I haven't used this on any projects yet, but it does seem promising. It has a rigid feel to it and the price is ideal. I haven't used a Dremel brand rotary tool so I can't really compare.
The only negative thing I have to say about this is that the collet nut is pretty hard to loosen once it's tightened. However, I found that putting the wrench against one of the fan blades made it easier to loosen. Probably not a good thing to do, but it does work.
Update 10/14/2008: I have used this on several projects now and it has held up very well. Cuts, grinds, and sands plastic and metal with no problems. The cut-off wheels included are not that great, but you can always get reinforced replacements. Also, make sure to let off on the material you are cutting, grinding, or sanding from time to time so that the cut-off wheels or sanding bands can cool off. Otherwise, the cut-off wheels are more prone to shatter or burn the material when it gets too hot from the friction. If you think you need a rotary tool to get a job done, this will do it and then some. In my initial review I stated that I had problems with the collet nut, but after using it I found it was my own fault. I did not have the locking safety mechanism engaged all the way so I had problems getting the collet nut off. Just make sure the safety is engaged all the way and tap the collet when it is loosened to get the attachment off and you will be golden. I am happy that I bought this for about half as much of a Dremel brand rotary tool. If I could change my rating, I would now give it 5 stars.
Amazon doesn't include a list of the accessories, but it's not their fault. It doesn't even say on the box itself. For those wondering what this comes with:
Rotary Tool - 1
Carrying Case - 1
Woodworking Clamps - 2
Wrench/Flathead Screwdriver - 1
1/8" Standard Mandrel - 1
Sanding Drum Mandrel - 1
Rubber Polishing Wheel (Coarse) (Brown) - 1
Aluminum Oxide Stone Bullet (Brick) (For Grinding) - 1
Diamond Point (For Engraving) - 1
Heavy Duty Cut-Off Discs - 20
Sanding Band (Coarse) - 3
Sanding Band (Fine) - 2 Black & Decker RTX-6 2 Amp 3-Speed Rotary Tool with 30 Accessories and 2 Spring Clamps
First off, I had a hard time getting this question answered when I was looking at rotary tools, so I'll say it right now: ALL DREMEL ACCESSORIES ARE USABLE BY THIS ROTARY TOOL. To someone who's used a rotary tool before I'm sure this is a logical statement, but to someone new to the devices (as I was), it can be confusing. I thought there might be some notch or something in Dremel accessories that made them only usable by Dremel rotary tools, but there isn't. They're all the same.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I just got my RTX a couple of weeks ago, and thus far I'm very impressed by it. It looks and feels substantial and sturdy, and fits very nicely in your hand as you work with it. Though I'd have preferred to see fully adjustable speed settings on this tool, the three speed settings seem to allow more than enough versatility in power to handle any project you throw at it. Mine came with a nice, simple case that's about the same size as a 2 cd tall cd book, which I greatly prefer to the extremely large plastic case that most Dremel tools come in.
My only complaints from this unit are that it doesn't come with a very impressive array of bits/accessories (I bought a 150 piece Dremel accessory kit to supplement it), and I've had some difficulty with the locking mechanism that allows for you to switch accessories getting stuck. It's always loosened up after a little persistent encouragement, but it's still a decent sized annoyance when it happens.
I've used a 300 series Dremel regularly in the past, so I feel that I can safely say that from what I have seen from this tool thus far, the Black and Decker RTX is just as capable a tool as the Dremel, perhaps more so (when you take into account the RTX's superior power). That said, it should probably be noted that the RTX hasn't been around for nearly as long as the Dremel brand, so it's durability over time has yet to be tested.
I've got to wonder why someone would pay 2 or 3 times the price of the RTX to get a Dremel... I suppose name recognition has a lot to do with it, after all people do refer to these things as "Dremel tools" not "Black and Decker tools", but that doesn't seem like a very wise way to make purchases. Puffs facial tissue works just as well as Kleenex, generic cotton swabs work just as well as Q-tips, and the RTX works just as well as a Dremel tool, so why pay the premium price?
If you're looking for the most bang for your rotary tool buck, this is the one you want to go with, hands down.
Bought one as the Dremel was selling for more $$ and I only needed a rotary tool for a very small home project. Having used a dremel brand before, I was cautious about not overheating the unit by having it bog down on tasks. Well that wasn't a problem with the RTX. Didn't realize that it had more motor juice than Dremel until using it. Lots more torque makes it easier to control. Good value.
Edit: Recently purchased the little jigsaw attachment sold by Dremel. I was told this unit really taxes the power out of a dremel unit due to its gearing system and application (i.e. dremel never designed for this type of task). Well the unit fit perfectly on the B&D and the power really shines with this attachement -- I can slice through wood like butter without any bogging down of the unit. Incredible.
I own a professional model shop, and although we occasionally use a Foredom (this is a motor with a cabled handpiece--very powerful, and with a foot pedal speed control, quite easy to use, except for the darn cable) we mainly use Dremel "rotary tools." I've gotten used to them lasting less than a year. They are not in constant use--a week may go by when none are used, but we have several because all of a sudden three people may need to drill tiny holes, or use small burrs, or?
One of my employees came in with this B&D and I was impressed. I ordered one for our shop, and now there are three. It's been less than 6 months, so I'm not sure about longevity, but the oldest still seems solid. There is no external brush replacement like there is on the better Dremels, but I don't know if this is an issue, as generally, the Dremels were dying before the brushes were worn down to replacement status. One of the problems with the Dremel design is the location of the cooling vents--it's hard to hold the Dremel comfortably and not block many of the vents, so the tool overheats.
The B&D is better in this regard, though still not perfect. Balance is good, certainly on par with the top Dremels. Power seems similar. The speed control may be a bit less specific (although there are intermediate settings between the three marked speeds, so this is actually better than expected. Quieter than the Dremels, seems to run a bit smoother. I like the lever lock for the collet change quite a bit too.
Overall, I am very please with these roto tools. Especally at about half the Dremel cost, they are a definite best buy.'
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