dremel tool for earwire ends

[missmeli]

Hello
I would like to buy a dremel or similar to file the ends of my earwires but are not sure what tool and drillbit I need. I saw this one from cookies - Dremel-300-Tool-In-A-Tube-Dremel-300-With-Speedclic-prcode-999-3209.

Can someone please tell me if it has the bit I need to file the ends, or is there another tool that would be better for me to use. I make around 50 pairs a week. Thank you, Meli

[Joe]

For rounding the end of the wire, you'll want cup-burrs, something like this (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Burrbusch-411-Cup-1.2mm-prcode-989-020)or this (http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Busch-Cleancut-Cup-Burr-1.2mm-411cc-prcode-989-411B).

[Dennis]

Dear Meli,

The Dremel is a low spec. option and most jewellers graduate to a Foredom. Whatever you get be sure to have variable speed control, because the inserts have different optimal revs.

Whatever you choose, if you can support the hand piece horizontally in a cradle and use it as a fixed device it will be quicker for mass applications. Joe has given you the dedicated tool for your purpose, either plain, or with a cutting slot, but they would be quite blunt after twenty or thirty goes. An alternative would be an abrasive rubber wheel such as Eveflex 970 450 or 970 460, which you can keep running and touch your earwires to in quick succession.

Another more extravagant option would be Cookson's polishing kit 999 096E,so that you can try out the various wheels. Once rubber gets too grooved it can be dressed to a better shape by holding any kind if flat gritty stone or diamond coated tool against it while it is running.

Forums only thrive on an exchange information, so your feedback will be important to us. Kind regards, Dennis

[orestruck]

Sorry Dennis, I have to disgree with you on one point - I have a cup burr identical to the one Joe has linked......I have probably rounded off the ends of around 500 silver earwires with mine and it is still going strong!

Also with regards to a dremel, it's probably the ideal place to start. It costs very little and is not difficult to use. They can also be picked up relatively inexpensively. Until someone is in a position to decide where they are going to go with their jewellery making, a pendant motor is probably an unecessary outlay.
In fact jewellery making makes up a fair proportion of my income and I fabricate my components rather than "assembling"other peoples, but I still "only" use a dremel!

Sarah

[Dennis]

Hi Sarah,
I have used my cup burrs mainly for finishing rivet heads for brooches and the commonly used ones are getting frustratingly blunt and really need changing. Do you use the slotted ones with the cutting function?
Kind regards, Dennis.

[orestruck]

Dennis,
It's this one
http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery-Tools/Burrbusch-411-Cup-0.9mm-prcode-989-009
The current one I am using I have had since April 2010. It's still works quickly and effectively.....

Sarah

[missmeli]

Thankyou Joe, Dennis & Sarah. I will try the cup burr (thanks for the link sarah), but I was really looking for a little handheld dremel that does all the work for me to save my poor fingers, and one that can also help with polishing small silver discs.

Is there a dremel that has the cup burr attachment, as the ones I can see at CG don't have it listed as an accessory (unless it is called something else).

Thank you, Meli

[Joe]

No, these burrs are quite specialised and will need to be bought separately. The dremel - and similar tools - come with collets that allow standard sized attachments such as these burrs to be fitted fairly easily.

[missmeli]

ahhh... now I have it. Thanks Joe.

Regards, Meli