Hey everyone! I have a Dremel 3000, which works fine for polishing and sanding, but I feel it's not powerful enough for routing, especially around edges. I'm considering getting a cordless compact router since I already have compatible 18v batteries. Can I use Dremel tools with routers? Also, are there different types of tool holding chucks in routers that I should know about?
2 Answers
You're definitely right to consider the risks with a cordless router. It might not be worth it if you're after solid performance.
I’ve tried a cordless router and honestly, I wasn’t impressed. It felt underpowered and awkwardly heavy for its size. The only useful thing it did was a small roundover on edges. If you're doing regular routing, I’d definitely recommend a quality corded router instead. For the same price, or even cheaper, you can get one that has enough power for most tasks. By the way, if I had to pick just one router, it wouldn’t be a compact since they only take 1/4" shank bits. You'll end up wanting 1/2" shanks for better performance.
I feel the same frustration with underpowered machines. Thanks for the info about the chucks; I thought that was just about pricing! Too bad neither router will hold my Dremel bits, which are 0.127 inch. Are there any adapters or hacks that could help with that?
I actually love my portable router! It handles 90% of my routing tasks just fine. It depends on what you’re using it for—if you’re into heavy woodworking, a corded model might be better, but for softening edges, it works like a charm for me. I’ve got a 1/2" roundover bit on all the time.