Dremel Shaper / Router Table Review

The tool holder includes a cutting height guide that is adjustable via a large screw at the base of the mount. This isn’t calibrated out of the box and is obviously subject to the position of your sanding or routing attachment too, so you’ll need to zero things in first if you need accurate cutting depth.


The table rises a good few inches above the mounting base, but getting at the underside of the Router / Shaper is never easy. The proximity of the rotary tool makes things even more tricky, but thankfully, once your tool is in place and you’re used to the location of the paraphernalia on the underside, changing bits and calibrating the cut depth can be done by touch-feel alone, resulting less neck-ache.

As well as cut depth, you’re able to adjust the angle of the guide bar and protective shield to your requirements, depending on the finish you’re trying to achieve or the depth of material you’re dealing with. The main limitation of the table is its size, which will limit the length of materials you can easily pass by/over the cutting/sanding bit.


Using sanding bands proved to be a doddle and we were able to achieve smooth curves on the corners of acrylic sheet much easier than with a rotary tool alone or with the Dremel Workstation. With soft materials, it was quick and easy to shave off a specific amount off one edge, while routing bits were able to deal with harder materials. Leaving the rotary tool and cutting bit to do most of the work, we didn’t see any signs of flaws in the cuts due to tool movement; so long as you don’t apply too much pressure, the Router / Shaper is able to provide clean, accurate cuts.

Conclusion
In reality, calibrating the Dremel Router / Shaper proved to be a bit of a pain, but it’s likely you’ll only have to do this once each time you come to do some routing. For sanding and shaping, it provides both a sturdy mount for your rotary tool, and an effective means of using sanding bands as well as a modest-sized worktable for these tasks. The build quality and instructions aren’t going to win any awards, and we’d prefer if a small selection of cutting and sanding bits were included, but for the price we can ‘t really argue with the latter.

The real question is how often you’ll be using it, and how intense the work will be. It may well pay to opt for a dedicated tool for the job, but you’ll end up paying more and needing more space. For occasional light to medium use, though, the Router / Shaper is a great buy, assuming you also have a Dremel rotary tool.