Review: RAM grinder/carver rotary tool

[x88x]

After I burned out the motor on my Dremel 400 XPR, I decided to get something a little more powerful for the heavy work I'm doing. What I really wanted was a Foredom TX model (http://www.foredom.com/foundations/store/scresults.asp?category=45), but I didn't really want to spend quite that much... So I found this (http://www.amazon.com/Grinder-Carver-inch-flexible-shaft/dp/B0002JF5EA/ref=sr_11_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1236914024&sr=11-1) on Amazon. 1/3 HP, 5/32" chuck instead of a collet..seems pretty good. Well, I couldn't find any reviews of it online, so let's fix that :D
(note to mods: if this is in the wrong place, feel free to move it)

Yay, flex-shaft-power-tool-thingy got here!
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq3/x13931x/mightyMite_58.jpg

Unpacked:
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq3/x13931x/mightyMite_59.jpg

Not quite as big as I was expecting for a 1/3 HP motor, but ok.

Construction quality isn't quite as good as a Dremel, but that was rather to be expected. The chuck means that I can use any Dremel accessories, or anything else for that matter, as long as it's on a 5/32" or smaller bit.

In initial testing, it seems to be pretty solid; it doesn't bind at all when I take a cut-off wheel to some 1/4" steel angle I'm cutting, which I had to go really light on with my XPR. Unfortunately, the handpiece is a lot thicker than the handpiece on the Dremel flex-shaft attachment, so I can't do detail work as easily with it. Also, because of the all-metal construction of the handpiece, under continuous use, it warms up as a result of the friction inside.
http://i428.photobucket.com/albums/qq3/x13931x/mightyMite_62.jpg

The foot-pedal speed control feels a little cheap, but will be nice to have hands-free control of the tool. It has a screw in place to set the maximum speed, but in initial testing, it's annoying for anything slower than the placement of the maximum speed.

So, in conclusion, it's a solid, powerful tool with middling-to-decent construction quality that will be good for heavy work, but for detail or delicate work, I'll want to use my Dremel once I get it back from repair.

I'll post further impressions as I continue using it.

[jdbnsn]

I'll move it up to the Reviews section, but it's probably good either place really. Nice new toy!

[x88x]

Ok, cool. I swear I looked for a reviews section...I must have somehow completely missed that :lick:

After further use, I have realized a couple things about switching to something like this. The base of this difference is that this thing has a LOT of torque. I mean, when I went from a Dremel 300 to a 400 XPR, I thought that had a lot of torque...no, no, no...compared to this thing, well, it's a HUGE difference. Because of this, there are certain attachments for Dremels that you do not want to use with something like this. Namely, cutting discs. I tried both 'heavy duty' and fiberglass reinforced cutting discs, and the 'heavy duty' ones cracked really quick. The fiberglass ones held up just fine....until the screw snapped... Yes, the screw that holds the cutting discs onto the Dremel attachment snapped because of the crazy torque this thing puts out....after only about 5 minutes of grinding. I'll be stopping at the hardware store tomorrow to try and find something that'll work, but long story short, using Dremel cut-off discs with something likes this is probably a bad idea.