Dremel 764-04 Pumpkin Carving Rotary Tool includes 10 Templates

by Dremel

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Even the least artistic among us can have the coolest jack-o'-lanterns in the neighborhood this year with Dremel's pumpkin- carving kit. It's a neat, buzzy little unit that carves off layers of pumpkin flesh to let the light glow through. It isn't meant to cut all the way through the pumpkin, and the effect is perfectly spooky. Powered by four AA batteries, it's got two speeds for superior pumpkin-stock removal, 6,000 and 12,000 rpm, so it's not a child's toy.
	Step 1 Use a knife to cut a lid for your pumpkin. Angle the knife towards the center of the pumpkin as you cut so that the lid will rest on top of the pumpkin after the cut has been made. Use a large spoon to clean out the entire inside of the pumpkin. It is best if the walls of your pumpkin are approximately 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
	Step 2 Based on the size of your pumpkin, you can enlarge or reduce the size of your template using a copy machine if needed. Using spray-on adhesive, apply your template to the pumpkin.
	Step 3 Turn the tool on low and begin tracing the areas to be removed. You can use the high setting for large area material removal. The key is to remove approximately the same amount of material on your whole pumpkin to achieve a uniform depth.
	Step 4 Once you've finished, remove the paper template, place a light source, such as a candle, in the pumpkin, dim the lights, and see how well the light shines through your carving. If you want more light to shine through, turn the lights back on, remove the candle and remove additional material from your pumpkin.
	Printable Templates from Dremel Click the thumbnail picture to bring up a printable PDF version.
What's in the Box 6-volt Dremel cordless rotary tool (requires 4 AA batteries, not included) 10 carving templates 1/8-inch diameter high-speed cutter (Dremel high-speed cutter no. 191) Wrench

Product Description

Pumpkin Carving Kit

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 7 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0002V3CNO
• Item model number: 764-04
• Batteries: 4 AA batteries required.
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,575 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 96 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed, January 2, 2005

By 

riverrat01 "riverrat01" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dremel 764-04 Pumpkin Carving Rotary Tool includes 10 Templates (Tools & Home Improvement)

I should be the ideal user of this tool; I've been making translucent pumpkin carvings for years. Until now, I've done so by hand, chipping and peeling off bits of pumpkin rind with a razorblade. It's a labor-intensive project, but the effect really is cool. So I was very enthusiastic when I heard about the Dremel carver, which promised to make this much easier.

Unfortunately, the result is just a lot of pumpkin mush. You cannot carve fine detail with this tool, and although it's safer than a razor blade I still don't think it's appropriate for children to carve with. The tool is heavy and awkward, and I needed to stop often to wipe away the pulped pumpkin. Even when I relegated it to its most appropriate task, thinning large areas of pumpkin rind, it wasn't a whole lot more effective or all that much easier than hand-peeling. At times it was useful for deepening peeled areas that weren't glowing enough, but for the price, I was not impressed. Next Halloween, this tool will be a little-used accessory.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a power pumpkin sculpting tool, but NOT a carver!, October 22, 2008

By 

John Williamson "JargonTalk" (Bucks County, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dremel 764-04 Pumpkin Carving Rotary Tool includes 10 Templates (Tools & Home Improvement)

To clear things up, this Dremel 764-04 Pumpkin Carving Kit is really not a pumpkin carving kit. If that's what you're looking for, then just pass on this. However it is a decent pumpkin sculpting tool, and will do things that you just can't do with the traditional knife and spoon. It's really used to sculpt the surface, "to 'carve' layers of skin away from your pumpkin so that light will 'glow' through the pumpkin," as noted in the product description.

Just don't think that you're going to cut all the way through the pumpkin with this tool inless yopu want a mess of pumpkin puree on your hands. Cut the pumpkin with the knife of your choice, then use this to power carve the surface, to sculpt the pumpkin so that the light will glow through the remaining pumpkin flesh once you're done with your masterpiece.

It comes with ten sculpting templates and a Dremel Minimite Cordless Rotary Tool, the 6-Volt version that uses 4-AAA batteries, and is much like the Dremel Cordless Pet Nail Grooming Rotary Tool. You can comfortably and safely sculpt the surface of your pumpkin, as the two speeds (6,000 and 12,000 RPM) allow for light duty precision sculpting... one you get the hang of it. Just start simply with an easy project on a smaller pumpkin, maybe using it to 'clean up' on a regular carving.

You'll need a sharp knife or two for cutting the pumpkin, and a tablespoon (or even better, a serving spoon) for cleaning the seeds and 'guts' from the pumpkin. You may want to save the insides of the pumpkin for the seeds or other pumpkin creations (see the photo).

Pros:

- Light, easy to use
- Two-speed operation, versatile
- Accepts a variety of other Dremel attachments

Cons:

- Misleading name, it's not a carver!
- Uses more AAA batteries than one would expect

If you already own a rotary tool such as the Dremel MultiPro Cordless System w/50 Accessories, then you might want to try sculpting with some of your bits, or look for a 'pumpkin bit' like the one from carving kit.

If you're going for the 'Carving Kit' then be sure to read the directions, be patient and have a couple of pumpkins to experiment with the first time you use it. Must admit that I didn't read the instructions the first time around and managed to create quite a mess when I tried 'carving' a large pumpkin. Luckily it was outdoors, as I had a bit of a spatter mess for a few feet around. Just remember: RTFM!

As a "Pumpkin Carving Kit" this probably wouldn't have more than a 1-star rating: Dremel was wrong in labeling it as such, for it's misleading. As a properly named "Pumpkin Sculpting Kit" I'll call it a 4-star tool, but remember that it does have a learning curve.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Great Disappointment !!!, October 22, 2005

By 

John S. (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dremel 764-04 Pumpkin Carving Rotary Tool includes 10 Templates (Tools & Home Improvement)

The cutter is all wrong and the speed is way too fast, turns everything to mush... they obviously took an existing Dremel tool, made it orange and tried to sell it for pumpkin carving.. they should stick to metal and wood for the hobby customer.