289
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #90,272 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★★★☆
A nice accessory-- with limitations
This is a valuable accessory for your Dremel tool, but it does have some limitations you need to recognize and live within.
It's good at cutting dadoes and doing edging, but not in hard woods. Rotary tools work at high speed, but with low torque. They just cannot churn their way through something like oak. Even with soft woods, it's best to make deep cuts in several shallow passes.
Deep cuts will generate considerable sawdust, which falls down into the tool. I can see that this could damage the tool over time. I deal with this issue by using my regular router for extensive dust-generating work. Again, you need to live within the limitations of your tool.
As with all rotary tool operations, sharp bits are essential. The high-speed, low-torque operation means that they, in effect, shave material away, much like a dentist's drill. If you try to just grind away, the tool will bog down and/or the bits will dull quickly. Unfortunately, the best Dremel brand router bits are VERY expensive. Cheap Brand-X bits work OK, but they wear out quickly. Dremel-brand bits last longer, but they're much more expensive. There's a line somewhere, and you'll have to judge for yourself where it is.
The router table itself is solid, well-designed, and easy to use. It seems to work best if you screw it to a piece of wood or MDF, then clamp that to your workbench or sawhorse.
To me, this accessory is worth the cost, but it does have limitations that you need to consider. I'm glad I bought it, and I'd do it again.
February 2007 · Tools and Home Improvement