What Motor (Again).

[Dennis]

My spare motor broke down beyond repair, so after much agonising, I went for this one from China:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Handpiece-Ma.../dp/B00EPX9K72

It arrived in good time and on first test I was able to grind a piece of acrylic with only a quarter of its available speed using a 13mm pink stone, without it stalling easily. This is a good test of torque and had been my main concern with buying online.

I did notice however that the handpiece is inscribed 35K max, which is not as fast as the product description. I have decided not to complain to Amazon, as I really do not need more speed but get the more glamorous control box and the foot pedal speed control included.

The foot control is an optional extra which can be unplugged, for instance for travelling, using only the hand dial to set the speed

In retrospect, had I been on a tighter budget I might well have bought an even cheaper version. It certainly knocks the Dremel and entry model flexshafts into a cocked hat- that is if it doesn’t break down tomorrow- though I don't see why it should.. Dennis.

[Lucie]

Wow, thanks for this Dennis. It would be great to know how you're getting on with it in a week or so.
Definitely looks like something to add to the wish list.
I would have thought you would be covered by Amazon if anything were to go awry?

[caroleallen]

That does look good Dennis. If it's still going strong in a month or so, I may have to buy one as a back-up for Christmas orders.

[mizgeorge]

I have one very similar to this Dennis (also a Marathon) - and I've been very happy with it. It's worked perfectly for a good couple of years now. I'm always horrified by the extra cost involved the moment something turns into a jeweller's tool.

[Dennis]

I'm always horrified by the extra cost involved the moment something turns into a jeweller's tool.

Cue For A Rant.
When I started making jewellery, I was amazed that the pendant motor with its flexible shaft remained the motor of choice for jewellers, at least in the UK, when other trades had already relegated it to their museums in favour of the micro motor.

At college the only pendant motor, in very poor condition, hung forlornly in a cupboard. It was seldom taken out, because even the teacher was unhappy to use it.

The micro-motors offered by our main suppliers are substantially more expensive, so promoting the ongoing sale of the cheaper flexshafts.

It would be a great service to our many impecunious beginners, if a supplier could select for sale a sensibly priced micro motor from the Far East, instead of offering the Dremel products, which are too clumsy, too fast, and hard on inexperienced fingers to be really satisfactory for jewellery applications.

I shall use mine all summer and report back in September. Dennis.

[CJ57]

Look forward to hearing how it goes, I like the look of the hand piece. I might even be tempted into buying one for the first time Dennis

[LydiaNiz]

Really interested in how it serves you Dennis.

[EmmaC]

Yes I'd be most interested how it goes too. I have a Dremel 3000 and flex shaft, and really struggle to get decent results with it as the slowest speed setting seems too fast for a lot of things. It's particularly difficult to drill any sort of neat hole with the thing not being able to start slowly, although that could just be me! I've been looking at pendant motors with foot pedals but couldn't run to the cost at the moment so this looks ideal for me. One question, if it came from outside the UK did you have to pay any import duties on it?

[Dennis]

There were no further charges. Dennis.

[silver70]

I was looking to save up for a Foredom but would you recommend one of these instead?? Sorry to sound like a newbie....but I always thought a flex shaft and pendant mother were supposed to be better than a handheld device as they were lighter and therefore more controllable? Also thought a Foredom pendant motor was like the holy grail of equipment?! Can someone help a newbie as I am looking to save up for something like this so I can polish small items and also start to teach myself to stone set etc. obviously this is a lot cheaper than a Foredom.