Foredom Hammer Handpiece

Wishing you all a very happy Good Friday!

Have a question as per usual thats got me thinking, this time about the Hammer action hand pieces that are available for the Foredom pendant motors.

Does anyone regularly using one for flush setting stones, texturing pieces, or pushing over the edges of bezel settings and if so are they worth investing in?

I'm certain that if they are pretty effective at these tasks then they're still no substitute for being skilful enough to do things the traditional way, but even so Id be interested in peoples thoughts on here.

Many thanks,

Nick

Hi Nick,

I have one, named it the Tesla2... (when my cat Tesla was a kitten she chewed through my original one...insurance is a good thing to have!)

I have only just started using it more in the last 8 months. Never for flush setting as it is not needed, however I do use it on bezels, and for texturing. I quite like it now that I have got used to working with it. Although mine is still very much under used at the moment as I do a lot of different styles that do not require it. You can tap bezels down (which I still do, and like to do. Uses more calories I am sure! Lol) and texturing can be done in many ways too without the use of it.

So then, is it worth it? Maybe if used on a regular basis, but it will be some time before you can recoup the cost. Is it worth it as a tool? Hell, yes! Loads of fun and in the long run a practical addition to the stone setting repertoire. (My own opinions of course)

Happy Easter :) one and all.

I was lucky in that mine paid for itself with one particular tricky large piece, which was what it was bought for to begin with.

However, I'd agree with Wallace, it's very much a luxury tool for me. I use it only occasionally, usually for particularly tricky bezels, but certainly don't need it. It can be fun to experiment with, though the sense of being slightly out of control can sometimes be a bit unnerving.

You've made me want to get it out to play with now!

I've got one, cos I thought I should but to be honest, I'm a bit scared of it.

Thanks for the replies everyone, and from what I gather you guys use the hammer handpiece mainly for texturing and the odd bezel setting. May still buy one as I'm overly curious as to what uses I can put it too.. Such as those mentioned.

Thanks as always,

Nick

Nick, you can never have too many tools. I don't have a Foredom, but I do use a Faro hammer head piece on my Renda pendant drill. I have used it for bezel setting and for texturing, I don't know much about Foredom tools but my Faro has screw in hammers which I shape up to make various textures.
I used my hammerhead when texturing this crest and also for closing the bezel on this ring, after closing the bezel on the stone I did file away any marks left by the hammerhead before polishing.

James

Attachment 6015Attachment 6014

I had thought that mine was in the tool graveyard, but have recently used it for a number of bezel settings,.....rather relieved really, since it was a lot of money invested in an unused bit of kit......finally paying for itself now though!!

(p.s. I know exactly what George means about being a little unnerved about whether I'm in control of it!!)

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Originally Posted by Goldsmith

Nick, you can never have too many tools. I don't have a Foredom, but I do use a Faro hammer head piece on my Renda pendant drill. I have used it for bezel setting and for texturing, I don't know much about Foredom tools but my Faro has screw in hammers which I shape up to make various textures.
I used my hammerhead when texturing this crest and also for closing the bezel on this ring, after closing the bezel on the stone I did file away any marks left by the hammerhead before polishing.

James

Attachment 6015Attachment 6014

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James, I was just wondering, how thick was the sheet you started with on the ring bezel before you set it with the hammer head, filed, finished, etc..?? I have been using 1mm sheet (cutting a seat on the inside with a burr) and getting a reasonably tidy finish....
May thanks,
Jill

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Originally Posted by Tabby66

James, I was just wondering, how thick was the sheet you started with on the ring bezel before you set it with the hammer head, filed, finished, etc..?? I have been using 1mm sheet (cutting a seat on the inside with a burr) and getting a reasonably tidy finish....
May thanks,
Jill

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That ring had a 0.5mm. thick bezel wire Jill, it was just a stocking filler present for my daughter at Christmas, she always wants rings.

James

Thank you James.

sorry to dig this up from years ago but I had a similar question! I have seen some tutorials on channel setting where a hammer handpiece is used so was thinking of getting one to use for that (i can't actually channel set yet hoping to teach myself) what would the alternative be, just pushing with a pusher & burnisher as I do for flush and tube settings?

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Originally Posted by Unhindered

what would the alternative be, just pushing with a pusher & burnisher as I do for flush and tube settings?

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A Dremel engraver. They do the job, maybe not quite as smoothly, but at a fraction of the price.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Power-Han...remel+engraver

For most jobs you'll need a hammer bit differently shaped from the one supplied. Making your own is a ten minute job.

Hammer handpiece is not really designed for engraving/graving, you can do it, they are unwieldy as is the Dremel I would use a hand graver with a mushroom type grip
save until you can afford something like this https://grs.com/product/004-781-syst...eluxe-package/

I wasn't wanting it for engraving I was wanting it to help with setting, although I'm not sure if there are better things out there instead


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Ok I got the wrong end of the stick hammer hand piece's are great for setting especially heavy gauge metal I have a Foredom the only complaint I have is the tips are ridiculous in price so I am working on making my own (I currently have a long list of "making my own")

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Unhindered

I was wanting it to help with setting, although I'm not sure if there are better things out there instead

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A small punch hit with a hammer is the old way of turning resistant metal over a stone.

I get the feeling there's a certain scepticism about my suggestion of the Dremel engraver as a substitute hammer handpiece. There's really no need for scepticism, unless a three figure sum is burning a hole in your pocket.

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Originally Posted by Aurarius

A small punch hit with a hammer is the old way of turning resistant metal over a stone.

I get the feeling there's a certain scepticism about my suggestion of the Dremel engraver as a substitute hammer handpiece. There's really no need for scepticism, unless a three figure sum is burning a hole in your pocket.

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The very large 3 figure sum has still stopped me from buying one for my Foredom Micromotor Mark. I was too tardy in taking advantage of the Woodworking closing down sale and just persevered and sweated for the OS! I've just looked at your link and it's a bit of a no brainer for me. If I was stone setting every day the the Foredom attachment would probably pay for itself or not but for occasional use this has to be worth a try

Initially I looked at the micromotor but the handpiece for my SR is much more affordable around £100, I think I will get one just not instantly!


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by CJ57

The very large 3 figure sum has still stopped me from buying one for my Foredom Micromotor Mark. I was too tardy in taking advantage of the Woodworking closing down sale and just persevered and sweated for the OS! I've just looked at your link and it's a bit of a no brainer for me. If I was stone setting every day the the Foredom attachment would probably pay for itself or not but for occasional use this has to be worth a try

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The Dremel is noisy and vibey, Caroline, but it does what I could never do by hand with a pusher or punch. I've pushed some really heavy bezel walls (0.8 mm sterling) over using the Dremel when set on a fairly high setting (4-5). You do have to make yourself a flat ended hammer tip as the pointed carbide engraving tip supplied is of course no good for pushing bezel walls.

Peter Keep in his online courses regularly uses a Dremel for setting and does exceptionally fine work with it.

Thanks Mark that's all good to know. I'm having a break after the OS to recover so don't know how long that'll take. Anything that makes life easier is becoming much more important now

If you look at the recent rings I posted in show & tell, all three were set with a foredom hammer hand piece.

As I cast the settings, this was the best way to do it as I intentionally made them really sturdy.

Cheers,

Nick

If you set stones for a profession then you'll want one as it helps speed up some jobs & you never know what comes up.
If you only make your own stuff then maybe not necessary as you can manage mostly without & make things abit easier to manage (thinner/softer) maybe.

Yeh it would only be my own, I do a few settings myself at the moment but hoping to learn others, the one I was looking at is around £100 so not toooo bad, compared to the micromotor one!


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Like Chris said, they're useful tools for stonesetting, but also for texturing if you buy diamond tipped anvils or if you shape your own which is pretty easy to do.

I dont use mine every week, but its nice to have laid on my desk when a job pops up requiring its use. The cost isnt astronomical either so thats also a bonus.

Nick

The micromotor handpieces are abit of an investment, but eventually the pain of paying goes away.