Using power tools to carve wood offers several advantages over carving with hand tools. It removes wood quicker and with more precision, minimizes wood splintering or fractures, gives you greater control, and eliminates the need for sharpening, among many other advantages.
Power carving has grown in popularity over recent years. It has allowed carvers to create delicate designs and carve intricate details that would be very hard using traditional tools. If you’re looking for the best power carving tools to start your journey, you’re in the right place.
Our Best Power Wood Carving Tools
- Best Flexible Shaft Machine: Foredom K-8301
- Best Micro Motor Machines: Dremel 4300
- Cordless Dremel Option: Dremel 8220
- Best Reciprocating Carver: AUTOMACH Power Carver
- Best Angle Grinder for Wood Carving: ARBORTECH Mini Carver
Best Flexible Shaft Machine
Foredom K-8301
The Foredom K-8301 is one of our best wood power carving tools available. It is easier to use and runs quietly and smoothly. It is a powerful machine that does its job the right way. If you're looking for a great rotary tool, you can't do better than a Foredom.
The Foredom K-8301 is a hang-up style flexible shaft machine that can unclutter your workbench. The K-8301 is very easy to use and should take your carving to another level. The handpiece is very comfortable, and the foot pedal is very responsive. It runs at both forward and reverses speeds for up to 18,000 RPM.
The motor of the Foredom K-8301 runs smoothly and quietly and is powerful. Apart from all these, there are a lot of optional parts and replacements you can buy. The availability of parts makes it easier to customize the K-8301 to what works for you. Overall, this is one of the best wood power carving tools you’ll need. Apart from wood, the K-8301 is great for polishing jewelry and other materials.
Best Micro Motor Machines
Dremel 4300
If you're looking to get started in power carving, the Dremel 4300 is beginner friendly and has many accessories to help you get started. It's great for carving smaller wood carvings, detail work, and texturing. Apart from wood carving, the tool can also serve many other purposes.
The Dremel 4300 rotary kit comes with many accessories, which for a beginner, is very welcome. If you’re starting in power carving, you’ll have a good number of bits and bobs at your disposal. The Dremel 4300 has a powerful motor and intuitive controls and works as described.
The 4300 comes with a variable speed of 5000 RPM to 35000 RPM. It runs fine even at the highest speed, but you’ll sometimes have vibrations. The handpiece has a little weight, but at higher speeds, it feels very stable. Everything about the Dremel 4300 can be replaced, including the brushes available on Dremel’s website.
Dremel 8220
If you're looking for a portable Dremel to move around, the 8220 is your best pick. It is a versatile rotary tool that keeps the power high. It has a decent battery life, and you can get an extra standby battery just in case. Overall it is a cordless rotary tool worth checking out.
The Dremel 8220 has all the functionalities and features of a corded model minus the restrictions you’ll get if it has a cord. This is the tool for working on small wood power carving projects or bobby work. Its battery takes about an hour to charge fully and lasts 30 -40 minutes. For better convenience, you can purchase extra batteries to continue working while others charge.
Like the Dremel 4300, the 8220 has a variable speed of 5000 – 35000 RPM. The handpiece is smooth when working quietly. Although it is bigger and runs warmer, it is comfortable to use. The speeds are easily adjustable without much strain. A number of replacement heads are provided, which are very easy to remove and replace. Overall, this is a great tool to have in your arsenal.
Check out the Best Dremels for Wood Carving.
Best Reciprocating Carver
AUTOMACH Power Carver
The Automach is one of the best power tools you can use. It is easier to use, and you can easily carve through the hardest woods. It comes with five interchangeable blades. It gives the impression of using hand tools without the stress on your hands, wrists, and arms.
The Automatic reciprocating power carver is one of the best power carving tools. The reciprocation action of the Automach can easily help you carve through the toughest woods even without worrying about the direction of the grain. For someone who has carved using manual hand-carving tools, the Automach makes it easier to carve and reduces the time spent by more than half.
The Automatic power carver comes with five blades, and you can get replacement blades, although they are costly. You can use cheaper blade alternatives with the Automatic FLEX-CUT POWER DETAIL GOUGES or FLEXCUT RG100, and automach adapters to fit the gouges into the auto carver.
Best Angle Grinder for Wood Carving
ARBORTECH Mini Carver
This is your best pick if you're looking for a wood carving tool that can remove wood faster or sand it. The Arbortech angle grinder mini carver is great for roughing out wood and sanding wood carvings for a good finish. It also makes great tools for shaping bowls, wood sculptures, and relief carvings.
Angle grinders are great for roughing out, sanding, or removing a larger quantity of wood quickly and efficiently. The Biotech mini carver angle grinder is specifically made for wood carvers. It is comfortable to use, and the handle has been improved to reduce vibrations and give a carver more control. It runs on variable speed, and you can adjust the RPM for what works best.
One thing I would like to change about the mini carver is the system of changing the disks. They should atleast use the same Allen wrench size rather than different ones. The mini carver includes a vacuum attachment to collect dust and wood chips while sanding or roughing out. Overall, the ARBORTECH Mini Carver is a great addition to help a wood power carver work easily and efficiently.
Types of Power Carving Tools
Flexible Shaft Machines
Like the Foredom K-8301 on our list, flexible shaft machines (or pendant motors in the UK) are used mainly in power carving. If you’re looking to build your power carving hobby or profession, we recommend investing in a flexible shaft machine. A flexible shaft machine consists of an enclosed drive motor that attaches to a flexible shaft. A handpiece is attached to the shaft and connects it to the bit or bur in a collet on the other end.
Foredom SR
There are benchtops and hanging flexible shaft machines. Most power carvers prefer a hanging unit because it frees up space on the workbench. A foot pedal or dial is used to control the speed of a flexible shaft machine.
Micro Motor Machines
Micromotor machines are primarily used for detailing and texturing a carving. This is what you’ll get if you’re looking to create highly detailed texture characteristics on wood carving. Compared to flexible shaft machines, they do not have high torque and thus cannot be used for roughing out larger carvings.
Dremel 4300 and Accessories
Although the handpieces of micro motors might look heavier than the handpieces of flexible shaft machines, they are smaller and lighter. This makes micro motors easier to control and best for long sessions.
Other Power Carving Tools
The flexible shaft and micro motors machines are the most common tools you’ll need as a power carver. However, as a wood carver, you will require other types of power tools for specific needs. Below are other tools employed by power carvers to make work easier.
- Angle Grinders – Angle grinders in wood carving are used to remove a large quantity of wood quickly and efficiently. Using an angle grinder requires the use of both hands. A clamp is required to secure the carving when working on it.
- Reciprocating Carvers – These self-contained units use interchangeable chisels or gouges to remove wood. Reciprocating carvers allow you to produce a tooled surface similar to what is produced by traditional hand tools with less effort. You can get a reciprocating handpiece if you have a flexible shaft machine. This can simulate a reciprocating handpiece function at a lower price.
Rotary vs. Oscillating
Rotary power carving tools are the ones used mostly in power carving. A rotary tool comes with an interchangeable tip to attach different bits or burs for grinding or sanding. Rotary tools are great for small wood carvings. They are very precise and also great for carving out small details.
Cordless dremels. The 8220 and his Little Brother
Oscillating tools are designed to spin rapidly. They are useful for a number of purposes, such as grinding, sanding, and cutting larger objects. When carving larger objects, oscillating power tools might have an advantage over rotary tools.
Power Carving Bits
Different power carving bits are offered in different sizes, shapes, and materials. Bits are also referred to as burs, carvers, stones, cutters, or disks. Power carving bits all perform the same operation – removing wood.
Depending on the bit size and shape, you can remove wood faster, carve delicate details, or finish up a wood carving. To help choose the right bit for the right job, ask yourself the question below:
- How fast do you want to remove wood?
- How much wood do you want to remove?
- How smooth do you want the finished surface?
- Which size or shape is right for the job?
To help you choose the right bit, check out our wood carving bit guide.
Safety When Power Carving
Safety should be one of the first considerations when working with power carving tools. In power carving, tools don’t pose a huge danger, and it is the quiet but deadly ones – dust inhalation and fire hazard from improper dust collection and disposal.
Dust
Dust inhalation is the biggest disadvantage and risk in power carving. When cutting, grinding, or sanding, you’ll generate small wood particles that will remain in the air when inhaled and cause respiratory problems, allergic reactions, and long-term risks, such as throat and lung cancer. Exotic hardwoods are more dangerous, and dust control should be taken seriously.
A good dust collection system works by pulling the air and dust particles. These are then passed through a filter that traps the particles and releases clean air. Dust collection systems come in different sizes and costs. There are portable ones or larger ones that are incorporated into your workstation.
Apart from dust control systems, you can also use a dust mask. When choosing a dust mask, ensure it offers enough protection and is comfortable for long power carving sessions.
Eye Protection
Besides dust collection, wearing safety glasses will protect your eyes from flying debris. When power carving burrs rotate, they usually turn towards your face and will therefore repel articles in the same direction. Safety glasses should protect you from dust and wood particles and also particles of metals from the burs.
