Adding to the embellishment arsenal

[Roger Chandler]

I have been thinking about some carving for some time............did not want to spend a fortune and this tool does both rotary and reciprocating styles and has a flex shaft..

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Roger: I bought one about 18 months ago - for the same reasons. It has worked well and is getting me into carving and embellishing more and more. I'm sure I'll outgrow it after a while, but for now it does a good job. I'm in no hurry - just learning as I go.

[Steve Vaughan]

Getting into the carving thing now? Trying it out on a few turnings? Oh, my. I see another vortex taking shape here, only reason I can say that is been there still doing that! Well, love carving, just haven't added much of that to the turnings, but was doing lots more carving before I got into the turning vortex. Oh my...ya gonna need a few knives, a few carving chisels to go with that Roger...and deeper and deeper it goes! Love it!

[Marvin Hasenak]

I love my Wecheer, enough that I bought the hanging motor unit with the flex shaft. Then when Woodcraft put the Wecheer mini motor on sale I bought that also. Amazing what the reciprocating handle is capable of doing.

[BILL DONAHUE]

Roger, I've been thinking about the same thing since the AAW Symposium. My main reason for delay is that I don't know a thing about them. Mark Gardner did a demo and he recommended an Automach at $300 but that seems a lot to me since I don't know if I'll use it much. Where did you get yours and have you tried it out yet?

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I've been thinking about the same thing since the AAW Symposium. My main reason for delay is that I don't know a thing about them. Mark Gardner did a demo and he recommended an Automach at $300 but that seems a lot to me since I don't know if I'll use it much. Where did you get yours and have you tried it out yet?


Bill.....the wife & I are on the road for our 38th anniversary.........got this @ WoodCraft.....about $160 but they have 10% off right now on power tools........so about $144 + tax. I did take it out of the box at WC and cut a couple of grooves into a piece of 2x4 with the carving handle........cool!!!

When I get it home, and try it out for good, and for some reason should I not like it, I can return for full refund.

Sent from my Ipad......

[Roger Chandler]

One thing........WC had bigger units......all can hang including this one I got, but they have units similar to the Fordham, and another bigger unit for $310 that is styled like this one, only it is just a reciprocating unit and does not do rotary with mill bits........this seemed to be the best for me, as I can do both with it.

According to the literature that came with this unit, it says it should give me many years of trouble free service if properly used and maintained.........

WeCheer was recommended to me on this or another forum about a month or so ago......I forget by whom :confused:

[Roger Chandler]

Getting into the carving thing now? Trying it out on a few turnings? Oh, my. I see another vortex taking shape here, only reason I can say that is been there still doing that! Well, love carving, just haven't added much of that to the turnings, but was doing lots more carving before I got into the turning vortex. Oh my...ya gonna need a few knives, a few carving chisels to go with that Roger...and deeper and deeper it goes! Love it!

Steve......sounds like you could give me a few lessons! This unit came with 5 knives.......and 7 rotary cutters......that should at least get me started......don't ya think?

[steven carter]

Roger, I've had this same unit for 4 years, does a pretty good job. When piercing, you don't want to try anything too thick, I usually drill holes and then elongate them. The only problem I've had is the retainer that hold the rotary tool to the shaft has broken. It seems to involve a ball and spring, but I didn't pay enough attention to it before it broke to see how it is supposed to work. I've stopped by Woodcraft a couple times, but they have been out of stock.

[Marvin Hasenak]

The handpieces are interchangeable, I have several handpieces including the reciprocal unit and they all work off of the lager hanging motor unit. I can switch hand units and use burrs, or carving chisels. I started out with a Dremel and a reciprocal carving handpiece from Treeline Woodcarvng, and upgraded to my Wecheer units.

[Roger Chandler]

The handpieces are interchangeable, I have several handpieces including the reciprocal unit and they all work off of the lager hanging motor unit. I can switch hand units and use burrs, or carving chisels. I started out with a Dremel and a reciprocal carving handpiece from Treeline Woodcarvng, and upgraded to my Wecheer units.

I am looking forward to using my unit when I get home. Just from what it looks like......the ball mills and other bits that fit a dremel look like they would interchange with this WeCheer unit.

[Trevor Howard]

Bill.....the wife & I are on the road for our 38th anniversary

When I get it home, and try it out for good, and for some reason should I not like it, I can return for full refund.

Sent from my Ipad......

Have you had a chance to try it Roger or are you still on the Road?

[Roger Chandler]

Have you had a chance to try it Roger or are you still on the Road?



I am back at home........after another trip for a funeral [death in the family] and the day I got home from our road trip to Gatlinburg, I went out to the shop and tried it on a piece of red oak board........just drew a few lines in the shape of leaves and tried out the different cutters.....what shapes I could make with them, etc.

I know almost nothing about carving, but was able to make a fairly decent carving for a novice, IMO. On the funeral trip I stopped by WoodCraft, and picked up some flexcut blades for the thing.......I read an opinion from another vendor who sells the unit I purchased, and it was his opinion that the flexcut blades were better and would stay sharp longer, and I purchased a strop hone to assist with sharpening......it comes with the compound and supposedly really hones the edge to razor sharp.

I do like the Wecheer unit.........I also got several milling bits ......flame shape, round, etc, .......these are metal [carbide or hhs] for using it in the rotary carving........looking forward to the time when I can have a few days to work on a project.........I am thinking a fluted hollow form in the Jordan-esque style, perhaps?!


one note of warning.........I do think this area of woodworking could turn into its own vortex....:eek:...but not as expensive as turning......thankfully!;):D

[Marvin Hasenak]

When you start using the burrs, get a pair of leather gloves. The burr will get away from you, not if but when it does, the burr will eat leather instead of skin. DO NOT USE COTTON gloves, the burr will grab the cotton and not let go, it can break the shaft in the flex shaft unit.

[Trevor Howard]

Thanks for the reply Roger, I've been holding off ordering one, until I heard how you liked/disliked. I had read that the cutters that come with it do not last long, before needing sharpening.

[Roger Chandler]

When you start using the burrs, get a pair of leather gloves. The burr will get away from you, not if but when it does, the burr will eat leather instead of skin. DO NOT USE COTTON gloves, the burr will grab the cotton and not let go, it can break the shaft in the flex shaft unit.

Thank you Marvin for the heads up on this safety issue.........I have a bit of fondness for my fingers, and like them intact! :D

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks for the reply Roger, I've been holding off ordering one, until I heard how you liked/disliked. I had read that the cutters that come with it do not last long, before needing sharpening.

Glad to be of help Trevor........if you get the unit, let us know what you think. I did not go for a heavy duty carving apparatus.......I only anticipate light carving to embellish turnings once in a while. If I were going to do a lot of carving work, I would have gotten a heavy duty unit and perhaps a full compliment of hand chisels as well........

Then I would have had to get some DVD's and books, etc, etc, etc,............:eek:

[Keith Outten]

I have never used a reciprocating tool but I have been using Dremel tools since the mid 70's. I learned ten years ago that the 80,000 rpm air engravers are nothing like the 20,000 rpm Dremel machines and although I still use the Dremel frequently there are occasions where the air tool is a must. You can purchase inexpensive air engravers at HF but the high end ones are preferred because of the expensive bearings required.
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[Roger Chandler]

This Wecheer unit has 30,000 rpm.............and it is fairly quiet, not like my other rotary tools........I hope I will find this adequate for the kinds of work I want to do with it.