Foredom vs. Electronic high torque dental lab tool?

[don dougan <dondougan@zzzzzzzz>]

Hi Luba,

Rather than rely on just one tool, I use Dremel tools (1/8 and 3/332
collets and/or chuck, straight and right-angle shafts and flex shaft), a
Foredom tool (1/4 HP w/geared chuck, flex shaft), a slim pneumatic
'pencil' grinder (1/8 collet), and both an electric die grinder (1/4 and
1/8 collet straight shaft) and pneumatic die grinders (1/4 collets,
straight and right-angle shafts).  I sometimes also use a ball-bearing
flexshaft with a 1/4 geared chuck that is attached to 1/2 HP 1725 rpm
motor (not my favorite tool, but a last resort when I need both
flexibility for hard to reach areas and the greater power the larger
motor affords).

All the tools have their advantages and disadvantages, and I will use the
one that is best for the patricular job at hand.  The flex shafts allow
working detail in hard to reach areas but they don't provide power when
more brute force is called for.  All the pneumatics ? even the bigger
pneumatics ? are lightweight and easy to handle, but when heavy work
needs to be done the electric tools are better choices because of their
greater power.

If you try to use just one tool for the work you are either going to
overwork it (flex fhafts or lightweight tools) and have it 'peter-out' on
you, or you are going to be cussing while working because it
(bigger/heavier and more powerful) won't give you the control and access
to the work you desire.

Diamonds are good for finishing detail, but for greater control and power
in rotary-shaping you should try using tungsten-carbide burs ? they move
material more quickly on the marble and limestone (they will probably
work on the sandstone too, but they will need resharpening much more
often [expensive] ? on sandstone I usually try to use relatively
inexpensive silicon carbide stones).

Good Carving to You,
Don

http://www.dondougan.homestead.com/indexdd.html