bits are easy to change,” said Cottle. “Dremel gives users the building blocks they need for accomplishing any creative endeavor they desire. The rest of the creative process develops with practice.”

Dremel tools have aided Cottle in authenticating his carvings from rough wood to precise pieces of art. He likes to test the tools’ capabilities and was able to do so to an extreme degree during this project, one he refers to as the “most significant, largest and most challenging” design he has taken on thus far.

Once the tree is finished it will travel to Ottawa for the 25th anniversary celebration of Canadian Heritage Rivers Systems before residing permanently in the Covent Garden Market in London.

For more information on Cottle’s artistic wood designs, visit www.wood-spiritdesign.com.

Featured Product – Dremel Engraver

If you know any students going off to school this fall and want to make sure they come back with all their loot, the Dremel Engraver is a great tool to use for personalizing kids’ back-to-school items. By engraving important supplies with names and contact information, items are easier to recover if lost. The Dremel Engraver can also be used to personalize valuables at home and to decorate a wide variety of materials, including metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, wood and leather.

The tool features a soft-grip body, light and ergonomic design, replaceable carbide engraving point and variable stroke control that allows users to etch fine lines or deep grooves. A letter and number template is included in the kit to help users etch words and numbers using the 9924 Carbide Point. The kit retails for $24.99 at select hardware and home improvement centers nationwide. An optional 9929 Diamond Point can be purchased separately for heavy-duty use on hard surfaces.

Expert Advice – Routing

Router bits are used for creating customized edges and grooves in wood and other soft materials, and for making decorative items such as letter signs and picture frames. All Dremel router bits have an 1/8-inch shank and should always be used in the 335-01 Plunge Router Attachment or the 231 Shaper/Router Table because of their aggressive nature.

Piloted Beading Router Bits (612, 615, 618)
These bits are designed to work only on the edge of the wood. They can be used to create decorative edges on various wood items. Never try to use these bits to carve down the center of a board; you’ll end up burning the pilot off the bit.

Straight Router Bits (650, 652, 654)
Straight bits have a flat bottom and can be used for routing down the center or interior of a piece of wood. They can also be used for cutting square grooves and for leveling recessed areas. Choose a straight bit according to the channel width you wish to create.

Specialty Router Bits (617, 640, 655)
These bits have a much more specific goal, such as carving a V- or arc-shaped groove or creating a keyhole to hang a picture. They can be used for grooving, carving, lettering and other decorative shapes.

For best routing results, remember:

• The bits will be more effective with a less aggressive, more frequent pass.
• For best results, insert the bit all the way into the tool then back it out slightly before tightening down.
• Secure objects to a stable surface while working. (Try the Dremel Multi-Vise.)
• Increase tool speed if chattering occurs.

If you have additional questions, please contact the Dremel Experts via e-mail or 800.437.3635. We can be reached Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST.

Dremel News

Win a Dremel Engraver Kit

The Dremel brand is giving away eight Dremel Engraver Kits this month for readers who want to personalize their belongings. The kit includes letter and number templates to guide users who prefer not to free-hand their work. To enter the drawing, submit an e-mail with your name, shipping address (no P.O. boxes) and phone number in the body and “Dremel Engraver Kit” in the subject line. We’ll pick eight entries at random and announce the winners next month.

Congratulations

Thanks to everyone who entered last month’s eNewsletter giveaway – we had a lot of entries to pick from! Congratulations to the seven winners, chosen at random: Lewis Callahan, Olean, NY; Bruce Fischer, Sykesville, MD; Virginia McTeague, West Chester, PA; Herb Johnston, Nisswa, MN; Ted Deen, Jacksonville, IL; Evelyn Incze, North Ft. Myers, FL; and Jim Agin, Cincinnati, OH. Each winner will receive a Dremel 10.8 Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless rotary tool kit – a perfect solution for portable or outdoor projects this summer.

Stay tuned for more Dremel news this year!

Safety reminder: When working with Dremel brand or any other power tool, always wear eye protection and a dust mask, and read and understand the owner’s manual prior to using.