Foredom Quick Release AGAIN

[Patstone]

Someone mentioned about having a Foredom Quick release handset (not sure if its on this forum though) slipping when using pressure, and someone said if you follow the instructions on the Foredom website you can tighten it yourself. So as I have been having problems with it for a long time, you can pull out the burr quite easily, I decided to "have a go" at tightening it. The instructions as far as I understand says " undo the black tip and take out the felt washer, get the allen key and put it in the end, half a turn anti clockwise and then get a pair of pliers and tighten the nib end. Well there is only the shaft and the "nib" is less than quarter of an inch long, anyway I couldnt move it either way. Has anyone had this problem or knows how to fix it. There isnt really anywhere I can take it down here, miles from anywhere.

[Dennis]

If you really get stuck Pat, I'm sure Milnes Bros will deal with it, but phone or email them first. regards, Dennis:

http://www.milnesbros.com/page3.htm

[Myosotis]

I'll have a look at mine this evening and see how I did it last time and let you know

[Myosotis]

I've checked mine - assuming yours is the same model, turn the quick release lever to the right angle position to the handpiece as though you were changing a bit, unscrew the black tip and remove felt washer. Then don't use pliers, just try twisting the nib clockwise and anti clockwise with your fingers - you'll see that this makes the 'hole' in the nib increase or decrease in size. Tighten it with your fingers until you're happy with the fit (using a standard diameter shank to test the tightness). Return quick release lever to locked position, replace felt washer and black tip. Figure 6 onwards on instructions.

[Patstone]

Just had another go at it and it isnt moving. The silver bit moves but the jaws dont move at all.

[Myosotis]

It is quite stiff at first (puts a bit of a dent in my finger tips) - is there anything you can use to keep the silver bit still while you try to turn the jaws? If this still doesn't work sounds like its pretty wedged in there :-/

[Tabby66]

My understanding is that you can use pliers to hold the shank and use the allen key inserted into the nib to adjust the grip once you have the lever in the correct position and black tip and felt removed, as already stated).....as I've just said in another thread, my original allen key was duff, just slipped around and adjusted nothing (other than my level of frustration and feeling of incompetence)!!

[Myosotis]

I didn't have to use an allen key to adjust the tension in the collet with mine just now and its been working fine for the last 18 months :-/

To be honest I don't actually know which handpiece Pat has - I assumed the H20 but the instructions for the H20 don't say anything about using pliers to adjust the nib end, just says to turn the collet clockwise and counterclockwise to tighten or loosen the collet tension and then tighten the collet lock screw with the allen.

It could well be that there was a dodgy batch and Pat ( and you and others) were unlucky

[Patstone]

Yes its the H20, the instructions were on the website, didnt come with the handpiece. I also have the handpiece with the chuck, they sent it to me free of charge when I complained that the handpiece was slipping, but its time consuming to keep altering it, the quick release is well, quicker.

[Dennis]

Here are the instructions snipped from the original sheet posted by Peter. I hope you can print them in a large enough size to read easily. If nothing is happening, then the possibilities are:

1. The pliers are not gripping. Or

2. The allen key is worn, or the wrong size, because you should feel that something is turning. That said, what the allen key does, is to lock the collet after it has been adjusted to its best position. The best position is when a burr will go in a little tightly, but still comfortably, with the lever open.

3. Or it could be that the collet or the lock screw are faulty, in which case you need to replace them, but this is hardly likely with a newish handpiece.. Dennis.

[Patstone]

I have done that, and it still doesnt work. In desperation I sawed off the end of the allen key to see if perhaps it had got damaged and it still doesnt work.
Not sure what to do now, it does hold normal burrs ok, but when the going gets tough it just spins. If you pull the burr it comes out easily so it should be tighter than it is I should think. Thanks for all your trouble, really appreciated. X




Here are the instructions snipped from the original sheet posted by Peter. I hope you can print them in a large enough size to read easily. If nothing is happening, then the possibilities are:

1. The pliers are not gripping. Or

2. The allen key is worn, or the wrong size, because you should feel that something is turning. That said, what the allen key does, is to lock the collet after it has been adjusted to its best position. The best position is when a burr will go in a little tightly, but still comfortably, with the lever open.

3. Or it could be that the collet or the lock screw are faulty, in which case you need to replace them, but this is hardly likely with a newish handpiece.. Dennis.

[caroleallen]

Did you ever sort out your hand piece Pat. I've noticed that mine slips when using radial brushes - seems OK with everything else, though I don't use it much myself.

[Patstone]

Not really, Carole, it still slips. I did try to tighten it as per the instructions but not sure if it actually did tighten. I have the other handpiece as well, so if it slips I put it into the one with the chuck, sorry cant remember the number of it now and its upstairs, so I will check later when I go back up and buzz back. I even cut the end off the allen key so it would have a new unblemished end, but it didnt feel as if it was unlocking, like you would expect a nut and bolt to feel, and of course you cant see it because its inside.

[Tabby66]

You're right Pat, you can't really see or feel anything when using the allen key.....the biggest difficulty is knowing which way to turn it, but you will know if you've tightened it, if you go a little too tight, you won't be able to get a burr into the chuck, I then just back it off a little and i'm ready to go again,......hope this helps!!
Jill x

[Patstone]

Thanks Jill, I will have another go at it later on. I havent been anywhere near my workbench for about 4 days now as my elderly mother (96 years old) had a fall and broke her arm and has a very bad sprained ankle, she is ok again now as in "fairly comfortable", and my dad is coping with the day to day running with the help of a carer coming in for an hour to help get mum showered etc. Fortunately they moved into a disabled bungalow, and never got around to taking off the grab rails and as it was designed for a wheelchair, there is plenty of room. Now all the carers etc are in place I may be able to make a bit more, especially as we have a craft fair next weekend.

[Tabby66]

Oooh Pat, sounds like you've had an awful few days, things should hopefully settle down for you, now you've got everything in place, fingers crossed!

[caroleallen]

Sorry to hear about your Mum Pat, that doesn't sound much like fun.

I'll have a look at mine later. I've collected so many allen keys that I must have one that fits.

[Patstone]

Mum has been so well and active, does all her own gardening, well to get things into perspective, she has a patio with a wide border all around it, and millions of pot plants and cuttings etc in the greenhouse. She has done all her housework until last year when she has someone to come in to do the ironing and vac through once a week. My dad loves cooking so he took on that role years ago, they have it all under control. Trouble is when you are so used to them going places and doing things, then suddenly they cant, its like being hit in the face with a brick, reality hits and you think well she is 96 and wont last forever. My dad is 10 years younger and you would think more agile, but he has metal plates and steel bits inside where he had a bad fall a couple of years ago. This was taken at xmas 2013 with my daughter being silly.

5996

[Tabby66]

What a lovely picture Pat, it is hard isn't it, my mum had surgery for bowel cancer almost 2 years ago, and had a heart attack during recovery, it really aged her, knocked her confidence I think :(

[caroleallen]

Great photo Pat. She looks like a character.

[Patstone]

She is a character, very soft hearted but has a stiff upper lip too, which I inherited, if anything bad happens its "take it as it comes and get on with it". Fortunately she only lives 2 miles from me so I can visit to help out. Yesterday I was greeted with:- "I walked from the bathroom on my own", bearing in mind that she sprained her ankle badly and its about rugby ball size, as well as having plaster on her arm. What made us laugh, she was offered a walking frame by the hospital, and she told them "oh no thank you, thats for old people". She is my trialer, well its how I can give her jewellery without her trying to pay me for it. She thinks its for me to try out a new design. Gotcha.