Pendant drill or micromotor?

[enigma]

Hi Ada

I went for the Foredom:
http://www.suttontools.co.uk/power-t...plete-kit.html
And also the hammer hand piece.
I do a lot of carving so felt it would be more suitable for me than the smaller micro motors and the big ones are just more than I want to spend at this stage.
My issue with cheaper ( often Chinese) models is that IME they don't last well so I do tend to go for makes with good product history and customer service back up where possible.

[Dennis]

Hi Sarah,
Dennis: it's great to read you are so pleased with your Marathon. Does it have a model no. and what are the specific benefits that mean you now use it as your main motor?
I'm fairly certain I will go for a micro-motor, but it would have to be virtually vibration free in the hand, which may narrow the options.

Unfortunately as mentioned , mine is no longer listed, so you can only take you chances on ebay, or go for a dearer one from a mainstream company. The handpiece of a micromotor is only connected by a lightweight electrical lead, and is vibration free.

My cheap Chinese one is every bit as good as my Ram Products one originally from Sutton tools. But the control box is smaller and prettier. However I have only had it fora few months, so I can't speak for its longevity. Dennis.

[Ada]

Many thanks for the additional info Sarah and Dennis

I had realised your source was no longer available Dennis, but just wondered if the specific model was apparent from the labelling - there seem to be so many of them! I feel a trip to the Jewellery Quarter coming on.....

[Aurarius]

My issue with cheaper ( often Chinese) models is that IME they don't last well so I do tend to go for makes with good product history and customer service back up where possible.

I wouldn't count on Foredoms not being made in China or somewhere in the Far East now. Some of their handpieces at least are definitely made in China now and I'd be very surprised if other stuff of theirs wasn't made in that part of the world too. It's possible that the only real difference between a Foredom micromotor and its cheaper, patently Far Eastern counterpart, is the quality control that takes place between when an item leaves the production line and when it reaches the consumer.

[enigma]

True but its that quality control that often makes all the difference- plus the customer support.
Thats not to say that you can never get a good deal cheaply or that all stuff not made in China is good quality but as Dennis said its a little more of a gamble.
If a company has a good name then generally it will have been earnt.

[Aurarius]

True but its that quality control that often makes all the difference- plus the customer support.

I wouldn't disagree with that.
Just an update to my earlier mention of that Chinese import company, and a word of warning to anyone who was or is considering buying a micromotor from them. They seem to operate under three company names:Virgo Dental, Fdi Dentist, and Hero Dental. Their websites make a show of them being a UK company, and they do have two UK business addresses, but if your machine is defective on arrival or becomes so within the guarantee period you have to post it back to GuangDong in China to get a refund or repair. You can read more about it on the Virgo Dental page I've linked to.

Also, the fact that some of their products show conflicting warranty periods on the same page (e.g. one product I found says at the top of the page that it has a 12 month warranty and then at the bottom of the page 6 months) suggests the warranty is in practice all but worthless.

I don't know what the customer service is like, but the people pictured on the VirgoDental "Contact Us" page are definitely not going to be answering your emails.

[Gemsetterchris]

the quality control that takes place between when an item leaves the production line and when it reaches the consumer.

? Quality control is to do with the component quality & how they are assembled, not what happens once it`s boxed up.

If you buy an expensive tried & tested tool it`ll last for years & can be serviced if needed...if everyone stops buying cheap crap they`ll stop making it.

[ps_bond]

FWIW, I've got 2 micromotors (and yes, sometimes I do use them both at the same time): A brushed Foredom, which has the advantage of a hammer handpiece that goes with it and a Saeshin.

The Saeshin is by far and away the better machine - it has more torque, doesn't get bogged down and is easier to control. The Foredom is a bit underpowered, but I didn't realise that until I started using NSKs and Saeshins. If the Saeshin needs work, I can take it 15 minutes up the road to Moleroda who can both service it and source replacement parts. If the Foredom needs work - well, the retailer I bought it from won't be interested in assisting, let's put it like that. I'll probably need to email Foredom directly.

If you really want to go for an inexpensive micromotor, may I suggest this one - http://www.polishingjewellery.co.uk/...og/STRONG.html It's not a bad little unit, not as good as the more expensive ones they sell but pretty good for the money (I was playing with it a week or so ago). And there is UK support.

[Aurarius]

? Quality control is to do with the component quality & how they are assembled, not what happens once it`s boxed up.

I clearly chose the wrong expression then, or at least Otto Frei did. This is what it says on their website about the Foredom K1070:
"Foredom imports this micromotor kit but insists on strict quality control, testing every unit to make sure these micromotors will work as they should."

[Gemsetterchris]

I clearly chose the wrong expression then, or at least Otto Frei did. This is what it says on their website about the Foredom K1070:
"Foredom imports this micromotor kit but insists on strict quality control, testing every unit to make sure these micromotors will work as they should."

That`s abit different, are they "importing" from the Foredom factory in another state or from China?

I was referring to cheap imports of generic Asian brands.