drill
My dremel has an adjustable speed switch, which makes it a lot easier to control the speed than with a drill. Is there an adapter I can buy so I can attach this hole cutter (which has a shank that is too big for the dremel), to my dremel?
On the packaging it says maximum 500RPM.
There is a category of power tool called a multi-tool that is basically a very small saw usefull in cutting in tight spaces.
After you cut the initial hole, this tool could be used to trim away the area in the uper section on an angle to make room for your retaining arms.
The tools come in corded and cordless version, and at various price points. The are very handy and can do other things, such as spot sanding and grinding.
That is how it should work. The drill is designed so that less pressure on the trigger means less power to the drill. It could damage the driver if you were to keep it in that state of trying to turn and failing for an extremely extended period, but not if its momentary like you describe.
In short - good question but you're worrying too much. :)
Oh - yes - by the way - actually this is what it was designed for - exactly so. It's designed to apply torque to bolts and screws and drill bits.
Best Answer
Even if you could find an adapter to connect the bit to a rotary tool, I don't think the rotary tool would hold up to the weight of the bit and the torque it produced. Rotary tools are not designed to handle large amounts of torque.
The weight of a bit like that, and the drag forces it would encounter would likely be too much for the rotary tool to handle. This would cause the motor of the rotary tool to burn out, simply not spin up to speed, or stop as soon as you started cutting.