The Best Power Tools for Carving Pumpkins

Get creative with Halloween pumpkin carving this season by heading into the workshop. You’ll enjoy carving beautifully spooky designs on your pumpkin by using power tools such as a drill, jigsaw, and spade bit. Read on to learn more about the best power tools for carving pumpkins.

Mini Reciprocating Saw

A saw on the smaller side, like a reciprocating saw, is great for neatly trimming tough, dry pumpkin stems. It’s handy for carving intricate shapes and knocking out tight radius curves.

And it’s great for cutting the lid and trimming the bottom of big pumpkins. A reciprocating saw is also the best choice to cut through an extra-thick pumpkin skin.

Jigsaw

The jigsaw’s variable speeds and settings make it ideal for pumpkin carving. It can quickly cut a pumpkin lid. Be sure to hold the saw at a slight angle so the lid will be angled inward- wider at the top and narrower at the bottom.

This process makes a neatly fitting top. A jigsaw is perfect for:

• Intricate cuts
• Cutting large areas, quickly
• Turning precise corners

A high-priced jigsaw isn’t required. An inexpensive jigsaw fitted with a long blade for wood will handle the job.

Brad Point Wood Drill Bits

Regular wood drill bits make small, neatly rounded holes- perfect for creating a glowing lantern effect. You can also use a wood drill bit to make the center highlight of your jack o’ lantern’s eyeballs.

Drill Spade Bit

A handy drill spade bit set offers a myriad of hole-size options. It’s perfect for cutting round eyes, noses, or small, decorative hole patterns that allow eerie light to shine through. Spade bits are one of the most useful tools for carving pumpkins.

Drill Hole Saw

To quickly make significant circular cuts, use your hole saw set. A basic set available at home improvement and hardware stores includes:

• 1-1/4-inch
• 1-1/2-inch
• 2-inch
• 2-1/8-inch, and
• 1 hole saw mandrel

The hole saw’s high-speed, steel teeth make for fast, clean circle cuts. After cutting, the pumpkin flesh will easily slide out the end. Check out our video on how to create a carved design on a pumpkin with a drill!

Dremel Rotary Tool

A battery-operated Dremel rotary tool is perfect for fine-tuning cuts using the sanding wheel. Plus, a Dremel is compact and lightweight, making it easy to handle, causing less fatigue. The varieties of accessories offer several options to fine-tune your most intricate designs.

The best choice for detailed carving is a Dremel Stylus. It’s lightweight, spins fast, and is held like a pencil which helps with control.

Oscillating Tool

Have an oscillating tool handy? Get creative with this compact and versatile tool plus accessories.

Router

A router is ideal for removing the pumpkin’s outer skin or top layer. Be sure to wear safety glasses as the outer skin will fly about as you cut.

Tools That Don’t Work Well

Do not use a torch or plasma cutter to carve pumpkins. Why? Pumpkin flesh is mostly made of water, so a torch or plasma cutter will ‘melt’ the flesh. You’ll just create a steamy mess.

Don’t use a large knife.  It’s hard to cut curves with a large knife, so your round lid may end up taking the shape of a hexagon. Use a thin-bladed boning knife instead.

Extra Tips:

• Power tool pumpkin carving can be messy. Wear protective goggles and gear when working with power tools.
• Choose a pumpkin that is taller rather than wide. The shape is more reminiscent of a face. Bonus points if your chosen pumpkin is big and ugly!
• Use an ice cream scoop to remove the pumpkin ‘guts’ before you begin. First, start at the opening and scrape the sides to the other end. Then dump the pulp and seeds into the trash.
• Clean out the pumpkin’s insides before drilling; otherwise, you’ll have a mess on your hands.
• Instead of the traditional top lid, try removing the back or bottom. Doing this is a good idea if you want to use the full pumpkin front for a design.
• Use dry-erase markers to draw the pattern. If you don’t like the design, it’s easy to erase and start over. Plus, when you’re finished, any leftover marks can be removed.
• Preserve your carved design with Wet & Forget Outdoor. Applying Wet & Forget will help your pumpkin stay mold and mildew-free for two more weeks.

There you have it—the best power tools for carving pumpkins!