We are often asked: what bone carving drills do we use and which one is better to buy, what should you pay attention to? Therefore, we decided to write short review, it is based solely on our personal experience accumulated over many years of work. It should be noted right away that there is no universal drill for carving. Wide choose various models Drills on the market are often confused by beginners. Each drill has its own characteristics and is intended for specific purposes.
What drill to choose?
Select a drill suitable for carving bone or wood, among the many offers on the market, is actually not that difficult. Drills vary in engine power, speed (rpm) and torque.
Very often, when choosing, they pay attention to the number of revolutions, but in practice the number is 30,000 rpm. is redundant and rarely used in carving. For example, 10,000 rpm is enough to work with a large cutter, but sometimes more than 20,000 rpm is required to work with small burs. One drill capable of withstanding the high loads of a large cutter at the same time and capable of operating at high speeds long time unfortunately does not exist. Therefore, the most important and only the right choice there will be a purchase of at least two drills with different characteristics.
The best solution for carving wood or bone would be to purchase the following drills:
- Powerful drill with a reinforced tip.
- Compact micromotor capable of operating at high speeds.
Technical drills
For the initial stage, you need a powerful technical drill that can clamp a cutter with a 6mm shank. Fans of saving money and crafting can avoid some costs by doing, for this you can take, for example, a motor from washing machine or another powerful engine and, using a belt drive, connect it to the sleeve from the drill, while you still have to pretty much conjure, but you still have to buy the sleeve and the tip itself. This is one of the cheapest options, at first we used it. Of the minuses, it can be noted that sleeves adapted for belt transmission are now quite difficult to find and they are rather unreliable, because. they were originally intended for dental purposes and are no longer used.
There are quite powerful sleeveless drills "Profile" with a pedal, created by Russian engineers, very reliable, practically "indestructible", allowing you to perform a wide range of technical operations, such as drilling, grinding and much more, this drill has a three-jaw chuck, which is very convenient for these purposes. However, having tested it, it should be noted that it has low speeds, with a rather high torque, and a three-jaw chuck is less suitable for threading than a strong collet clamp.
Another sample of domestic production, but already with a sleeve, is also a rather powerful drill, but slow.
For many years we have been using a drill Foredom SR a series made in the USA, it can be noted about it, its reliability in operation, it rarely fails at high loads. All spare parts can always be easily bought in stores selling jewelry tools, such as Sapphire or Ruta in Moscow. There is also big choice tips, from power collet, to convenient quick-release.
This drill is optimal in terms of power 125 watts. it is quite enough for rough cutting of mammoth tusk and the speed is quite decent 18000 rpm. However, for working out small details, it is not very convenient even when using special tips, which are offered in a large number, the range for this drill is quite large, but this is only our subjective opinion. First of all, the presence of a flexible shaft. At long work He gives additional load on the hand, and at a speed of 18,000 rpm. it starts to work very noisily, which creates a decent strain on the ears and reduces comfort in work. There is also a Chinese analogue, which is much cheaper, about 5,000 rubles, but assembled quite well, the drill was tested by us and our colleagues, and had no particular complaints. It is less powerful, but as it turned out, this power is quite enough for normal operation. This drill is marked SS. It should be noted that the original and Chinese drills have some differences, for example, a tip from one will not fit another drill.
micromotors
Micromotors or mini drills are more compact and do not have a flexible shaft, unlike powerful drills. Their engine is mounted directly behind the tip. They are also Russian-made and foreign. These drills are designed for more fine workmanship with workpiece, they are more convenient.
There is a drill from Russian production DPM 25-2 with medical tip. It sits very comfortably in the hand, you can quickly change burs and is affordable. However, the medical handpiece does not withstand heavy loads and, with constant use, can fail quite quickly. And also the micromotor itself cannot be repaired, because over time the carbon brushes wear out, and there is no way to replace them yet. Having exhausted your resource, you will have to change the engine itself or the entire drill. Otherwise, it's not a bad, budget and convenient option.
There is also a Korean version, this drill is very attractive for its functionality and reliability, but on Russian market drill Marathon or Strong It's not cheap, around $200 or more. It is high-speed up to 30,000 rpm. and a power of 65W, which is very high for a micromotor, we work with these drills.
Do not forget to use a hood and goggles when working with a drill, especially when rough processing a workpiece made of bone or wood. As a hood, you can use a conventional vacuum cleaner, there is also a synchronizer for a vacuum cleaner from the company Proxxon, which will turn the vacuum cleaner on and off at the same time as the drill, which is very convenient.
So, our review has come to an end, we considered and compared only those drills and micromotors that we use or used ourselves before. We hope we were able to answer most topical issues, which excite most novice carvers when choosing a tool. If you still have questions, ask your questions in the comments, we will try to help you decide on the choice of a drill that is suitable for your needs. Tell us what carving tool do you use, share your experience?
Dear readers, today I want to tell you about how to choose the right drill. This device is quite difficult to choose correctly. My today's article will definitely help you to do this. We will review the main drill characteristics which you should pay attention to when buying.
Speed
Many believe that this particular characteristic of the equipment is the main one. good drill designed for a speed of about 35-40 thousand. This is quite enough for quality work. Some unscrupulous drill manufacturers they write on their offspring that the number of its revolutions is exactly 50 thousand. Most often, this is an outright lie, because at such a speed, many mechanisms in the device wear out quickly. The purpose of such PR is most often to draw attention to their equipment. Never believe what is written on the package. Better read drill reviews on the Internet on specialized forums.
By the way, you can always overclock such equipment yourself. To do this, you just need to choose a power supply with a higher voltage rating for it.
Power
Power is another important indicator characterizing drills. It is measured in Watts. It depends on it, and the speed of rotation of the working part of the apparatus, and what operations can be performed using this equipment. The higher it is, the faster the rotation will be. Everything is simple and clear here. However, you should not overpay for a particularly high-speed unit. Always consider why you need it in the first place.
Ergonomics
An important parameter is the ergonomics of the drill. It should be comfortable to use. Accordingly, pay attention to its mass, and how well it fits in your hand.
The pneumatic drill is familiar to us in more from the dentist’s office, to which we don’t really like to go anyway, and we are least interested in technical features tool used. But this unit is used in many other areas, and often real works of art are obtained, which is what we will talk about in the article.
Definition and scope of the drill
The purpose of the drill can be different, the use of this tool is limited not only by dentistry, without it the work of a carver on wood or bone is practically impossible. For these craftsmen, the best partner is an electric wood drill, they make masterpieces with their own hands, but without such an apparatus, the work would take many times longer. For all kinds of polishing and grinding, this device is also used in industry in the field of instrumentation. It is impossible not to mention jewelers, a home-made engraving drill is a frequent guest on their desktop, a portable assistant significantly expands the range of their services.
IN in general terms a drill can be described as a rotary tool, its shaft, referred to in the technique as a spindle, rotates with great frequency, while the torque is quite small. This makes it possible to perform work on an indecently small scale with high efficiency(to grind extremely small parts, make micro-holes, etc.). The kit often comes with a lot of drills, nozzles, knives. Device professional models complicated due to the presence of many functions, but the simplest analogue of a drill can be done independently if you are a little versed in electronics.
For us on this site are interesting, of course, technical varieties this tool. The range of work that it can perform is wider than that of a dental one, because almost all types of drills make it possible to adjust the speed. Also, in addition to the usual nozzles for decorative works you can attach more unusual attributes that will turn the device into circular saw or milling machine. Well-established manufacturers are mostly foreign, the most famous are Dremel, Proxxon, PowerMax, Omax. There are both stationary types and manual ones, they also divide devices into rechargeable and those that work from the network.
The device of the drill - the purpose of the main components
For those who plan to design such a unit on their own, you should know the general scheme of its device. The main parts can be called a power supply, an electric motor and a handpiece.. The unit not only feeds the entire system, but also controls its operation. There can be two types of block: collector and brushless. Its type depends on the tip, which can be brushed and brushless. The first one transfers power to the rotor through a rubbing brush-collector assembly, the second one does not have such an element. The collector engine is easier to manufacture and operate, therefore it is cheaper, but it has a limit on the number of revolutions, the maximum bar, although not small, still exists.
A brushless motor is much more complex in terms of wiring diagram, more expensive in price, but has a number of advantages, ranging from more high frequency rotation, ending with a more advanced mechanism for adjusting this frequency and the ability to maintain good torque at any level so that the nozzle does not slow down when it comes into contact with the surface, even if the frequency is extremely low. complex scheme made it possible to establish some more useful features so that the operation of the tip is more versatile, and the block itself is as protected as possible.
The main types of drills - how to make a choice?
The main criteria to pay attention to are power, handpiece speed and torque. It should be said right away that many tend to take the maximum number of revolutions, but you won’t always need them, especially if you need a tool for a hobby, for example, woodcarving. You will have to pay a lot, but the acquired large capacities will work almost idle, gradually becoming unusable. In addition, the secret of a successful purchase is in the optimal combination of all three of these parameters. Therefore, soberly assess your needs for the device, perhaps a micromotor (mini-drill) is quite suitable for your purposes.
Small drills will do well for small and delicate work, but are not suitable for initial stages roughing of large parts, but this is usually found already on an industrial scale. Such a unit is inexpensive, has a brush power supply, can work with small drills (burs) and cutters, when heavy nozzles are installed on them, it immediately cuts it specifications and reduces overall life. If you do not start work with a workpiece manually, and its size is quite large, then you cannot work with such a microtool, you need to purchase a technical model with more powerful indicators.
In a technical drill, the engine is much more powerful, and the handpiece can hold heavy drills or cutters. You can often find low speed indicators in such devices, but do not rush to sound the alarm, for those rough jobs for which they are designed, this is more than enough. For more delicate operations, most of these tools are not suitable due to the presence of a flexible shaft that loads the hand, which in delicate situations can cause marriage. If the cycle of your work includes both a rough stage and a delicate stage, do not try to find universal machine, better get two - micro and technical.
Homemade drill - is it real?
Those who decide to make a drill on their own should take into account some nuances, for example, that there will be no free machine, some parts will still have to be purchased. You will only benefit if you have at least an engine and some household materials at hand. Let's bring the simplest option drills with minimal functionality, or rather almost without it. The basis will be the engine from the washing machine, the number of revolutions of such units is small, more often even less than 10 thousand, but this is enough for a small range of work.
A complex multifunctional drill can be made on your own only if you are fluent in radio electronics, and besides, having a lot of elements at home, a soldering iron and other paraphernalia, you can invent and implement circuits, solder boards.
Mount the engine on a stand, plywood will do, fix the flexible shaft at one end between two more pieces of this material so that it does not dangle in all possible directions during operation. This can happen because on one side there will be a tip that you will work with, and on the other, you will attach it to the motor shaft using a rubber pulley, it is a kind of fuse so that under high loads it does not damage the flexible shaft, or rather his hose. By the way, just a flexible shaft with a tip will need to be bought separately if you don’t have it left from some old typewriter. The finished tool will work from the network, so ensure that the outlet is close to the workplace. The device is ready!
We offer to consider several popular models of drills designed for hobbies and light repair work. In the article, we compare the operational and technical characteristics of network and battery devices. They are produced by well-known companies, but belong to different price categories.
Most DIY projects cannot be imagined without the use of electrical assistants. For a number of reasons, construction units are far from always suitable for needlework, so some companies produce special products - “universal microtools”.
These small handheld devices called differently: engraver, drill, mini-drill, straight grinder, dremel. All because such tool is multifunctional, it embodies the features of several devices. In fact, this is a universal drive that can be supplied with big amount working nozzles and perform a lot of machining operations, such as:
- cutting;
- drilling;
- milling;
- grinding;
- sweep;
- polishing;
- sharpening.
Not for nothing, for example, the Bosch product is defined by the developers as a multifunctional “rotary tool”. For home master the ability to work with one hand, process ultra-precisely, including dealing with miniature parts and workpieces, is valuable. Very useful qualities household engravers is considered: high tooling speed, no vibration, low noise.
Similar tools are also used in many areas professional activity(dental services, jewelry works, car service, different kinds finishes...). But they are specifically designed and highly specialized, including may have a large mass and dimensions, or, for example, operate from compressed air. We are also interested in light (up to a kilogram) compact engravers, which are powered by available in living conditions electric energy, and which allow you to install many different nozzles - disc holders, brushes, felt and cylinder holders, burs, drills, cutters ... The selling idea of this multitool is simple - by purchasing just one device, the master completely closes all questions about the tool.
Network drills
The Dremel company is considered a leader in its field of activity. Hobby drills are the hallmark of the company, it is not surprising that all rotary multi-tools are often called “dremel” by the people. The 4000th model is the flagship of the network line of drills from this manufacturer, it has many traditional and advanced features.
The layout is not new - an elongated straight body-handle, which contains both the motor, the spindle with a clamp on the tip, and the controls. The casing is made of plastic with a lot of pronounced rubberized pads.
In front of the tool, near the clamp, there is a replaceable rubber casing for gripping fingers, the user, depending on the type of work, can choose either a cylindrical shape or with three edges. The start and shaft lock switch are separated into different buttons located at hand, but it is difficult to touch them by accident. The speed control wheel is hidden in the rear, where a folding steel loop for hanging the tool is also recessed.
The main features of the Dremel 4000 drill lie in its technical solutions. First of all, let's pay attention to the performance of the motor. 175 watts allows you to get a pretty decent torque and successfully process hard and viscous materials. Note that this power had almost no effect on the weight of the car, which is only 660 grams, while the weight of similar in power, less famous competitors exceeds one kilogram.
This drill is high-speed, it accelerates to 35 thousand rpm, but if it is necessary for a specific operation, then the speed can be limited, up to 5000 rpm. In this case, the specified parameters will be maintained automatically, regardless of the degree of load. This is called "constant electronics" and is often used in construction tools.
Attachment of nozzles is carried out by means of a collet clamp with a maximum working diameter of 3.2 mm. The most inexpensive set comes with 45 nozzles, a flexible shaft for precise work in hard-to-reach places, additional handle, all this fits into a soft bag.
There are several wider sets, the most advanced being the Dremel 4000 Platinum Edition with 128 attachments and 6 additional elements(corner nozzle, compass, vertical holder-stand ...), the set is offered in a monumental aluminum box. The retail price of the Dremel 4000-1/45 is about 5.5-6 thousand rubles, the platinum kit costs about one and a half times more.
This drill is produced by a well-known German company, which presents many diverse models on the market, including those for industrial use. FBS 12/E, like other products of the company, is made of very durable fiberglass reinforced polyamide. The device turned out to be light and compact, its weight is about 450 grams, and the case diameter is about 35 mm. Nothing new in appearance, there is a shaft lock, a speed controller, a start switch.
At the same time, the network Proxxon FBS 12/E is an unusual device. main feature this drill is low voltage supply. She works from direct current voltage of 12 volts. As you understand, there are no batteries here, and the current is converted through a step-down transformer. The manufacturer recommends using branded adapters designed to operate with a current of 1 ampere or more. By the way, the transformer is not included in the kit, it will have to be purchased separately.
What gives a 12-volt solution? The machine turns out to be safe while maintaining high performance. Such a tool can be used where the workpiece must be cooled with a liquid, for example, in the production of jewelry - for processing precious stones.
It should be noted that the technical characteristics of Proxxon FBS 12/E are not quite traditional. First of all, the small maximum speed at 15,000 rpm, which is more than 2 times lower than most 220 V models. But this means that there are no problems with a drop in torque level. Even such a speed can be reduced - as much as 3000 rpm, this is done smoothly, with the help of "feedback" thyristor control electronics. Another plus: FBS 12/E consumes a very small amount of energy, about 100 watts per hour.
To change the nozzles on the drill, a three-jaw keyless chuck is installed. But it is possible to replace it with Collet clamp for the required diameter of tool shanks. There are not many nozzles in the set (they are packed together with the device in a plastic case), but for additional equipment you can choose from hundreds of items that are in the price lists of this trademark. Proxxon FBS 12 / E costs about 2200-2400 thousand rubles.
Cordless drills
Dremel 7700-15 Hobby
The mobile autonomous drill is designed exclusively for creativity, this is clear even from the name. The battery used is simple, made using NiCd technology. Its capacity is 0.7 Ah, and the voltage is 7.2 volts - this is enough for a short work with most materials, but does not allow the machine to be used as a professional one.
The speed range of the 7700 is rather limited. You can choose only two modes - 10,000 rpm and 20,000 rpm. Although the two-speed version is already outdated, drills are still produced without a speed controller at all.
This model is impressive. With its ergonomics. Weight less than 300 grams, length 175 mm - very good performance.
The tool is designed for those who often work outdoors, do light work and do not need an expensive powerful device with lots of attachments and accessories. A Dremel 7700-15 Hobby drill with 15 attachments, a battery and a charger costs about 3,000 rubles.
The Germans delayed the release of the cordless drill for a long time, but they immediately made a reliable, productive model capable of solving serious professional problems. The GRO 10.8 V-LI is a "multifunctional rotary tool" with a blue body. Compact (250x53 mm) and ergonomic, it weighs only 600 grams including battery.
What is the "professional bias" of the unit? The developers powered the machine from a compact system battery of 2 Ah and a voltage of 10.8 volts, which is supplied to the whole line building tools(more than 20 devices). That is, at any time we can use a unified battery from another product that is available. By the way, in order to make the product more profitable, the "Boshev" drill is sold both in a complete set and without a battery, without a charger.
Despite battery power, the Bosch GRO 10.8 V-LI Professional at idle develops a high shaft speed of up to 35,000 rpm, which can be reduced to 5,000 with a wheel.
As usual, German designers are using battery technology with might and main and installed it on a machine LED backlight working area. The level of remaining battery charge can be monitored by 3 indicator LEDs.
The cost of the Bosch GRO 10.8 V-LI, released in 2014, is still relatively high, about 4,000 rubles, but this tool already has fans. The direct competitors of the GRO 10.8 V-LI are the Dremel 8200 and 8100, which have similar features and battery with the same strengths. The price of the 8100th model is about 4500 rubles, the Dremel 8200 (35 attachments) with a battery (Lithium-Ion / ECP) and a “fast” charger costs approximately 5200 rubles.
Related videos