piercing question

[Harry Robinette]

Michelle
I've done a little piercing,I've tried Dremel,Foredom and dental drill ,by far the easiest is the dental drill it doesn't follow the grain like the others and it's so high speed that it's much easier to maneuver in the wood.The wood still has to be very thin,I was trying to do work like Frank Sudal was doing.I built a hollower like his and it works great so on I went to piercing and it didn't work well, you MUST have a steady hand and an EYE FOR WEAR the piercing is going. I hope you have better luke then I did.Compressors can be quieted with a insulated box with a sound trap and a small fan.Hope this helps.
Harry

[Norm Zax]

One more remark, this time about the drill bits. The system a good friend of mine uses (and he has pierced dozens of pieces) is a dentist's one but the bits are from the printed circuit boards industry. They use these to drill holes for the elements inserted and then soldered to the board. Sizes vary from 1 - 2.5 mm and they use 2 or three different head shapes. No ball shaped heads but these are not needed. The bits are expensive but the trick lies here: the PCB manufacturers DO NOT SHARPEN bits so if you know the right person, you can buy them at a fraction of a cost. For 1/8 thick wood, these are just fine!

[Michelle Rich]

Great info, Bob. Appreciate it. I find the bowl with the round holes very attractive, and worth doing with simple tools. (I've decorated platters with chainsaw files, so you know I like simple tools!) The second bowl is grand too. My sticking point is $$ and then more $$ to silence the compressor. I live in a VERY cold climate and can't imagine building an insulated box to withstand 40 below zero, just so I can muffle the noise. The cheapest I can figure is a tad below 700.00 to get in the game. (new stuff) . That's big $$ to gamble I will like & be able to master the process.

[Michelle Rich]

Thanks Norm. Good info

[Charles Drake]

Hi Michelle-all I can do is give you my experience with piercing. First tried the dremel but not very satisfactory. Being sort of cheap, I purchased a dental drill on ebay (chinese and I think it cost about $40)-then bought a regulator for about $20-got some dental bits from my dentist. I used my air compressor and put on a simple sintered metal filter (but nothing special to remove moisture). To date, I've pierced perhaps 10 pieces with good success. Only thing to be careful with is the drill has to be occasionally oiled with a drop of two of oil--when first starting up after oiling, best not to do piercing for a minute or two so oild doesn't contaminate work. The only thing I would say is the handpiece at 90 degrees to the work is a little more awkward than if the tool were straight like a pencil. If one had the air compressor, he could easily be ready to pierce for less than $100. Good luck. Charlie

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Michelle,
I bought an NSK Presto11 from info@jewelrysup.com got the best price from them 335.00 from memory. They sent it to me freight free. Tip Dental Repair Techs get oilless compressors, air control Foot type etc in the course of installing new gear. Also have a look at Craft Supplies USA NSK Presto high Speed Carver same thing.
Air consumption is 1.41 cfm at around 30 psi.It uses 1.6 mm or I think 1/8th of an inch dental drills. If you do go down this path I can give you details where to buy brand new drills of various end shapes for 5.00 for 10 of. I bought 490 of them a lot of them were diamond the rest carborundum. This NSK unit is only around 4 inches long vibration virtually free, runs around 350000 rpm has dry bearings is driven by air impeller inside the handle replacements of these around 120 dollars. There is a guy in Arizona who pro uses one to acheive pierced hollow forms that fetch thousands per item also retails the Presto tool etc his price is nearer 400.00 for the handpiece. UTube has video using this unit.

Kind regards Peter.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Michelle,

Back again go to www.jpaulfennell.com/tools.html he came to Canberra here in Australia and demod the Presto he is an agent for them and drills his site will impress you. He is a former space scientist now full time demonstrator maker of pierced and fluted masterpieces.

[Dan Hintz]

Try this:
http://www.jpaulfennell.com/Tools.html

The capital 'T' in "Tools" makes all of the difference with his site...