A Review of the WEN 2301 Cordless Rotary Tool, Is it worth buying?

I teach jewelry making workshops. I needed a cordless rotary tool that I can take on the road to use in my workshops. It needs to drill through copper, brass, silver, or sterling silver. Additionally, I need to be able to polish my class pieces using the 3M discs. I filmed this video to give an accurate look at the tool. I purchased the tool because of the flex shaft and added light that attaches to the hand piece and Amazion had great reviews of the tool. These reviews are not accurate.
Janet is an accomplished metal artist with her work published in several books and magazines including on the cover of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist; The Gemmys 2015, Contemporary Metal Clay Rings. Her creations can be found in Metal Clay in Color, American Craft Magazine, Metal Clay Artist Magazine, Contemporary Metal Clay Rings, Metal Clay 101 for Beaders, and in New Directions: Powder Metallurgy in a Sheet Metal World.
For the past several years she has taught adults metalsmithing at conventions and gem shows. As a writer she co-authored, Metal Clay in Color, has written many tutorials for books and magazines.

[@jinxi99]

Thank for the review. I was looking at this model but after seeing this review I know it won't meet my needs. Thanks for saving me time and money.

[@raymondvjr7747]

Thank you for the review. It was very informative.

[@Kragatar]

Thanks for doing this review. I was about to buy that piece of junk.

[@bubba99009]

Thanks for the video - was tempted by the incredibly cheap price and somewhat decent reviews but it looks like you get what you pay for. I will probably end up getting the cordless Dremel 8220 with the Dremel flex shaft (at 5-6 times the price). At least it should (hopefully) be up to the task.

[@vfpdesign]

Thanks. I now know what NOT to buy. Hope you got your money back.

[@Susan-qi7fl]

Why so much fuss over a woman who knows tools? Hell, I grew up in Dad's garage and the computer room, and he and I refer to Harbor Freight as the Toy Store. Bog down SOME? That thing sounded like it had a sudden dagger at its throat! And the flex shaft, UGH! A rotary tool is not a Weeble, thanks. Janet, do you have any recommendations on a small, hopefully inexpensive rotary tool? I have itty-bitty arthritic hands, but I need something that can polish stone, file cut edges on sawed and punched metal, and cut through anything from copper to sheet steel (up to maybe 20ga, heavier on the soft metals). Thanks! :)

[@JanetAlexanderJewelry]

Sorry, just saw this post Susan. The Foredom Flex Shaft brand can do all that except punch metal. www.ottofrei.com has several kinds. The one with the better foot peddle is nice because it allows you to control the speed.

[@kavonnthomas2491]

If you need to drill through metal you need torque, not speed. A small Impact Driver or High Torque Drill will suit your needs

[@JanetAlexanderJewelry]

I teach how to make silver jewelry. This tool wouldn't drill through silver, nor would it run polishing burs well enough to use it.

[@m8272m]

I have no stock in WEN. I didn't make their dremel. That said, I haven't found anything WEN can do that Dremel can't. Bits & burrs typically matter most, or second only to user experience/error. _And while writing this I just realized this is for the cordless model, which IMO, always suffers way too much to justify being cordless._

[@Rezirex]

Glad I found this review. Now I know not to buy this...