Universal handle question

[misspond]

Happy New Year all.

I fancy having a go at gypsy setting some small cabochons in nuggets made from some of my scrap silver (although I'll probably start with some copper first). I've bought a few ball burrs and today came home from work to find my Universal handle has arrived http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...prcode-999-AZM. However, on having a quick play (not with any metal yet, I need to save that for the weekend, just tried it out on my chopping board in the kitchen) I've discovered that although I can tighten the chuck to seemingly securely hold a standard sized burr, if I apply any downwards pressure then the burr shank slips down inside the neck of the handle. I've tightened it as much as I'm able, and checked that the 3mm collet supplied does indeed reduce down to 2.3mm once tightened with the chuck.

I'd be grateful for advice on how I get this seemingly simple tool to work please. What on earth am I doing wrong?

Deb

[Dennis]

Yes, they are not that accurately made, not only from Cookson, but from other suppliers as well.

I find to get them tightened enough you need to use large serrated pliers, or a vice. If that is not enogh, and all the jaws of the collet touch when tightened, you need to saw or grind between them to make more space for closure.

All this abuse eventually loosens the metal chuck in the wooden handle, so it has to be glued as well.

The alternative is to complain to Cookson, and ask for a replacement, but that could be much the same. Sorry. Dennis.

[misspond]

Thank you Dennis - I was wondering if I had really missed something about using what appears to be a simple tool and although still a novice I did think I should be able to manage to tighten a burr into a collet. I did try tightening it with pliers but that didn't help either. Maybe I'll do a bit of sawing and see if that helps because all of the jaws touch when tightened around the burr shank.

[CJ57]

You probably need to grip in the vice and then turn with the pliers too. I find gripping in one hand then using the pliers to tighten isn't enough now

[misspond]

You probably need to grip in the vice and then turn with the pliers too. I find gripping in one hand then using the pliers to tighten isn't enough now

Thanks Caroline, but I've already found that by using the pliers to try and tighten the grip that the metal "neck" (probably not what it's called) started to turn on the wooden handle. Frustrating because this weekend was going to be my opportunity to play - wondering whether it might be worth trying the ball burr in my old school non-motorised hand drill instead of using the pesky handle.

[swiftpint]

I've taken to tearing off a very small strip of paper (or emery paper) and wrapping it around the shank of the burr once or twice before putting it in the handle. I can then tighten by hand and the padding from the paper means that the burrs are held tight.

[misspond]

I've taken to tearing off a very small strip of paper (or emery paper) and wrapping it around the shank of the burr once or twice before putting it in the handle. I can then tighten by hand and the padding from the paper means that the burrs are held tight.

That is genius, thank you! What I did do in the end was cut a length of thick copper wire and popped that into the bottom of the handle so that the burr was braced and wouldn't slip down. I was able to tighten it up enough by hand for it not to shift as I turned the handle. But I'll try your tip too - hopefully this week as I have some time off work and am determined to try out at least one new technique and make something.

[china]

To be honest in my experience most of the universal handles are not really very good, I solved the problem by cutting a pin chuck http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...uck&channel=uk in
half and fixing into a handle with high strength Araldite, I made my own handles, although you could bore out a graver handle, I made the hole so the knurling on the pin chuck griped the timber has never moved in 5 years

[misspond]

To be honest in my experience most of the universal handles are not really very good, I solved the problem by cutting a pin chuck http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...uck&channel=uk in
half and fixing into a handle with high strength Araldite, I made my own handles, although you could bore out a graver handle, I made the hole so the knurling on the pin chuck griped the timber has never moved in 5 years

Another good tip, thank you.