Rotary tools are portable power tools that can be corded or cordless, with variable speed and interchangeable bits for tasks such as carving, cutting, grinding, polishing, and sanding. A flex shaft accessory can provide greater precision and prevent hand fatigue. Manufacturers offer product lines with varying rpm ranges and specialized variations for specific tasks.
Power tools are tools powered by rechargeable batteries, electric motors, petrol engines or compressed air engines. They can be corded or cordless, and can involve a variety of motions in the moving parts, including sideways, up and down motions, and other more complicated combinations of motions. Among them are a group of portable tools that have a rotational motion. A member of this subset is called a rotary tool.
There are several ways that rotary tools vary. There are usually corded and cordless models. They can also have a variable speed or speeds and come with a variety of speed, amp and voltage settings. Typically, manufacturers offer a product line with several variations.
Even when manufacturers offer products that look somewhat similar, rotary tools may not be comparable. For example, a variable speed drill from Chicago Power Tools has speeds from 8000 to 20,000 rpm, while one from Dremel offers 5000 to 35,000 rpm and the Clarke model offers 10,000 to 33,000 rpm. The rpm range offered by the three drills goes from a minimum of 12,000 to a maximum of 30,000 rpm, over double a range to choose from.
A rotary tool may be made to perform a single task, or it may have interchangeable bits, supplied or purchasable, which broaden its range of use. Tasks that rotary tools do well include carving, cutting, grinding, polishing, and sanding, but there are many optimized variations available. For example, you might purchase a specialty bit or specialized rotary tool for grooming your dog, carving a pumpkin, etching glass, cleaning rust or corrosion, removing grout, cleaning golf equipment, cutting laminate, carving stone, etching metal, polishing gems, sharpening a chainsaw, sanding wood, trimming circles, sharpening lawn tools, not to mention drilling, polishing, and abrading.
One accessory that can make a big difference in both the feel and operation of a rotary tool is a flex shaft. A flex shaft is a flexible rotating tool that separates the weight of the engine from the operation of the bit. This allows for more precise operation in small spaces, but also provides greater precision in delicate operations, as well as helping to prevent hand fatigue. Flexible shafts can be fitted, but are not made for all rotary tool designs.
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