Foredom quick release handpiece question

[Kwant]

I have one and it no longer grips the bit. I tried tightening it with the supplied allen key but it seems there is no bite and the key just turns. Does anybody know if by undoing the nut where the quick release lever is one can get the insides out, as I have seen it is possible to buy the collet and retaining nut separately, which I could then replace.

I have since bought a chuck handpiece which I find much more useful, but still it would be a shame not to be able to fix the quick release.

[ps_bond]

Treading perilously close to teaching granny to suck eggs, have you looked at Foredom's instructions?
http://www.foredom.net/documentdownloads.aspx

I'd link to the specific handpiece, but I don't know which you've got...

I like the chuck handpiece when I'm messing with non-standard bits in the handpiece, but the ease of use of the quick change is fantastic, particularly when swapping back and forth between burrs.

[Kwant]

Yes Peter strangely as I am not exactly technical that was the first thing I did then I hunted online for info on failing handpieces and found nothing, tried the Foredom website and still nothing, but I did find info on the replacement collet and holding nut set, which is only any use if I can get the old one out. I suppose I just have to bite the bullet and undo the lever nut and see if it all comes to bits, as it is, it is unusable.


Edited to add it is the Number 20 handpiece.

[ps_bond]

Ah, http://www.foredom.net/Handpc_Instru...0_20D_20SJ.pdf

Adjusting the collet doesn't seem too bad from the description there...?
Probably best to drop Foredom an email - from what I've seen on Ganoksin they're pretty good at getting back to people.

[Tabby66]

A shared concern Kwant, the past 2-3 weeks I've had the same problem. I have used but certainly not overused my quick release hand piece and it doesn't grip bits in the same way......

[Kwant]

I will do as Peter suggests and drop Foredom a note. It is not that I do not know how to adjust the collet but that I fear the adjusting nut is deburred so that the allen key is ineffective.

[Joe]

Will the collet itself unscrew?

The collet is threaded at the bottom and screws onto the threaded end of the rotating shaft. The lock screw then screws down onto that shaft and locks the two together. But, though tight with the lock screw, it might still turn a teeny bit and loosen. When removed you might be able to get the little lock screw out for inspection.

A replacement M3x3 might only cost a few pence!

[Myosotis]

A shared concern Kwant, the past 2-3 weeks I've had the same problem. I have used but certainly not overused my quick release hand piece and it doesn't grip bits in the same way......

Me too - not at all happy considering how little use it's had

[Tabby66]

Me too - not at all happy considering how little use it's had

Think I might drop foredom a line too! Put it this way, if the hand piece is going to wear out with this much usage this quickly, with the usage I would anticipate and which would easily be reasonable, I'll be replacing it every couple of months

[Joe]

Erm... I think Foredom hand-pieces are pretty-much state of the art. I have four different ones and have stripped them down and played with them and think that - though assembly is a bit slap-dash in places - the design and machining is of excellent quality.

It doesn't surprise me that Google doesn't locate complaints about the quality of this product... which is to say... unless there is a coincidence of poor quality items... there may... possibly... as an outside chance... be a teeny bit of user error!