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WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft?
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Popularity Score: 39
This product was mentioned in 47 comments, with an average of 1.55 upvotes
Best Comments
Aaah gotcha, I see that now. Yeah that is kind of strange that they're all off like that.
As far as the Dremel goes, it's a great tool to have as it can do so many different things. Here is a Wen brand rotary tool that's very similar to Dremel for only $20 on Amazon. If it's something you're not going to use constantly, there's no point in spending the $100+ on Dremel when this will work. As Adam Savage said, buy the cheapest version of the tool you need. If you use it enough to break it, then buy the good one.
Look at the WEN kit on amazon. I got one last week for $20 and it came with the snake attachment to let you use it like a pen in your hand. Takes the same tools as a Dremel and even has speed control. [link]
Nice work dude. Maybe you have a Dremel already and just didn’t feel like using it, but if not this Wen kit is awesome, especially for $20. I have some really nice Dremel gear but these days I just grab the Wen for small jobs like trimming a mouse shell. It cuts through plastic like butter.
100%, cheapie but goodie. The WEN rotary tool w/ extension. Then, get a huge kit of accessories to go with it. Have had mine for years and dollar for dollar I’m very impressed.
On Amazon the Wen 2305 and up have pretty good reviews. Same with the Black And Decker one you suggested.
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link]
Are the collets universal?
Thanks for the help.
I just recently got this WEN rotary tool kit, and Iove it. I'm new to wood carving too, and this is really helping me produce better projects. I can go between the tool amd the knifes and make the cuts and shapes that I want. A total game changer for me, and at around $20, you do get a big bang for your buck, for sure.
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link]
I just used this one:
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link]
The discs used for cutting don't seem like much, and I had one or two of them break while cutting (they give you a bunch), but they do the job and it only took me a couple minutes per stick base. Just make sure you do it outside or somewhere you don't mind bits of plastic flying around. I'd also recommend eye protection for the same reason, since you're gonna to be looking closely at the base to ensure you don't cut away too much of it.
The WEN 2305 is/used to be a solid, popular recommendation as an 'entry level dremel replacement' and it's what I own. It retails for about 20 bucks so I was comfortable buying it and just replacing it down the line when it stops meeting my needs.
That said, I've found that a few of the attachments are a bit hit-or-miss--sanding disks in particular require a bit of finagling to stay in place properly instead of tearing out, though it may also be that I'm not using them properly--it occurs to me that I never watched a video to make sure I did it properly. But regardless, I've been using it here and there over the months I've owned it for some small tasks and have not yet felt the need to upgrade.
This tool [link] was highly recommended as a cheap alternative and I purchased it a few years ago. It is compatible with all dremel attachments and comes with a flex handle which is nice. Using this with various sanding attachments which you can get in bulk from eBay and aliexpress should be a good place to start. I'd recommend flap wheels and felt sanding wheels. But honestly there are tons of options to try.
After looking at the listing, the other slightly more expensive options might be even better. But the basic one works well.
4.5 starts with more than 7500 reviews. I think you should be more than fine with this. Dremel bits wear out. Expect to go through a few if you're using it a lot, but the tool should last.
I like it raw like u/overlyapologeticguy.
I don't really have any funny stories about that type "cough" protection.
Other protection related story. Was trying to tan before going on a date one time. Didn't think I would need any tanning lotion or anything like that. Well the employee recommended I try the lowest strength bed for 10 minutes... so I did. Holy shit. I was fine for about an hour and then it started. I was so freaking red all over my entire body. I'm a ginger so I burn really easily. Even the inside of my ears was bright red. It was so bad that my freckles all turned this weird shade of green. I spent the next several hours in a bathtub full of cool water and baking soda. It took about a week before my entire body peeled off in giant disgusting chunks of skin. So painful.
Long story short, I've accepted that I come in two shades. Snow white and tomato red.
I've been wanting this rotary tool kit so I can hopefully fix some small rust spots on my car before they spread any more.
Thanks for the contest.
I use the pink bits that came with this knockoff dremel on low settings(around 2). Any similar bits should work for taking that first layer down. edit: the link was wrong, changed it
I mean a rotary tool is honestly one of the most useful things I've ever bought and not just for airsoft. I use this and it has served me well. But to answer your question, I'm pretty sure a file is the only way to go.
I had an old Dremel and when I replaced it I bought this. No idea how it costs less than $20 shipped. The flex cable pays for itself with the convenience. It's useful for a bunch of other things around the house too.
Edit : Dremel is a name brand for a specific handheld rotary tool. Any rotary tool should work.
I bought mine because it came with a case and had a nice speed adjustment.
Can't really say I'd recommend a Dremel to anyone though. Don't really think they outperform the cheaper alternatives considering how much more they cost.
For instance I paid more for the Dremel flexible shaft than this entire kit.
Yeah, I've done this on a few pieces with a crap rotary tool I bought off of Amazon. Works pretty darn well actually.
This one actually... I say crap because it is pretty cheap but it has actually worked just as well if not better than my wife's Dremel. [link]
It's great. It's powerful enough to drill holes or cut off pieces. You can also use it to rough sand something down to size or whatnot. The cost is less than some HGs so it is worth the investment.
All parts sourced from 80PBuilder, besides optic, cannot recommend them enough. Took around 10 days to receive everything and I didn't have any flaws outside of what is to be expected for a P80 build. Still waiting on suppressor height sights but I was able to get 100rds through it today with no malfunctions and I was hoping to share my excitement.
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**Disclaimer** I am by no means an expert, and I know someone is going to bust my balls for "tHaT's NoT qUaLiTy." The elitism I see sometimes is slightly off putting. If it goes bang it is accomplishing it's designed task.
If you are like me and only plan on doing one of these, or just trying to dip your toes, this is doable with bare minimal tool investment as long as you are willing to sacrifice a little time to save some cash. I recently moved cross country and am yet to get all of my tools shipped down here, so I went at it with what I thought would be sufficient, and I believe I achieved a quality finished product
I love MGB and P80Ralph's content, but there is absolutely no need to go hog wild on tools unless this is something you see yourself seriously getting in to. I used a hand drill, (where most of your tool investment should go if you do not already have one), a cheapo depot Rotary tool from amazon, the cheapest burr bits I could find, some harbor freight hand files, Watchmaker's hammer, Punches, and cheap wet/dry sandpaper.
Upon first receiving your frame and jig, although it says not to, go ahead and open it up and ensure that it is in there as snug as possible, pressing firmly along the edges of the frame to ensure it is in place. Once you have done this clamp the jig back together and either tape the seams to ensure that it remains completely closed in square, or honestly just place your other hand on the jig applying downward pressure across the jig to ensure it remains closed. Take the provided bit and chuck the bit all the way up to the beginning of the flute. This will prevent you from drilling into the other side, as well as minimize the room for play in the drill. Set your drill to the slowest drill speed (usually 1 or 2) and push the drill into the jig hole. Once there, full throttle the drill, stopping if you see any appreciable amount of red in your chaff. Once drilled through the surface, stop the drill and remove it. This should leave you with crisp, tight holes, tight enough you may need to later reinsert the drill bit and spin by hand just to get a little more space to get your pins to a more desirable tension. Repeat this for all 6 holes.
When it comes to tab removal, the name of the game is low and slow. Like I said we are trading saving money in exchange for a little bit of our time. Take the rotary tool and a flat sided burr bit and slowly begin to walk to tab down towards the frame, getting as close as you feel comfortable, but do not get too greedy. During this entire process remember it is a million times easier to remove more polymer than it is to add some back. Repeat this process for all 4 tabs. Now that you have the nubs of the tabs left (I took mine down to roughly 1/16") grab the flat hand file and just begin slowly chipping away at that material until you are flush with the frame. Remember files only cut in one direction, but these are so cheap you won't regret it forever if you were to ruin one. Repeat this for all 4 tabs until you start to see where the tab is flush with the frame, depending on your frame color there is a definitive difference between the tab material and the finished top of the frame. At this point to get a clean finish, begin progressing through your sandpaper grits wet sanding the areas where the tabs previously were. If you don't have a sanding block just take that same straight file you had before and wrap a piece of sandpaper around that.
Last is the recoil spring assembly area. This is where the cheapo depot rotary tool really shines. Using the attached wand and a burr bit, approach the RSA from the front of the frame and slowly whittle down at the outlined area. Tracing the U with a sharpie really makes it easy to "cut between the lines" if you will. Using the same principle as the slide tabs, get as close as you feel comfortable, but remember big whoopsie daisies here could brick the whole frame. Once you are close, use your assorted files to get the puppy clean. Don't try to file rounded angles with a flat file, all you'll make is really gnarly gouges. This took a decent bit of time so I just turned on a podcast and sat in the garage giving it hell until it was done. Now at this point I believe the RSA is more than adequate, but by progressing through the sandpaper process once again you will be able to get a extremely smooth finish, ensuring now spring hang ups. The area you cleared out will be chalky in comparison, if you really care take your finest grit sandpaper and a drop of gun oil and give it a few quick passes, it'll shine up in no time.
Preparing the frame is by far the most "difficult" part of the entire process. I believe I probably had 2-3 hours in preparing the frame to accept parts. Your due diligence will pay off though when you slap everything together and experience no major difficulties. Remember when assembling that there are so many variables at play in the construction of this firearm that no amount of QC by any party could ensure 100% accuracy.
Take your time, remember when it's all said and done you are going to put live ammunition inside of what you are building.
This is the way
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link]
Got everything from amazon. Went with this dremel since it came with the polish wheels. This add-on item polish. And these for safety. (And to meet the minimum for the add-on item.)
With 0 dremel experience, it was still easy. Didn't even mess up the glass, but I'd already upgraded mine to sapphire so I can only speak for that.
Tools:
Tamiya extra thin cement (doesn't stick to everything)
Superglue (does stick to everything, but fogs up clear/glossy plastic)
A decent pair of wire cutters
(Optional) Knock off dremel + some decent attachments + safety goggles
X-acto knife, ruler for styrene sheets
Parts:
Any electronic junk you can take apart
.04 styrene sheets for structure (watch Adam Savage's video on kitbashing)
Popsicle sticks or coffee stirrers for a skeleton
LEGO, erector set, K'nex, etc (thrift stores often have knock offs, which are often better because they're harder to recognize)
Wire, spark plugs, keys, bottle caps, nails, and other household junk
Small plastic containers
I'ma just leave this here: [link]
Did you click that link or this one >click here ma boy
Already went with a cheaper one this one
Thanks! Just keep the damn thing moving! When a rotating bit sits in one place to long it will create happy little accidents.
edit: that particular tool is on amazon.
Just saying, rotary tools are very cheap. Props for modding though!
Wen 2305 Rotary Tool Kit With Flex Shaft [link] this one?
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link]. ...Worth every penny
Got a cheap one off Amazon (this one)..... Definitely going to go slow
I use this to file away the parts over gums
If there are still any sharp parts I put dental wax over them
You realistically only need two tools and that's a rotary/dremel plus a flex shaft, and a hand drill. There's a 20 dollar unit that's great for beginner or my personal recommendation which is a black and decker and dremel rotary bit. You could technically use the rotary for drilling holes but I'd highly recommend against it. This is all assuming you have a bench vise. These tools aren't specialist tools. You'll find a bunch of uses for them so it's nice to have.
The wen kit on amazon comes with a flex shaft and is $23 shipped. Good piece of kit for that price and will last way longer than whatever this is. [link]
You'll need to buy a new trigger but you will be able to put a cylinder drop in into this gearbox. If the spartan triggerboard does not fit because of a certain pin (like mine did) you can dremel anything thats in the way. Here's a trigger and here's the cheap dremel i used to fit the board in.
Don't know if you have a rotary tool already, but I just ordered this one from Amazon. Great reviews and wildly cheap.
Personally I ordered this one and it's been fine. Granted I am not using the tool a great deal.
WEN 2305 Rotary Tool Kit with Flex Shaft [link] I got this one for 20 bucks and it works perfectly.
I have this tool. It has a speed control, so I turn it to slow (ish) for drilling. It has a flex shaft so you can hold the tool end a bit more like a pencil or brush when working. I've used it for cutting and sanding/filing as well as drilling.
I had to buy some extra collets to hold my smaller drill bits.
I will say however that most of what I use it on are metal models (I'm an old-hammerer) and like others have said a hand turned drill may be fine on plastics.
im thinking of getting this one. it looks like a fairly inexpensive kit that isnt tooo cheaply made [link]
I bought this when my Dremel shit the best. I've carved the shoulders off Gold Dollars with it without problems.
I have this one, it's pretty good for the price. [link]
Don't bother. I got a nice rotary tool from Amazon for less than 20 bucks! [link]
I bought this for less than 20 bucks and have been very happy with it.
Great way to see if it's what you need!
Edit: Is there a good way to sand a big board with a rotary tool, or am I better off doing it by hand?
Can I use a rotary tool/dremel to sand a ~2'x4' board more efficiently than by hand?
I need to sand down a new top for a desk. I could do it by hand, but I've been eyeing this, thinking this project might be a good excuse to buy it.
With a rotary tool, what would I need to attach for sanding a largish piece of wood? I've never used one before.