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A Dremel is maybe not the go-to tool when looking for a tool that can cut wood. But the Dremel is surprisingly good at cutting small pieces of wood and when you want to make plunge cuts. It is however very limited by the power output and the size of the material.
The Dremel is a good tool to cut small pieces of wood. To cut wood with a Dremel you can use the Dremel Cutting Wheel #544, The Dremel Mini Saw #670, The Dremel Plunge Router #335, or The Dremel Multipurpose Cutting Kit.
In this article, I’m going to assume that you have the Dremel Rotary Tool. Like the Dremel 3000, 4000, 4300, or similar Dreme that can use Dremel Attachments and bits. Let’s get into it and look at the four options we have for cutting wood with a Dremel.
Recommended Dremel For Cutting Wood: Dremel 4000 With Flex Shaft (Check Price on Amazon)
And remember, Always use safety glasses when using a Dremel.
Option 1: Using The Dremel Wood Cutting Wheel #544 to Cut Wood
The Dremel wood cutting wheel #544 is my favorite way to cut wood with the Dremel. It is great for cutting small pieces of wood and is quick to set up.
The Cutting Wheel is made from carbide and can be used on wood, fiberglass, plastics, and laminate. Do not use it on metals.
The biggest piece of wood the cutting wheel can cut in a single passing is 1/2-Inch ( 1.3 cm). You can double that if you cut from both sides. But if you want to do proper one-inch cuts in wood, I would recommend using a saw instead of the Dremel.
The cutting wheel uses the EZ-lock mandrel #E402, this is usually not included when you buy the cutting wheel. So be sure that you either buy it or have it available before buying the cutting wheel.
How to saw wood with the the Dremel Wood Cutting Wheel #544
- Attach the Cut of Wheel to the EZ-Lock Mandrel
- Attach the bit to the Dremel
- Turn on Dremel
- Set the Dremel to 35 000 rpm or the highest you can
- Make contact with the wood and start sawing
- Keep a steady hand
- Try to make the cut in one direction, all the way through. The cutting wheel has a tendency to jump out if you move it to much back and forward
- Keep on going till you you are finished.
Here is a video of the different types of cuts you can do with the Dremel Wood Cutting Wheel #544:
Option 2: Using The Dremel Mini Saw #670 To Cut Wood
The Dremel mini saw is an attachment made specifically for the purpose of cutting wood. This attachment can be compared to a mini circular saw.
The Dremel mini saw is designed to cut thin and long pieces of wood. Sawing 1/4-inch pieces of plywood is where this tool is most useful in my opinion.
There is no guide on the tool to make sure the cut is straight. So if your cut needs a high level of precision you will need to make a cutting guide of some sort. Or you can use something like a circular saw with a guide instead.
Another great thing about the Dremel mini saw is that it has the ability to do plunge cuts. A plunge cut is where you start your cut in the middle of the wood.
If you already own a Dremel, I would recommend getting The Dremel Mini Saw. The attachment is not used that often, but I’m sure you will be glad that you have it when the need presents itself.
Option 3: Using The Dremel Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit #565 To Cut Wood
The Dremel Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit is great for doing accurate plunge cuts. If you want to do circles or patterns in the middle of a piece of wood, then I would recommend The Multi-Purpose Cutting kit for the job
The deepest cut you can make with the Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit #565 is 3/4-inches (1.9cm). So you can cut thicker pieces of wood than the other option on this list.
A negative of the cutting kit is that it is slower to use than the sawblades above. The drills used for cutting are thicker and removes more wood, this makes it slower in action.
I would not recommend this for cutting wide or long pieces of wood. But if you are doing a lot of high accuracy plunge cuts, I would go for this one.
The Dremel Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit can also be used for cutting other materials like drywall, laminate, fiberglass, plastic, and vinyl siding
Option 4: Using The Dremel Plunge Router #335 To Cut Wood
The Dremel Plunge router is a great way to do more accurate cuts into the wood with the Dremel.
In addition to cutting the plunge cutting the wood like Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit, the Dremel plunge router serves as a proper router for your woodworking.
With the right bits, you can now carve curved edges into the wood, start routing at the center of the wood. And if the wood is thin enough, you can remove entire sections of the wood.
If you want to unleash the wood carving and cutting potential of the Dremel, then the Plunge router is a must-have. It is a cheap way to get into routing, and also a great way to do accurate and unique woodworking cuts.
So, Which Attachment Should You Get For Cutting Wood?
Most people do not have the need for all of the attachments above. And which one you should get depends entirely on what type of cuts you want to do.
If you are doing some general cutting on small pieces of wood I would recommend getting the Wood Cut of Wheel #544 over the Mini Saw #670.
If you are cutting long thin pieces of wood I would recommend getting the Mini Saw #670. Example: You need to cut a lot of 1/4 -inch plywood.
If you want to do a lot of plunge cuts, routing, or make patterns on the center of a wood piece. Get the Dremel Plunge router #335.
If you want a tool that can do plunge cuts in wood, but that is versatile and can cut other hard materials like tile as well, get the Multi-Purpose Cutting Kit #565
But the one I have found most useful in my toolbox is the Wood Cut of Wheel #544
