I'm looking for some advice on a power carver to gift my husband for Father's Day! He really appreciates high-quality tools for his detailed hobbies, but he can be a bit frugal, so I'm hoping to find the best option within reason. I'm considering either an Arbortech (not sure which model) or the Proxxon MSG. Has anyone had experience with these tools? Also, if you know of any good rotary carving tools made in Germany or Japan, please share! Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
I’ve always had my eye on an Arbortech, but after researching, they seem a bit overpriced—just a fancy angle grinder if you ask me. If your husband does a lot of power carving already, maybe look into a quality angle grinder along with Saburrtooth discs instead. It really depends on what type of work he does. For rougher stuff, the Arbortech Turbo Scraper is a good choice, while something like a 50mm Arbortech is better for detail work. Just make sure to check with him first, so you don’t end up with a tool he won’t use! Also, a lot of good woodworking tools from Japan and Germany might not be made for power carving specifically. Power carving tools are more common in places like the US or Vietnam.
Arbortech is known for quality, but remember there are other brands. Kutzall makes fantastic accessories, especially their shaping discs that work well with angle grinders. Just a heads up, consider dust collection tools too—having a leaf blower or a good vacuum along with safety gear like masks and face shields is definitely important!
The choice really depends on the size of the projects he usually tackles. For lighter projects, Ryobi has a decent power carver, and Flexcut offers a variety of blades. But if he’s working on something larger, an angle grinder is going to serve him better with the right attachments. Amazon has a ton of options for different grinder blades you could check out.