Dremel Wood Carving Bits

Wood carving is a highly satisfying craft if everything works well. However, it takes lots of practice and skill to create beautiful carvings. Luckily, Dremel has a wide range of wood carving bits available, which helps me do complex, intricate profiles easier.

In this article, I will explain which Dremel bit you should use for carving and its specific application.

Wood Carving with Dremel Rotary Tool

The Dremel rotary tool that can be used for variety of applications is also ideally suited to wood carving, especially if you create detailed carvings. Dremel offers a wide range of bits that help you in all aspects of the art, from rough carving to shaving, to creating precise, detailed aspects. These wood carving bits are available in various shapes, offering various profiles.

You can simplify this task by connecting your Dremel wood carving bit to the custom Dremel handheld flexible shaft and detailer’s grip. These nifty extensions allow you to hold the cutting bit like a pen, making wood carving more comfortable and more precise than before.

List of Dremel Bits for Wood Carving

Below is an overview of Dremel bits specifically designed for wood carving. For more information on other bits, see our full Dremel bits guide here.

Dremel 114 (High Speed Cutter)

The high speed cutter bit for wood carving is available in various diameters, ranging from 3.2mm to 7.8mm. This large, ball-shaped head is ideal for carving and engraving. It is also suitable for shaping, grooving, hollowing, inlaying, tapering, freehand routing, and making tapered holes. The cross-sectional geometry of these cuts can be completely round.

The best way to use this bit is to hold it at an angle less than 90°, allowing the side of the head to cut into the wood. Frequent passes with light pressure are advised to ensure a smooth, even finish.

High Speed Cutter (192)

This high speed carving bit is often confused with the 114 high speed cutter since it has a similar shape. Where the 114 cutter is completely round, the 192 cutter bit has a round head, with the end slightly pointed. Before ordering make sure that you have selected the right diameter because this cutter is available in different diameters, ranging from 2.0mm and 9.5mm.

The medium-sized 192 cutting head is ideal for carving and engraving wood and is used similarly to the 114 cutting bit. It works best when held at an angle less than 90°, creating precise cuts through multiple gentle passes. The cross-sectional diameter of these cuts can be round, with a pointed groove at the end.

Dremel 115

The Dremel 115 carving bit, cylindrical cross section and flat bottom shaping, hollowing, grooving, slotting, inlaying, and making tapered holes in a wide range of materials, including soft metals, plastics, and wood. Its cylindrical shape allows for deep removal of material, while the end mill like cutting edges allows you to create flat bottom slots and grooves, flat side cuts, and v-cuts at a 45-degree angle.

The working diameter of this bit is 5/16″ or 7.9mm which is fairly large. If you need a slightly smaller diameter bit, check out the Dremel 196 below.

You can also get the titanium nitride coated version of this cutter named Max Life 115HP which can give you double the tool life.

The TiN coating makes a difference if you are mainly working with hardwood or metals.

High Speed Cutter (196)

The high speed cutter 196 bit is a medium-sized cylindrical bit, ideally suited to shaping wood. This Dremel cutting bit can create precise grooves with a square cross-section, which can be rounded at one end. Applications include shaping, engraving, carving, growing, hollowing, inlaying, slotting, freehand routing, and making tapered holes.

The 196 high speed cutter has a cutting diameter of 7/32″ (5.6mm).

Dremel 121 Carving Bit

This flame-shaped bit is a key accessory in my arsenal. I find it an excellent cutting bit for carving concave shapes with sharp corners and curved surfaces.

The #121 bit has an outer diameter of the sphere is 1/4″; you can also get a bigger-sized #124 bit which has a diameter of 5/16″. The versatile flame shape allows you to create different angles and curves, giving you more creative freedom in your carving projects.

Get this cutter, and you will be amazed at what you can create with this versatile carving bit.

Dremel 116

The Dremel 116 reverse taper carving bit is a versatile tool that is perfect for shaping, hollowing, grooving, slotting, inlaying, and making tapered holes in a variety of materials. Its unique trapezoid reverse taper cutting edges allows for deep removal of material, enabling you to achieve precise cuts on flat areas and round edges.

The reverse taper acts as a relief when want to make deep slots.

I find the Dremel 116 carving bit useful when I have to remove a lot of material, particularly when working with curved surfaces.

Engraving Cutter (107)

This Dremel bit is similar to the high speed cutter mentioned above but used for far more detailed work since the cutting tip is much smaller. The engraving cutter has a small, ball-shaped head for detailed carving and engraving.

This ball cutter is available in 1/16″, 1/32″, and 3/32″ diameters. I have the 1/16-inch bit, which I mainly use this tool for engraving letters.

Tungsten Carbide Cutter Ball Tip (9905)

This ball-shaped bit with a 3.2mm (1/8-inch) diameter is one of Dremel’s toughest carving and engraving bits.

Tungsten carbide is highly wear-resistant, making this bit ideal for use on hard materials and wood. This versatile bit can be used for wood carving and engraving hard materials like hardened steel and cast iron.
It is a bit expensive; I would get this only if you are working mainly on hardwood and metal.

High Speed Cutter (125)

The Dremel 125 high speed cutter has a triangular cutting head and is best for creating V-grooves in wood. For the most effective result, use the sides of the cutting head at an angle smaller than 90°. It works well with the pencil grip and the flexible shaft attachment.

This cutting head normally available in ¼-inch (major diameter of the cone) and is perfect for carving fine details.

High Speed Cutter (199)

This small, disc-shaped cutter is ideal for creating small, detailed grooves in wood. Examples include precise cross-sectional grooves and small inlaid grooves.

The #199 bit has a cutting diameter of 3/8″ (9.5mm) and is more of a specialty tool. I would say get one only if you really need it.

Engraving Cutter (108)

This engraving cutter is Dremel’s smallest cylindrical cutting head at between 0.8mm (1/32-inch). Dremel says it is meant for engraving and routing, but I find it handy for extremely fine, detailed work.

With a 1/32″ diameter, its cutting head is as fine as a pencil lead and can create hairline-type details in carvings.

Sanding Bands(407, 432 & 446)

Sanding is where your carving comes to life.

If the carved surface is very rough, start with a 60-grit coarse sanding band (#407). When you sand, do not press too hard; instead, move the sanding wheel along the grain direction with a light touch to avoid damaging the wood fibers.

Once you have removed the imperfections, move to the 120-grit (#432) and when you need a shiny surface, use the fine 240-grit (#446) sanding band. Be patient and take your time, as rushing the process can result in gouging and burning the wood surface.

After sanding, use a soft brush to remove the sawdust and wipe thoroughly before applying a finish coating.

Finishing Abrasive Buffs (EZ511HP)

Sanding or buffing your workpiece is often necessary to prepare for carving and clean up your design after carving. Here, the finishing abrasive buffs at 180 and 280 grit are just the things.

These abrasive buffs meant to remove paint and clean delicate wood before carving. In my experience, they can be used to smoothen detailed designs after carving. Here, they’ll remove splinters and other bits sticking out after you’ve completed your design, giving it a polished appearance.

These buffs are compatible with the Max EZ Lock SpeedClic, allowing keyless changing when swapping out your buffs.

EZ SpeedClic Mandrel (EZ402 or SC402)

This is an optional accessory.

The EZ SpeedClic Mandrel is exclusive to Dremel. This innovative mechanism allows for a much faster keyless wheel changing than the traditional alternative. Just pull, twist, and release.

Cutting Speed for Carving

All similar Dremel accessories work at similar speeds for the same application. For hardwood, Dremel’s recommendation is to use the high-speed cutting bits at 35000 rpm, while softwood should be cut at 20000 rpm to 25000 rpm. The harder the wood, the higher the speed.

In my experience, using an HSS bit running at 35000 rpm on hardwood generates way too much heat, and the tool will get dull really fast.

I suggest you use the lower speed for larger diameter high speed steel bits and higher rpm for smaller bits. I usually start at 15000 rpm for larger bits and 20000 rpm for smaller ones, and gradually increase it.

Carbide bits can run at 30000 rpm or more, as they can withstand higher temperatures. Again start with a low speed of 15000 to 20000 rpm for bigger-sized bits.

Recommended Attachment

Flex Shaft: In my opinion, this is a must-have attachment if you are using Dremel for fine wood carving. The Dremel multitool I bulky and is not easy to maneuver. My girlfriend, who has small hands often struggles to control the tool with one hand.
The Flex Shaft solves this problem. It is slim, comfortable to hold, and will give you better control during carving.

Final Thoughts

When doing wood carving, using the correct tools for the job is essential. Dremel offers a wide range of bits to simplify wood carving and allow for endless creativity. Before you go, see these Dremel attachments and accessories that will make your work fun and easy.