I‘ve used a Dremel Moto-Tool for decades, and find it essential for many tasks. Unfor-tunately, even with the speed stepped down through a rheostat, the tool spins so fast it can melt plastic.

Thanks to my wife, Lynn, I’ve found a cost-effective alternative: a rotary nail buffer. Available as battery-powered or rechargeable, nail buffers are slow-speed rotary tools designed for filing, polishing, and smoothing. Lynn’s has long used a small, battery-powered nail-polishing tool, and recently also got an impressive rechargeable unit with a variety of tips, including round pads intended for smoothing heels, that are great for smoothing seams. Nail buffers are much smaller than motor tools, so they get into tight places such as intakes. I’ve found them in chain drug stores. Now, I wonder how I ever got along without them.

Tip submitted by:
Ned BarnettLas Vegas, Nevada