Dremel Lithium-ion Cordless Rotary Tool (8200-1/28)

Dremel has long been synonymous with 'rotary tool' - people going into a hardware store are more likely to ask for a 'Dremel' than a 'rotary tool'. Which for Dremel must be kind of nice. Then maybe not, as they do make a number of other great power tools. Even though a number of other manufacturers have brought rotary tools to market, Dremel remains the standard by which all these tools are measured.

Just a short while ago Dremel brought out its newest corded rotary tool, the Dremel 4000. The 4000 is a fabulous tool for precise cutting, routing, sanding, grinding, or polishing of small stock. I've been using it for inlay routing; it's been a real time saver and the results have been perfect.

The new Dremel Lithium-ion Rotary Tool (8200-1/28) is a cordless counterpart to the 4000. There are some design changes on the 8200, but for all intents and purposes you're getting the same high level of quality as on the 4000. The 8200-1/28 kit contains the 8200 rotary tool, one 12V battery, charger, the #565 multipurpose cutting guide, wrench, 28 accessories, a hard shell storage case, and an instruction guide.

The 8200-1/28

You get a range of useful accessories

The big difference between the two models is, obviously, the power source. The 8200 uses a 12V 1.3Ah lithium-ion battery. While you might expect the Li-Ion battery to make the 8200 lighter than the 4000, it's actually about 4 ounces heavier. Still, at 22 ounces (with battery installed) this is a very light tool. The extra weight is the result of a beefier motor (as you can see in the photo below). With the 12V battery you get a long runtime. Recharging takes about 1 hour. I like the charger, as it gives you a clear visual indication when the battery is fully charged (the indicator light glows a steady green).

8200 motor (L), 4000 motor (R)

1 hour charger

The body of the 8200 is made form a high impact ABS plastic, while the front of the tool, and the contoured grip on the bottom side, are well padded with a rubber overmold. You should expect to get years of reliable service from this tool; I have an old Dremel 395 that has had its share of encounters with the shop floor and errant pieces of lumber. While it looks a bit long in the tooth, it still gets the job done.

The on/off switch is at the front of the tool and is easily reached by thumb. Just above the switch is the shaft lock button. It holds the shaft securely while you loosen the collet with the collet wrench. I've been wishing for years that Dremel would figure out a way to store the wrench on the tool. It's such a small wrench, and I keep misplacing the darn thing.

On/off switch with shaft lock button just ahead

Variable speed slider and hanger (folded out)

The variable speed lever is located toward the back of the tool. Just ahead of it is the battery fuel gauge, which stays on while the tool is in operation. This is a great feature as you can tell when to recharge the battery, particularly as Li-Ion batteries don't fade out - they hold their charge right up to the end. It's a hassle to start work on a project only to have the battery promptly conk out. You don't want this to happen when using the 8200, as Dremel only includes one battery with the kit. Finally, there is a convenient hanger surrounding the speed lever that you can use to hang the tool above your work bench.

Battery fuel gauge

Housing cap removed Multipurpose Cutting Guide to the right

A housing cap covers the shaft. You remove the cap to install various Dremel accessories, like the cutting guide. The cap has a contoured shape, which might give you the impression that you can hold the 8200 much like a pen, to do precision cutting or grinding. The length and weight distribution of the tool really preclude this. When you remove the collet nut you find a small collet inserted into the end of the shaft. This is just like the collet on a router - it serves to hold the various cutting and grinding accessories. A 1/8" collet comes standard with the 8200, but you can purchase optional  1/32", 1/16" and 3/32" collets. I find the 1/8" collet to be the most useful.

Multipurpose Cutting Guide

Cutting wheel being mounted on EZ Lock

The 8200 comes with a range of useful accessories. Two are worth mentioning. The EZ Lock Mandrel is an innovative device that enables you to quickly mount cutting wheels without having to resort to screws to hold the wheels in place. A 1 1/2" metal cutting wheels comes with the kit; you can purchase a range of other cutting wheels. The Multipurpose Cutting Guide (#565) screws onto the shaft and enables you to guide the cutting end of the tool vertically across a work surface. You can make precise, controlled cuts in drywall, plastic, ceiling tiles, and thin (1/4") ply and MDF. You can also use it to make shallow grooves for inlaying.

Makes quick work of grinding, cutting, sanding

A wide range of accessories are available

The 8200 is a fabulous tool that has a myriad of uses in the shop and around the home. For sanding, grinding, cutting or polishing small stock, the Dremel can't be beat. It has a huge range of accessories, and virtually all of them work with the 8200. A sound investment.

Reviewed August 2010