Nervous new Foredom owner questions

[Faith]

Hi all,

So as I posted on the Santa thread, I got a lovely little Foredom Micromotor 1070 kit for Christmas. I had my first play today, burring a seat in a scrap tube setting, and have some questions if I may

1) Is there an ideal speed for burring? I started quite slow and I could feel the motor slowing down a bit as it cut. Is that normal? It won't hurt the handpiece? When I tried faster it didn't do that but the metal heated up quickly and it seemed a lot less controllable.

2) Possibly a question for Caroline (or anyone else who has one of these) - is there anything u shouldn't use it for? The manual concerned me slightly saying to use it for 'light detailing' and polishing only, so I was a bit uncertain how careful I needed to be. For example can I use it to drill small holes (like for a flush setting) etc?

3) does anyone have a favourite lubricant for burrs? I had been using cooking oil (and turning them by hand) but again the foredom says don't get oil anywhere near it, so I wondered if switching to burr life or wax would be better?

4) and finally a question possibly for Sarah - you recommended using a hart burr same size as stone to cut notches in all claws at once for a claw setting - to do that do you position the burr first, then spin up the burr, or lower the burr into the setting already spinning? I read it was bad to start the burr turning already in contact with the metal, but I can't figure out how else u would do it... :s.

Many thanks everyone in advance, in case it's not obvious I'm rather nervous about doing something wrong now I've finally got the little thing!

Faith

[ps_bond]

Congratulations on your new acquisition

I usually run burrs at around 3-6k rpm. Difficult to be precise on the Foredom, but *slow*. It doesn't have massive torque, so it can bog down depending on the cut, pressure, how sharp the burr is et al. Polishing mops (1") I don't run over 10k; they can get a bit unstable at higher speeds.

Don't use it for dental work.

Burr Life is what I use, but Vaseline, beeswax and the likes all work. Solid lubricants get sprayed less than oils.

This may help on burr control - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77XliTOj1T8
I always have the burr spinning as it contacts the metal.

[enigma]

Congrats on your new toy!

I use burr life too, love it.

I also have the burr spinning as it contacts the metal, just fast enough that it will stay spinning usually which of course takes a little bit of practise to get used to.
Ive got the pendant motor which I think has more torque at slower speeds but basically you want it fast enough to turn smoothly but no faster than you need it for drilling and burring or it will get too hot too quickly and your burrs won't last five minutes.
I do tend to use it running pretty fast with the Everflex sanding burrs though...

[Nick martin]

Hi all,

So as I posted on the Santa thread, I got a lovely little Foredom Micromotor 1070 kit for Christmas. I had my first play today, burring a seat in a scrap tube setting, and have some questions if I may

1) Is there an ideal speed for burring? I started quite slow and I could feel the motor slowing down a bit as it cut. Is that normal? It won't hurt the handpiece? When I tried faster it didn't do that but the metal heated up quickly and it seemed a lot less controllable.

2) Possibly a question for Caroline (or anyone else who has one of these) - is there anything u shouldn't use it for? The manual concerned me slightly saying to use it for 'light detailing' and polishing only, so I was a bit uncertain how careful I needed to be. For example can I use it to drill small holes (like for a flush setting) etc?

3) does anyone have a favourite lubricant for burrs? I had been using cooking oil (and turning them by hand) but again the foredom says don't get oil anywhere near it, so I wondered if switching to burr life or wax would be better?

4) and finally a question possibly for Sarah - you recommended using a hart burr same size as stone to cut notches in all claws at once for a claw setting - to do that do you position the burr first, then spin up the burr, or lower the burr into the setting already spinning? I read it was bad to start the burr turning already in contact with the metal, but I can't figure out how else u would do it... :s.

Many thanks everyone in advance, in case it's not obvious I'm rather nervous about doing something wrong now I've finally got the little thing!

Faith

Well done on the new purchase Faith.

I think you've had your questions answered, but I'll give you my versions too if thats ok.

1. Id say as slow / fast as it needs to be to stay in control of the cutting or polishing. Making items isnt a race as such, so take your time and do little by little to start with. Its also good practice of course in order to check as you progress. Also try to have really good work holding in place so that the piece you're working on doesnt move about or fall off the bench etc.

2. I also use the pendant motor version and they come in two flavours. The 'SR' for general work, and the 'LX' version which runs slower but has higher torque. Mainly used for stone setting. Not sure if the micromotors also come in different power versions? In any event keep your burrs well lubricated and dont let them heat up too much with prolonged use otherwise they'll lose their bite and sharpness.

3. I use burr-life but also 3 in 1 oil, and plain old candle wax.

4. If you start the burr when its touching the metal, its likely to grab the piece and move it. Or it could spin off your work area and the burr could damage another area of your piece. As folks are saying, clamp your work-piece securely, spin the burr at a slow speed and once youve made contact and can control what you're doing, then adjust speed as is appropriate. Using something like a GRS benchmate system is a very useful tool as it firmly clamps your work, but also allows you to use two hands for such operations to increase stability ( I.E. one hand on the handpiece, and the other hand bracing ) which all helps with control. If you're not specifically working on rings, then using something like GRS thermoloc will temporarily set your piece in a cement like material, allowing you to them clamp in a vice and so on.

5. Practice makes perfect, and like us all I'm still doing plenty of that!

Nick

[CJ57]

I haven't really used mine to it's full scope as I have a bench polisher, so have only used it for tidying and cutting away settings (without it I was in big trouble getting into awkward corners) and smaller polishing jobs so far. TBH I really needed the hammer head kit and not the one I got or both really but hadn't realised the handpieces were so expensive. I want to set really big cabochons and I need more welly. I do find it easy to handle and I'll probably get down to playing with it a lot more in the new year as i seem to have bought rather a lot of labradorite recently which I really must do something with!
I also have a bench drill now but I've watched videos and it successfully drills out settings. I thought the booklet was a bit vague and can understand why you'd be nervous.
Sorry I haven't been able to answer many questions but it was an additional tool to make certain jobs easier. I'd like to do more setting though so hoping this will make things easier.

I use bur life too although as Dennis likes to advise, a tea light is handy to have on the bench and that's what I use for my saw blades. Don't think there is much difference between the two and candle stubs are cheaper

[David_Amos]

Hi Faith
I'm new here too, so I've been watching some of the videos that different people put up. I have the normal Foredom not a micro, but people like Soham Harrison and Jewellery Advantage both on YouTube seem to use them on and for everything, I've seen them used on Silver, Gold and i think Platinum with burrs and drill bits, you name it they use it. I think the main thing is not to go too fast, because it heats up everything, including fingers, and has the potential to blunt whatever your using faster, and also lubrication to help with the cutting process.
The main thing to remember is it's a tool, I think we all have that sixth seance, common seance, in our own minds we know when things are not quite right, when to back off a bit on the speed and so on. If we do go too fast then the burrs are going to go blunt, they will stop cutting but it won't damage the handpiece because the damage is been done to the burrs, and the purse.
As I said it's a tool, you control it, don't let it control you through fear of trying.
And above all.
Have fun
David

[Faith]

Thanks everyone for such detailed replies!

Peter, thanks for that video link thats really helpful, i hadn't been thinking about how to hold the handpiece at all. Assuming the little blue dial on the control box is accurate (and linear) then the first blue section is up to about 5500 rpm so i can use that as a guide.

Sarah, thank you, I'll definitely get some bur life then. I have some of the everflex now too, so its good to know i can run them a bit faster.

Nick, there are two different micromotor handpiece options, the K.1020 is the high torque one (which i didn't get) because it said its for heavy duty applications like grinding and generally removing large amounts of material fast. It also has a chuck style snout that seems mainly to be for quite big bits. Mine is the K.1070 which takes 3/32 tools and seemed more appropriate. I had previously read of a bunch of old threads that seemed to suggest that was the way to go too. Thanks for the work holding advice, i'm a big thermoloc fan and have the GRS system - i haven't actually got the most commonly seen ring holder, but have the multipurpose vice which rotates and tips etc, so i'll have a go with that first for my stud earring settings.

Caroline, thanks for the advice, the booklet really is a bit vague! I haven't yet got to a point where i need a hammer handpiece (although i'm very glad you'd posted about it before, so i could take that into account choosing a micro over a flex shaft). I hope you find a good supplier for yours in the new year though and do let us know how you get on with it, i'd definitely be interested.

Finally thanks David, its actually the Foredom thats new rather than me I like Sohams tutorials as well but have never been quite sure exactly which handpiece he's got. I think you're quite right in general though, employ common sense and the odd dead burr is hardly a high price to pay for learning. Just as long as its not a dead Foredom!

Thanks again all,
Faith

[Dennis]

Mostly just use it Faith. Adjust the speed to seem comfortable for you. If the torque is not sufficient at lower speeds turn it up a bit.

Don't try to run it without closing the jaws. Also it might be so quiet, that you could forget to turn it off. After half an hour or so of continuous running, it would begin to overheat and even start smoking.

Lastly keep it well away from your soldering torch, or the plastic on the control box or handpiece might melt and distort.

I leave you to guess how I know all this. Dennis.

[CJ57]

Those are quite unusual warnings Dennis!

I agree and should have added that I just used mine without thinking too much about speed etc. I guess you just need to be a bit intuitive when using it. I hadn't even used a pendant much since my student days in the 70s so had little to compare it to. I was nervous to begin with but found it really easy to use

[Faith]

Oh dear Dennis, micromotor horror stories! I've already set it up at the non torch end of my bench, but now I might move it even further away! Fortunately the foredom has a flicky on off switch too and it glows when it's on so I intend to keep the habit of turning it off with that too!

Thanks for the speed advice as well, hopefully tomorrow I'll get my next Cookson order delivered and will be able to start the first silver practice earrings - that'll be the real test!

Faith