Any Arbortech Woodcarvers Out There?

I'm curious of what you think of the Abortech grinders. I've been considering a purchase for some time, and the Woodworker's Show comes to K.C. this weekend. Might be a good time to pick one up. I have done some chainsaw carving, and thought this might make big projects easier and more enjoyable. I've noticed they sell the Industrial Pro Kit as well as the Freestyle kit. What's the difference?
Is the Mini Grinder able to handle big jobs?

Hi Rando,

I have both, the regular arbortech and the minigrinder.

When you get the regular arbortech, it has to be mounted on a 4' grinder. I bought the kit for 99.00. Don't waste your money on the kit because all the kit provides extra is a plastic guard and you cannot carve with that guard on there anyway. It took forever to install the guard and had to turn right around and take it off. You can just buy the industrial blade without the guard and it is 86.95 from Bailey's 1-800-322-4539. It would be a wonderful tool to help detail your chainsaw carvings because you have more control of it. It takes off a lot of wood fast, so it would be big help to you. Fun to use, but you have to use gloves, those chips come flying back and sting your hands.

As for the mini grinder, you can buy the attachment, or you can buy the grinder and attachment as one unit. I bought the attachment first, but you have to have so many extra things to adapt it that i sent it back and bought the grinder and attachment as one unit already assembled. The regular blades are tinney, don't waste your time with them. Order the industrial carbide tipped blade. You can get the mini grinder package from Bailey's for 144.95, and the carbide blade for the mini grinder is 24.99. This grinder is great for removing wood, and it allows you to get in tighter spaces. There are sanding discs that fit on it, but some of them don't hold up too well.

These two tools are tops in my book followed close by tri-cut carving burrs. Tri cuts can take off a lot of wood, fast and don't pulverize the wood. You don't have to buy a grinder for them, they fit in your regular flex shaft machine. They come in three shapes, flat, u-gouge and V-cut. The v-cut is great for making fur.

Another mail order source for Arbortech products is highland hardware, 1-800-241-6748.

Wood Carver's supply 1-800-284-6229 has the tri-cut carvers.

But, hey, if you have the woodworkers show coming up, they will probably have them and someone there to answer your questions. It is allways good to see what you are getting; sometimes ordering from a catalog is like buying a pig in a poke.

Hey Gravel Girl,

Thanks for the info!

Sounds like you have done your fair share of chainsaw carving. Since you have both the mini grinder and the regular. Which do you use more often? I'm still undecided which to purchase first. :-/
Does the assembeled mini grinder unit come apart so you can use the industrial blade on the same grinder?

Hi again Rando,

The regular Arbortech is good at taking off large amounts of wood. You have your chainsaws that you can use for that. The mini grinder would do you more good with your detail carving. It takes off large amounts of wood for its size and will allow you to get close in and do a lot finer work that you couldn't achieve with the chainsaw. So you might want to get the mini grinder first.

I'm not sure if you can use the regular industrial blade on the assembled mini grinder unit. But if you CAN, it isn't something you'd want to switch out very often. It is hard to attach the mini grinder attachment to the grinder. That's why i sent mine back and got the assembled unit. (I admit to no mechanical skills myself, but it was a pain in the A-- for my husband and he can rebuild engines and the whole nine yards.) Call Highland Hardware. They are very helpful and they have a technical staff who answers questions.

I don't do as much chainsaw carving as i'd like. I have a million ideas but often don't get started unless i feel like getting a vigorous workout. It requires a lot of upper body strength. But when i do chainsaw carve, it helps to just get the roughing out done fast with the heavy chainsaw, then finish up with the lighter Arbortech grinders.

Hope to hear if you get any good information at the woodworking show. Have fun.

I use the King Arthur blade on my grinder. Might probably have bought the arbortech, but found the KA blade first. Invaluable! I use my chainsaw when I'm taking off big pieces of wood and the grinder in more of a 'planer' fashion. It's great for turning a shape with a lot of flat sides into something much rounder. I could do that with the saw, I suppose, but I have better control on the grinder.