Hammer handpiece – worth it?

[Elizabeth]

Hello,

So, getting a bit fed up with the limits of my hand me down/free dremel and I am definitely feeling like its time for an upgrade….

Having read all the posts on here about flexshafts vs micromotors etc. I think I’ve decided to go for the foredom micromotor K1070 as it’s not much more than the foredom’s SR pendant motor and it seems that a lot of people end up upgrading to a micromotor anyway.

Now am in the upgrading frame of mind, I was thinking it would be good to get a hammer handpiece, but was horrified to find out the price of the hammer handpiee that goes with the micromotor is around £400, which is more than the micromotor itself costs! Whereas a hammer handpiece for a pendant drill is around the £90/£100 mark.

So… my questions are…

- How much do you use your hammer handpiece and what do you mainly use yours for? Would you consider it an essential piece of kit?

- Is the foredom microcomtor hammer handpeiece significantly better than the ones you can use with a pendant motor, hence the price?

Grateful as always for any words of wisdom, views, comments/suggestions!

Elizabeth

[Tabby66]

I use mine for setting some stones and some texturing Elizabeth. By 'some' I mean "not all". Is it essential? Not for me, but it certainly is helpful, it depends what you are doing.

(I have the pendant motor and hand piece, and it is a great bit of kit).

[enigma]

I have a pendant motor only so can't comment on the micro motor.
I use my hammer hand piece for stone setting only but do find it invaluable for that especially when working with gold.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks very much both, Maybe just going for the pendant motor would be a better idea than the micromotor?
Would mean I could also get the hammer hand piece for that without completely breaking the bank!
Enigma, sorry if this is a dumb question but why is it particularly good for working with gold?

[CJ57]

I was given the K1070 for my Xmas and like you was horrified when I looked at the price the hammer hand piece is going to cost. It was one of the reasons I wanted the micromotor, which is said to be lighter to use than a pendant but guess I'll have to save up!

[Elizabeth]

I was given the K1070 for my Xmas and like you was horrified when I looked at the price the hammer hand piece is going to cost. It was one of the reasons I wanted the micromotor, which is said to be lighter to use than a pendant but guess I'll have to save up!

The cost is a shocker isn't it?!!

[CJ57]

The cost is a shocker isn't it?!!
It did seem strange that the hand piece appears to be more expensive than the motor, I thought it was a misprint

[Goldsmith]

I think what you are missing is that when you buy a micromotor, the hammer head hand piece also has a motor inside like the drill micromotor so you are buying a second motor, unlike a clip on hammerhead hand piece for a pendant drill, which uses the same motor for each hand piece. That's the reason that the hand pieces are cheaper on a pendant drill.


James

[Elizabeth]

[QUOTE=Goldsmith;85604]I think what you are missing is that when you buy a micromotor, the hammer head hand piece also has a motor inside like the drill micromotor so you are buying a second motor, unlike a clip on hammerhead hand piece for a pendant drill, which uses the same motor for each hand piece. That's the reason that the hand pieces are cheaper on a pendant drill.


That is very true, but still don't understand why the hammer handpiece for the micromotor is over twice the price of the normal handpiece for the micromotor :confused:

[Goldsmith]

[QUOTE=Goldsmith;85604]I think what you are missing is that when you buy a micromotor, the hammer head hand piece also has a motor inside like the drill micromotor so you are buying a second motor, unlike a clip on hammerhead hand piece for a pendant drill, which uses the same motor for each hand piece. That's the reason that the hand pieces are cheaper on a pendant drill.


That is very true, but still don't understand why the hammer handpiece for the micromotor is over twice the price of the normal handpiece for the micromotor :confused:

There needs to be gearing inside the hammer head to change a rotary action into a hammer action, the normal hand piece will not have any gearing inside as it can rotate straight from the motor.

[CJ57]

[QUOTE=Elizabeth;85606]

There needs to be gearing inside the hammer head to change a rotary action into a hammer action, the normal handpiece with not have any gearing inside as it can rotate straight from the motor.

Thanks for explaining James, will still need to do a bit of saving though. Had I known that I might have gone for the pendant even if it wasn't so suited to my physical needs.

[Elizabeth]

Yes, really helpful explanation James! Makes a bit more sense now.

I was thinking Caroline, an option is to get the LX and a hammer handpiece (I think the slow speed of the LX is supposed to work well with the hammer handpiece), which would actually be a bit less than the hammer handpiece for the micromotor and you would have a spare motor, though doesn't help with the weight issue.

Perhaps am over complicating this!

[CJ57]

I have no idea:/ as this was a gift and I wish we had fully discussed it beforehand I don't want to make a fuss! It's still in the box anyway while I try and make room on my bench, yes I know it's wee but since joining a couple of forums quite a few years back I found I just had to buy tools that I'd been able to do without for about 30 years :)

[Dennis]

Most people use the hammer handpiece quite rarely, so it is hardly a must-have. In the mean time you will never cease to marvel at your light and user friendly micromotor, Caroline.

If there is no bench room, consider sighting the control box on a shelf, under or over the bench and having only the handpiece with its rest on the bench itself. On the right if right

handed Dennis.

[CJ57]

Thanks Dennis, you are right, although I've become quite feeble it would seem so I might consider Elizabeth's suggestion of the LX and handpiece which is a couple of hundred cheaper. I have made room by putting a shelf up for the disccutter, doming block etc and all that paraphernalia which take up a lot of room. I'll fit the little devil in if it kills me!

[ps_bond]

I use mine a fair bit and it has earned its keep. It's significantly easier to use than the flex shaft version for much the same reason as the micromotor. However, I'm aware that there's another tool used by some US setters in particular - the Chicago Air Scribe (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chicago-Pneumatic-Industrial-Scribe-Engraving/dp/B003V4AZWU)

Needs a compressor to drive it too. Just in case you thought it wasn't expensive enough :D

[Elizabeth]

[QUOTE=ps_bond;85628]I use mine a fair bit and it has earned its keep. It's significantly easier to use than the flex shaft version for much the same reason as the micromotor.

That's really interesting to hear Peter, may I ask what you mainly use yours for?

[ps_bond]

Stone setting for heavy bezels, primarily. Occasionally riveting, but very rarely. Anyway, I can laser rivets in place... :)

[Gemsetterchris]

If you need some ideas as to what to use it for it doesn't sound like you *need* it yet?
Hammer handpieces are basically a time saver & for the occasional nasty job...if you are doing your own made work you can avoid having to make things that require this tool.
If you do fork out it'll be a good investment & the pain of paying goes in time.:)

[Elizabeth]

If you need some ideas as to what to use it for it doesn't sound like you *need* it yet?
Hammer handpieces are basically a time saver & for the occasional nasty job...if you are doing your own made work you can avoid having to make things that require this tool.
If you do fork out it'll be a good investment & the pain of paying goes in time.:)

Totally agree I don't need it yet!

I guess I'm just trying to future proof the decision wheter to go for a pendant motor or a micromotor. Seems the cost between the two isn't that big, but the cost between the hammer handpieces is. But as I said before, am probably just overthinking the whole decision... should probably just get one or the other and get on with using it!

[Gemsetterchris]

Micromotors are nicer to use for accuracy & drilling but pendant would be better for a lot of heavy duty work...get what suits your needs.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks Chris :)

[Aurarius]

I was given the K1070 for my Xmas and like you was horrified when I looked at the price the hammer hand piece is going to cost. It was one of the reasons I wanted the micromotor, which is said to be lighter to use than a pendant but guess I'll have to save up!

There is another way, Caroline. I too have the K1070 and wanted a hammer handpiece. Like you I balked at the £500 price tag. Then I saw someone using a Dremel engraver for turning in bezel edges and I decided to give it a go.

I've just set my first piece with it, which was a 20x15 mm cabochon bezel in sterling. The wall thickness was 0.5mm. On a medium setting the engraver made very quick and light work of the job. You have to remove the pointed carbide tip supplied and replace it with a piece of mild steel or preferably brass rod, but this is very easy to do.

The tool may not have the sophistication of a dedicated hammer handpiece, and it is quite loud, but the way it breezed through its first job and the way it left the lip of the bezel in a scarcely blemished state means it's probably going to be a very useful tool in my armoury. The best thing about it was that it cost me £17.95 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-Engraver-Compact-Accessory-Stencil/dp/B0095DIETC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1455742248&sr=8-2&keywords=dremel+engraver), which is less than a fiftieth of the price of the Foredom micromotor hammer handpiece.

[CJ57]

Thanks Mark I'll keep that in mind! At the moment I'm enjoying whacking hell out of cuff on my recent Durston purchase, it's sometimes very therapeutic to hit something instead of someone and probably a much better idea and you have something beautiful to show for it at the end :)

[Patstone]

Whats more beautiful than a black eye on someone you dont like.

[CJ57]

Whats more beautiful than a black eye on someone you dont like.

:) pain in the proverbial neighbours Pat that I'll probably have to live beside for a number of years but they haven't half been taking liberties for 14 months so hitting metal is the safest option!

[Patstone]

Oh dear thats not good. Luckily we have Chinese students living in the house next to us, we live near Exeter Uni, there are 5 of them, mixed sex too, and very very quiet.