Customer Reviews

Black & Decker RTX-6 2 Amp 3-Speed Rotary Tool with 30 Accessories and 2 Spring Clamps

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I haven't used this on any projects yet, but it does seem promising. It has a rigid feel to it and the price is ideal. I haven't used a Dremel brand rotary tool so I can't really compare.

The only negative thing I have to say about this is that the collet nut is pretty hard to loosen once it's tightened. However, I found that putting the wrench against one of the fan blades made it easier to loosen. Probably not a good thing to do, but it does work.

Update 10/14/2008: I have used this on several projects now and it has held up very well. Cuts, grinds, and sands plastic and metal with no problems. The cut-off wheels included are not that great, but you can always get reinforced replacements. Also, make sure to let off on the material you are cutting, grinding, or sanding from time to time so that the cut-off wheels or sanding bands can cool off. Otherwise, the cut-off wheels are more prone to shatter or burn the material when it gets too hot from the friction. If you think you need a rotary tool to get a job done, this will do it and then some. In my initial review I stated that I had problems with the collet nut, but after using it I found it was my own fault. I did not have the locking safety mechanism engaged all the way so I had problems getting the collet nut off. Just make sure the safety is engaged all the way and tap the collet when it is loosened to get the attachment off and you will be golden. I am happy that I bought this for about half as much of a Dremel brand rotary tool. If I could change my rating, I would now give it 5 stars.

Amazon doesn't include a list of the accessories, but it's not their fault. It doesn't even say on the box itself. For those wondering what this comes with:

Rotary Tool - 1
Carrying Case - 1
Woodworking Clamps - 2
Wrench/Flathead Screwdriver - 1
1/8" Standard Mandrel - 1
Sanding Drum Mandrel - 1
Rubber Polishing Wheel (Coarse) (Brown) - 1
Aluminum Oxide Stone Bullet (Brick) (For Grinding) - 1
Diamond Point (For Engraving) - 1
Heavy Duty Cut-Off Discs - 20
Sanding Band (Coarse) - 3
Sanding Band (Fine) - 2

First off, I had a hard time getting this question answered when I was looking at rotary tools, so I'll say it right now: ALL DREMEL ACCESSORIES ARE USABLE BY THIS ROTARY TOOL. To someone who's used a rotary tool before I'm sure this is a logical statement, but to someone new to the devices (as I was), it can be confusing. I thought there might be some notch or something in Dremel accessories that made them only usable by Dremel rotary tools, but there isn't. They're all the same.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I just got my RTX a couple of weeks ago, and thus far I'm very impressed by it. It looks and feels substantial and sturdy, and fits very nicely in your hand as you work with it. Though I'd have preferred to see fully adjustable speed settings on this tool, the three speed settings seem to allow more than enough versatility in power to handle any project you throw at it. Mine came with a nice, simple case that's about the same size as a 2 cd tall cd book, which I greatly prefer to the extremely large plastic case that most Dremel tools come in.

My only complaints from this unit are that it doesn't come with a very impressive array of bits/accessories (I bought a 150 piece Dremel accessory kit to supplement it), and I've had some difficulty with the locking mechanism that allows for you to switch accessories getting stuck. It's always loosened up after a little persistent encouragement, but it's still a decent sized annoyance when it happens.

I've used a 300 series Dremel regularly in the past, so I feel that I can safely say that from what I have seen from this tool thus far, the Black and Decker RTX is just as capable a tool as the Dremel, perhaps more so (when you take into account the RTX's superior power). That said, it should probably be noted that the RTX hasn't been around for nearly as long as the Dremel brand, so it's durability over time has yet to be tested.

I've got to wonder why someone would pay 2 or 3 times the price of the RTX to get a Dremel... I suppose name recognition has a lot to do with it, after all people do refer to these things as "Dremel tools" not "Black and Decker tools", but that doesn't seem like a very wise way to make purchases. Puffs facial tissue works just as well as Kleenex, generic cotton swabs work just as well as Q-tips, and the RTX works just as well as a Dremel tool, so why pay the premium price?

If you're looking for the most bang for your rotary tool buck, this is the one you want to go with, hands down.

Bought one as the Dremel was selling for more $$ and I only needed a rotary tool for a very small home project. Having used a dremel brand before, I was cautious about not overheating the unit by having it bog down on tasks. Well that wasn't a problem with the RTX. Didn't realize that it had more motor juice than Dremel until using it. Lots more torque makes it easier to control. Good value.

Edit: Recently purchased the little jigsaw attachment sold by Dremel. I was told this unit really taxes the power out of a dremel unit due to its gearing system and application (i.e. dremel never designed for this type of task). Well the unit fit perfectly on the B&D and the power really shines with this attachement -- I can slice through wood like butter without any bogging down of the unit. Incredible.

Length:: 1:49 Mins

This rotary tool is powerful, easy to handle, solidly built, and light weight. The attached video shows exactly what you get and recommends a low cost, potentially invaluable accessory. (The Dremel 4486 Multi Pro Keyless Chuck if you don't care to watch.)

A couple other thoughts... As you can see from the video, the bag I got is different from the storage case shown in the listing. The listing shows a fitted case. What I got was a nylon drawstring sack. For me that's not an issue. When my RTX isn't posing for pictures it's hanging over my workbench connected to (and working very well with) a Milescraft 1003 Flex Shaft for Rotary Tools.

Also, as an added treat I've placed at the very end of the video a comparison between the sound made by my RTX, while it's connected to the Milescraft Flex Shaft, to the sound from my very handy and not very powerful Dremel 1100-N/25 7.2-Volt Stylus Lithium-Ion Cordless Rotary Tool Kit with Docking Station. For me it means I get almost "Stylus" convenience (at least at my workbench) with *lots* more power and only slightly more noise.

Finally, one additional accessory I've found *very* handy, especially if you're using the Flex Shaft is a Proxxon 38700 Foot Switch FS. There are other foot switches that include a variable speed option. That might be a good thing for some and in my experience it does not add much value and only is something more that can easily break.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews, accompanied by detailed videos, can take the place of first-hand experiences that are often lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and try to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and the video at least entertaining. If there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

I own a professional model shop, and although we occasionally use a Foredom (this is a motor with a cabled handpiece--very powerful, and with a foot pedal speed control, quite easy to use, except for the darn cable) we mainly use Dremel "rotary tools." I've gotten used to them lasting less than a year. They are not in constant use--a week may go by when none are used, but we have several because all of a sudden three people may need to drill tiny holes, or use small burrs, or?

One of my employees came in with this B&D and I was impressed. I ordered one for our shop, and now there are three. It's been less than 6 months, so I'm not sure about longevity, but the oldest still seems solid. There is no external brush replacement like there is on the better Dremels, but I don't know if this is an issue, as generally, the Dremels were dying before the brushes were worn down to replacement status. One of the problems with the Dremel design is the location of the cooling vents--it's hard to hold the Dremel comfortably and not block many of the vents, so the tool overheats.

The B&D is better in this regard, though still not perfect. Balance is good, certainly on par with the top Dremels. Power seems similar. The speed control may be a bit less specific (although there are intermediate settings between the three marked speeds, so this is actually better than expected. Quieter than the Dremels, seems to run a bit smoother. I like the lever lock for the collet change quite a bit too.

Overall, I am very please with these roto tools. Especally at about half the Dremel cost, they are a definite best buy.

Pros: This little rotary tool works as it should. Though most of the accessories are useless, using other bits I have been able to finish several projects.

Cons: What you order IS NOT what you get. The product description clearly states that it comes with an accessory case/organizer and that the 2 clamps are IN ADDITION to the 30 accessories. I received a nylon baggie (about the size of the larger Crown Royal bags) and 29 accessories, counting the 2 clamps and the little washer that holds the sanding band in place. After 2 exchanges and still receiving the same blessed item (the first item was also missing the User Guide), I gave up. Further, the description says that the item has a 5-year warranty, but the box says 2-years.

If you don't mind these disappointments, it's a great product.

As an artist who does light sculpting for my paintings, I needed a tool that had a bit of finesse. Something I could do nitpicky little details with. I currently own a Dremel 750-02 Minimite, which has sufficed. However, for some jobs I just... well, I need more power. My little Dremel, while a good tool, just didn't have the power to cut into harder woods like oak.

As an artist, I'm also consistently broke. The comparable Dremel tool would be the 400 series (slightly higher speed at 35000 rpm, as opposed to this tool's 30000 rpm top speed) which costs $90. I figured that for $30, I could take a risk, especially when Black & Decker is a name that I can trust. I was not disappointed. There's a few things that I find to be superior on this tool when compared to its Dremel counterparts.

1. The price. At a third of the price, I can't complain.
2. The spindle lock is a switch, rather than a button. One of my complaints about the Dremel line is that the spindle lock is a little TOO easy to press... as in I press it when I'm working on something. In this case, there's a switch to lock the spindle, the design of which is fairly hard to do on accident. (This was a major issue I had with the MiniMite, but I believe they may have adjusted this on the Dremel 400 models)
3. The torque on this model is exceptional. I've been carving through oak like it's butter.

And in case you were concerned: ALL OF YOUR DREMEL BITS WILL WORK ON THIS TOOL. Get a collet set if you're concerned about the size of the bits, they're dirt-cheap. Like Dremel's rotary tools, this has a 5-year manufacturer warranty. In other words: This is a nice piece of hardware, and it's at a price I couldn't sneeze at.

Plus I like the fact that it comes with a wall-mounted case to save table space. In a cramped studio, I need all the table space I can get.

This is one of those fantastic tools that you never knew you needed. A knock-off of the more expensive Dremel motor tool with little to be found wanting. Older Dremel's were notorious for getting too hot to hold.
This tool stays cool even over prolonged operation.

What's good -

Precision sanding, grinding and cutting. All 1/8" attachments from various manufacturers work.

For the carpenter:

- a great way to make adjustments to mortices, thresholds and other precision details


For the plumber:

- De-burring copper tubing, removing jammed ferrules, reworking tiles or cultured marble to allow access to shower valves, trimming escutcheons etc. Several sizes of diamond impregnated wheels are available - nice for removing grout.

For the contractor:

- A nice way to mark your tools such that their provenance may be proven.

For the hobbyist:

- The perfect power tool for most detail work. (plastic, wood, and brass)

What's not -

Flimsy case: a proper, carrying case to hold add-ons would be ideal. Clamps are not secure in case.
The cutting wheels are too delicate and are a prone to shattering. Eye protection is a must.

Addendum:

The secret of removing attachments once the nut has been loosened - is to lightly tap them in - that action releases the collet.

Caslo

Quickly, if you were about to purchase a Dremel brand rotary tool, stop. I have used over a dozen rotary tools in my line of work and hobby. I have always felt they were a decent little tool. I have killed every one of them with simple use. I always figured it was because it had such a small motor, and I was using it too hard. So eight years of Dremel brand and I finally buy the Black and Decker RTX. Boy have I wasted alot of money on Dremel. I CAN NOT repeat CAN NOT kill this. Also, If you are considering the Dremel because it has more than 3 speeds, dont. I don't know why the RTX is advertised as a 3-speed device.. Maybe because it has Low, Medium, and High markers on the speed adjust wheel. That is wrong. It has 18 different speed settings from 'L' to 'H'.

Also, any rotary manufactured add-ons work with the RTX. All of the accessories I have collected over the years, work with this tool.

If you want a heck of a kit to start with, buy this and the Milescraft flex shaft, and the Milescraft drill press/ workstation for rotary tools.

You will be very happy with the solid feel of this tool. The power of this tool exceeds ANY other manufacturers rotary tool.

Not bad for the price, but nothing special either. The smallest bit shaft that this will hold is 1/8" while many Dremel bits have 3/32" shafts. The 3/32" shafts will not work in this rotary tool. Also note that about 26 of the "30 Accessories" are small sanding/grinding disks.