Micromotor Choice!

[camalidesign]

Right, so I have finally decided to go for it! I am getting myself a micromotor... My trusted Proxxon rotary broke down on me earlier and it has just made me decide to go for it now, been reluctant to spend the money before, but I know it will increase my productivity and especially at this time of year it will be brilliant.

So, I am choosing between these 3:

Foredom 1050 http://www.woodworkscraftsupplies.co...or-p-1051.html
Max Force http://www.polishingjewellery.co.uk/...r.html#SID=145
Marathon http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...rcode-999-Z001

The Foredom can be used with a hammeraction handpiece which I might want to get at some point in the future, but can the other 2 take a similar handpiece?

Do you have experience of all or some of these machines, any feedback? Or any others that are very good. I don't want to spend any more than what these are, so no more than about £750.

Cheers,
Carin

[trialuser]

Can't compare for you but....

I can highly recommend woodworkcraft supplies as a supplier. Run by a very helpful chap called Colin, and his wife.
I recently bought a 1053 kit from them, I haven't actually used it yet as I'm currently building a new shedio and kitting it out.
There was a problem with the carrier whereby a nearby road was closed and the carrier couldn't be bothered with the 3 mile diversion so he just put it down as customer not home. I had cctv to prove delivery was not attempted and Colin did all the chasing of the carrier for me, and I had an apology from the head office of the carrier.

I chose foredom because I've had a minor problem with one of their flexshafts and it was sorted foc with just an email or twp to the USA, fantastic customer service. One small annoyance on the 1050 is that one of the handpieces (the brushless one) needs to plug in at the back of the control box which means the cable has to loop around to the front where you want it to be, seems daft.

It is very expensive though, I'm not convinced it's 10x - 15x better than a cheapo ebay or amazon micromotor.

[Wallace]

Colin is amazing.

I have made my purchases from there.

My handset failed just shy of one year and within three days I had a replacement and not one issue - he was marvellous. T

On a second point about Foredom, my hammer action broke (I again have to blame Tesla cat as she would sit on my counter top where it sat and flipped a switch to reverse - something we discovered late in a conversation. Colin was all up for repairing it, but Foredom stepped in and replaced it.



I have the brushless 1050, but it isn't as good as the other foredom motor that I use with my hammer action piece, but still love them both. My main reason for the micromotor is a long standing disability related to my neck. It makes a huge difference and I wouldn't go back to a pendant, even if I was paid!

cannot provide any feedback on the others, I have Foredom due to their reputation if things go wrong.

[Melanie]

I have the foredom 1050 and have used it for hours everyday for about a couple of years now and love it. I initially purchased a cheapo (about £250) micromotor and had to take it back as it just didn't have the torque to even polish properly and kept cutting out. Don't regret getting the more expensive foredom for a second, and the micromotor is defo much kinder than the flexshaft - no more buzzy hands (well, not unless have done a marathon of polishing...)

[camalidesign]

Thanks guys, looks like I will be getting a Foredom then...

Wallace, when you say the brushless ones (1050 and 1053?) isn't as good as the other one (1090?), what do you mean, in what way?

Carin

[Wallace]

Thanks guys, looks like I will be getting a Foredom then...

Wallace, when you say the brushless ones (1050 and 1053?) isn't as good as the other one (1090?), what do you mean, in what way?

Carin

the brushless one (the big 1050 beastie) is great. It has hand or foot control, digital dial a speed, reverse, forward and the motor doesn't have the brushes to wear out and replace. But, it doesn't hold the spin as well. It is like there isn't enough torque sometimes. Never have that issue with the K.1070. even on the lowest speed it still wants to spin. for example, when drilling - the brushless one benefits from spinning before contact. The K1070 doesn't.


I love using them both and the brushless 1050 has been, and continues to be a magnificent machine. Mine is now 4years old and still fab. The original handset, as mentioned, was replaced as it developed a fault, but the replacement has been going strong now for just over three years.

[ps_bond]

I've got both the 1090 and a Saeshin; of the two I prefer the Saeshin by far. The 1090 is a pest because it only has one output port - you need to unplug & replug the two handpieces.
The Saeshin has higher torque (it also has a higher output speed, but generally I don't go above 10k on polishing wheels). It's better balanced, although it's a heavier handpiece than the Foredom.

I know a number of jewellers who have a cheaper Saeshin - http://polishingjewellery.co.uk/acat...G.html#SID=145 - and are extremely pleased with them. It also helps that Moleroda can sort out servicing on them (including mine, which they don't actually carry).

[camalidesign]

Oh dear, I am not quite sure still!

Not sure which to get now, the 1050 or the 1090. Of course, the 1090 comes with both the normal handpiece AND the hammeraction one, for about the same money as the 1050 with the one handpiece... Just thought the 1050, being the newer one, shoudl be a better one?

Peter, does the Saeshin (your link calls it a Strong?) take a hammeraction handpiece? It is something I would like to use at some point, not necessarily needed just now, but I wouldn't want to find out later that I can't use one and need to buy another micromotor! Moleroda also has another one called a Max Force, any experience with that one?

Carin

[ps_bond]

The Max Force is gutsier and brushless - again, I know one jeweller who has ditched her pendant motor in favour of it and is very pleased. I don't know of a hammer handpiece for the Saeshins, but there are alternatives - there's a Chicago Tools air scribe that seems well regarded for hammer setting (and, of course, the GRS/Airgraver/EnSet systems can all do it).

Give Amy at Moleroda a shout (blame me ) and see what she suggests.

[camalidesign]

Right, I've done it!! I phoned Amy at Moleroda and we arrived at this one:

http://www.polishingjewellery.co.uk/...A-hammer-.html

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone that has any experience of this one.

I didn't got with a Saeshin becase there isn't a hammer handpiece for them. The URAWA has it if I want to get it in future, not sure how much I would use it yet, need to investigate uses a bit more. At £500 odd quid it is quite a big investment! I do stone setting but probably not enough to justify this yet.

I shoudl have it tomorrow and will let you all know what it's like.

Carin
PS. I am a terrible one for changing my mind and had a wobbly afterwards when I realised that I coudl have got the Foredom with both a standard handpiece and a hammer handpiece for about the same money, but hey, hope this piece of kit is worth it!!