Dremel Trio

I’ve had this unit for 4 yrs. like everyone says it’s easy to use in a lot of applications but. To find replacement bits is impossible. Canadian tire has this on sale when I bought it and they don’t stock 3/16” bits.

I am a miniaturist and this is the most useful tool I have ever used. just the right size and have never failed me . A++++

While the Dremel Trio (6800-01) offers much of the same functionality as a standard Dremel rotary tool, it has two important differences. First, it has a pivoting handle. Most of the time you'll use the 6800 with the handle positioned parallel to the work surface (as you would a jig saw). The large 3" x 4-1/2" footprint makes the 6800 very stable in use. However, with the push of a button you can pivot the handle straight up, enabling you to use the 6800 much in the same way you use a conventional rotary tool. This position makes it easier to use the 6800 in tight corners, or when working overhead. The second difference between the 6800 and the standard Dremel rotary tools is that the 6800 uses a larger, 3/16" collet; which means, of course, that you have to use accessories with 3/16" shanks. The larger bit shank diameter provides greater stability in use, reduction in bit chatter, better heat dissipation, and greater shank strength. However, the biggest drawback to the 6800 right now is the very limited number of accessories available. None of the standard 1/8" Dremel accessories will work with the 6800. The 6800 is, as with the other Dremel tools, well constructed. It's well balanced, in either the open or closed modes, comfortable to grip, and at just under 3 pounds easy to control, particularly when using it overhead. I like the large trigger, and the lock-on button is easily accessible with thumb or forefinger. The speed dial is at the back end of the handle. Easy enough to manipulate, but a forward location might be a bit more convenient. Pivoting the head is pretty easy; you just press the articulation button and pivot the head until it locks into position (with an audible click). The base plate (the foot) moves up and down 1-1/8". The 6800-01 comes with a multi-purpose bit (TR561), a 1/4" straight router bit (TR654), a sanding mandrel (TR407) with 6 sanding sleeves (60, 120 and 240 grits), and a straight edge/circle guide (TR800). The high-speed steel multi-purpose bit is 2-1/4" long with 1-1/8" of cutting surface. With the bit almost fully seated and the shoe fully retracted you get about 1" of usable surface. I found that it gave surprisingly good cuts in 1/4" ply, MDF, and hardwood. The high-speed steel 1/4" router bit has twin 7/16" cutting edges, and did a superb job of routing perfect 1/4" grooves in hardwood. Changing bits is quick and easy, with the shaft lock button located at the front of the motor housing. I always found the wrench on the Dremel 4000 a bit too small; the wrench for the 6800 is larger, making it easier to use. You don't need to remove the base to change bits, but it's easier if the shoe is open to its maximum depth. As you would on a router, don't bottom out the bits, but leave them about 1/8" above the bottom of the collet. The easiest way to do this is push the bit all the way down to the bottom, and then pull it up about 1/8". The straight edge/circle guide fits into two slots in the base, and is firmly held in place with a lock screw. To use the circle cutting jig you need to drill a 1/8" diameter hole in your stock to accept the 1/8" locating pin on the bottom of the jig. The largest diameter hole I could cut was 16-1/2" (with the arm of the jig inserted only into the first slot in the base); the smallest was 1-3/4". Flip the jig so that the locating pin is pointing upwards and you can use the jig as an edge guide. Maximum extension is 8-1/8" (again, with the arm of the jig inserted into the first slot on the base); minimum extension is 1-11/16". When extending the jig out to its maximum distance ensure that the tang rests under one of the bars of the metal spring that is attached to the base. Once you snug up the bolt that lock the jig in place there is still a tiny bit of play in the arm. This occurs regardless of whether you inserted the jig arm into either one or both of the slots on the base. Fortunately the amount of play is fairly miniscule that I haven't found it to be an issue as of yet. The 2 amp motor generates from 10,000 to 20,000 RPM, which is all the power and speed you need to spin the bits and accessories for this tool. At only 6' long I found the power cord too short, particularly when used to make drywall cut-outs or when working on long panels. However if you work at a bench on small stock then it might be adequate. The hard shell case is, as with all Dremel tools, stellar. Keeps your tool and various bits and accessories organized and easy to store. If you already own a Dremel, then I'm not convinced that it's worth adding the 6800 to your power tool inventory. I think that anyone will find the Trios quite useful for a multitude of small cutting, sawing, and routing applications.

We picked up one of these when they first came on the market and we’re pleased to see them available at Canadian Tire. The Trios gets the name from the fact it’s designed to do three jobs: a spiral saw, router, sander. Spiral saw: The Trios can work as a RotoZip-style spiral saw. Insert a special bit and you can cut drywall, tile, wood, even thin sheet metal. We’ve only used it on drywall and wood. It works great for cutting an opening for an electric outlet. It was easy to hold and I could easily follow the pencil lines I made. In wood it’s not so great. It can really cut wood and you can make cuts without splintering. You can cut free hand, but I’d recommend a jig or straight edge if you need to make straight cuts. You can also make plunge cuts straight into the wood and start cutting. The only problem is that the bit wears out fast and is not cheap or readily available. I did a comparison between the Trios and my MasterCraft jigsaw. I made the same type of cut in the same piece of wood and found the Trios spiral saw worked at about half the speed of my jigsaw with a basic 12 TPI wood blade. Router: The Trios comes with a very basic ¼ inch mortising bit. The tool is underpowered compared to a regular router (trim routers are around 5 amps). If you want to carve your name or a pattern into soft wood, it will work fine and make a clean cut. I found it was easy to control and could print my name on some scrap pine free hand. Again, use a jig if you want accuracy. If you are looking to route a dado joint, get a real router. Bits wear out fast and aren’t cheap or readily available. Sander: The Trios is NOT a replacement for a palm or orbital sander. It can replace a drum sander or a sanding drum on your drill. I used the sanding drum that came with the kit to smooth some of the routed edges and straight cuts I made with the Trios. The sanding drums worked very well and cleaned up rough edges nicely. I’ve used drum sanders on my drill, and the Trios does much more accurate sanding. The drum sanders stay attached to the collet very firmly. The Bits The main problem with the tools are the bits. The Trios will only take Trios bits and not other types of Dremel bits. The bits supplied do the job, but they don’t last that long. We’ve found it hard to find Trios bits in our area. We hope now that Canadian Tire is offering this tool, we’ll have better supply of these bits. The Trios is not a replacement for three power tools. It makes a fine drywall saw, but you can do the work as easily with the Stanley drywall saw. It performance as a wood saw is mediocre. It can’t compare to a jigsaw in terms of the speed of making a cut, although it does make cleaner cuts. The plunge cut ability is not really useful. Any time you save by not pulling out your drill to make a starter hole is lost because the saw cuts wood slowly. As a router, the Trios is strightly light duty. Again, the quality of the cut is quite good, but it is just too underpowered to make an effective router. As a drum sander, it’s a great tool. Whether you want this tool depends on your situation. If you already have a jigsaw and a cheap sander, then you can buy a good router for the same price. Same thing if you already own a router and are in the market for a jigsaw: Get a dedicated jigsaw. There are several in the same price range (or cheaper than) the Trios. This tool would appeal to (1) a diehard tool collector; (2) someone who does occasional DIY jobs and lacks basic power tools; or (3) someone really into small crafts and would benefit from a small power tool that can make accurate cuts, do some basic routing in softwood, or needs to sand intricate shapes.