Power consumption
The electrical power consumed by the tool during normal operation. Usually, the characteristics indicate the power at the maximum speed / frequency of movements of the working nozzle.
Usually, the higher this indicator, the more intense the tool can act on the material being processed, the better it is suitable for difficult conditions (large volumes of work, hard materials). At the same time, note that
high power significantly affects energy consumption; in mains-powered models (see below), this puts strain on the wiring, and in battery-powered models, it requires the use of bulky and heavy batteries and significantly reduces battery life. Yes, and this parameter significantly affects the dimensions, weight and price of the tool itself. Therefore, it is worth choosing a model according to power consumption, taking into account the specifics of the work for which it is planned to be used: for example, it hardly makes sense to purchase a high-performance professional tool for minor repairs around the house or in the country.
Specific recommendations on the optimal power values, depending on the type of tool and the purpose of its use, can be found in special sources.
Collet diameter
The diameter of the collet provided in the design of the rotary engraver (see "Device").
A collet is a specific type of fastening: a split sleeve, the “petals” of which can be compressed and unclenched by twisting / unscrewing the clamp. For a number of technical reasons, this mount is considered optimal for engravers. In order to properly install the working nozzle in such a tool, it is necessary that it fits the diameter of the collet (to be more precise, the mounting size of the nozzle should not exceed this diameter).
Note that there are several standard collet sizes. The most popular is 3.2 mm, but there are other options. And some engravers can be equipped with several mounts of different sizes.
Total number of nozzles
The total number of working attachments supplied with the tool.
The abundance of attachments allows the machine to be used with various materials and for various types of work. At the same time, this parameter significantly affects the cost. Therefore, when choosing, you need to proceed from how important a variety of possibilities is for you - so as not to overpay for extra nozzles that turned out to be useless in fact.
Note that this item is indicated only for engravers (see "Device") - for models of other types, specific types of nozzles are given in the corresponding item (see below).
Case (bag)
The presence of a
case or cover in the tool kit.
A case is a hard container, a cover is a soft one; the main differences between them are due to this difference in materials. However, the purpose of both devices is the same: they provide ease of storage and transportation. This convenience is provided both by additional protection (in the case of covers — from dirt, in the case of cases — also from hits and shocks), and by the fact that all attachments and additional accessories, usually, are placed inside the cover/case, thereby reducing the risk of losing any of these items.
Flexible shaft
The
flexible shaft is a special kind of accessory attachment supplied with the rotary engraver (see "Device") – this feature is not found in other tools. Outwardly, this device looks like a hose, sometimes quite long. One end of such a "hose" is attached to the engraver cartridge, and the other has its own cartridge, where the operating attachment is attached - rotation is transmitted to it due to the shaft located inside the "hose". The part of the flexible shaft held in the hands during operation is more compact and lighter than the engraver itself, so the most popular ways to use such equipment are processing hard-to-reach places (where the tool simply cannot crawl through) and fine work (which is difficult to do with a massive machine).
Tripod
A
tripod is included with the instrument.
This function is found mainly among rotary engravers (see "Device"). The tripod is designed to hang the tool on it when working with a flexible shaft (see "Attachments") — usually, this is more convenient than simply placing the machine on a table or other surface. Without a tripod, this would have to use carnations, hooks or other similar devices — and they are far from being available everywhere, and they do not always provide reliable placement.
Weight
The weight of the tool can be indicated according to different rules: some manufacturers take into account only the body without a nozzle, others — with a standard working nozzle, for multi-tools (see "Device") the weight of the main unit without a replaceable head, etc. can be indicated. These points are usually specified in the specifications or detailed documentation.
In the case of a power tool, weight has a dual meaning. On the one hand, the smaller it is, the easier it is to hold the unit in your hands during long work and the more convenient it is to carry out fine, accurate processing. On the other hand, a light tool is less stable and has an increased tendency to jerk, which is important under difficult conditions and hard materials.
