Gene Howe

[Smallpatch]

Hey I don't want to suggest something you might not want but for what you suggested you are in to, an air grinder should be considered if you have a reasonable sized compressor and not the screaming kind. Because
 die grinders take 1/4" bits they can hog off more material than the 1/8" bits I prefer on carving. Also Wood Carvers Supply has the bits in 1/4" size and will do the same as the 1/8" bits I use but much faster..

Also if you don't have yet, Bring up Wood Carvers and check out their 2" carbide nugget wheel # 264866....and hold on to your hat for it will throw wood all over the place..Also a chain saw wheel will get after wood real fast but it will do the same to skin and bones the same way!!

  I can trust their air tools way more than their electric models. I have maybe ten different HF air tools and only one electric and all they need to last a while is light weight oil... But you do have to be careful about the amount of oil when used around expensive wood.. These have front and also rear exhaust so the rear exhaust model would be the one to buy. 

   The last two I bought from HF is their 13.99 and the 19.99 1/4"  angle grinders ...They also have the small 5/8" diameter pencil grip size  air grinder for 1/8" bits and will be the next I buy..24.95 and will be cheaper with that always 40% off of any one item.

Edited September 2, 2018 by Smallpatch

[Gene Howe]

Thanks again. You are the second person to recommend HF air tools to me. The other guy is an upholsterer who uses the straight (pencil?) style with a flat sand paper disc about 2" dia., to clean up the bottoms of foam cavities so he can get a smooth glue job. 

I'll take a look at them the next time I'm in HF. 

My compressor is rated at 7 hp and is an 80 gallon monster that puts out 120+ psi. It has two regulators (tank and hose) and can be squeezed down to 10 psi, or less. 

[Smallpatch]

I like to use the 90% angle die grinder but the weak part will be the the two gears and I have no idea as to what metal they are.... But a year or two and the cost being 13.99 for it I don't think I will worry too much. 

  I use to service all the air tools I sold to the body shops and mechanics and a few drops of light oil through the hose kinda on a regular basis is important for the vanes which will be plastic. And the tools I have has a place to place some oil inside where the gears are without taking anything apart.....Glad to see that..

  Gene a lot of times they will have the same looking tool with 2 different numbers. Theory has it the biggest number would be an improvement to the lower number tool???? Don't know about if that holds true to overseas people...

  I noticed that on some of these online..