Homebrew_PCBs

Dental handpieces (aka dental drills) would be a great way to run small
drills for the #60 - #80 range. They run at 350,000 RPM, are available on
Ebay, and cost $16. The issue to solve is they take 1/16" bits and the
shanks of our micro drills are 1/8". I have not been able to think of a way
to make an adapter. Has anyone used a dental handpiece for drilling before?
Are there any types of handpieces that use 1/8" bits?



Jeff



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I use a dremel or (in future I'll be using a mill with an er11 1/8 piece)
to do my pcb drilling the dremel way is the royal pita, this is why I'm
building the mill also will be trying my hand at isolation milling after I
finished my mill
However when I use my dremel I usually use the flex shaft attachment
because it's easier to drill with that.
terramir

On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 9:08 PM, Jeff Heiss <jeff.heiss@...> wrote:

> Dental handpieces (aka dental drills) would be a great way to run small
> drills for the #60 - #80 range. They run at 350,000 RPM, are available on
> Ebay, and cost $16. The issue to solve is they take 1/16" bits and the
> shanks of our micro drills are 1/8". I have not been able to think of a
> way
> to make an adapter. Has anyone used a dental handpiece for drilling before?
> Are there any types of handpieces that use 1/8" bits?
>
>
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


--
Respectfully,
R. Daniel Borkan
727 S. Coronado St. 201
Los Angeles, CA 90057
H: (213) 739-1863
C: (213) 271-6721


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I used to wrap tape around the shanks to make them fit....

--
Paul Mateer, AA9GG
Elan Engineering Corp.
www.elanengr.com
NAQCC 3123, SKCC 4628, FPQRP 2003


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You can use an ER collet reducer, I use one on my mill.

Boots-2b1

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 4, 2013, at 9:08 PM, "Jeff Heiss" <jeff.heiss@...> wrote:

> Dental handpieces (aka dental drills) would be a great way to run small
> drills for the #60 - #80 range. They run at 350,000 RPM, are available on
> Ebay, and cost $16. The issue to solve is they take 1/16" bits and the
> shanks of our micro drills are 1/8". I have not been able to think of a way
> to make an adapter. Has anyone used a dental handpiece for drilling before?
> Are there any types of handpieces that use 1/8" bits?
>
> Jeff
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dentist bits are 1/16". PCB drill bit shanks are 1/8". So you have to
insert a 1/8" diameter shank into a 1/16" hole. Does the ER collet
accommodate this?



Jeff



_____

From: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Boots Hughston
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 1:23 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Homebrew_PCBs] dental handpieces for copper clad drilling





You can use an ER collet reducer, I use one on my mill.

Boots-2b1

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 4, 2013, at 9:08 PM, "Jeff Heiss" jeff.heiss@...
<mailto:jeff.heiss%40comcast.net> > wrote:

> Dental handpieces (aka dental drills) would be a great way to run small
> drills for the #60 - #80 range. They run at 350,000 RPM, are available on
> Ebay, and cost $16. The issue to solve is they take 1/16" bits and the
> shanks of our micro drills are 1/8". I have not been able to think of a

way

> to make an adapter. Has anyone used a dental handpiece for drilling

before?

> Are there any types of handpieces that use 1/8" bits?
>
> Jeff
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> Dentist bits are 1/16". PCB drill bit shanks are 1/8". So you have to

insert a 1/8"

> diameter shank into a 1/16" hole. Does the ER collet accommodate this?

You can't mix & match sizes, 1/16th bits in 1/16th collets, and 1/8th bits
in 1/8th collets.

Seems obvious, but using the wrong size means it doesn't grip properly.
Damages the collet too. ER16 goes down to 1/32th, IIRC.

You can use a 1/16th bit in a 1/8th collect (dentist bit in a Dremel) by
slipping a piece of tube (maybe with a slit in it) over the bit to make up
the different, that's what 'Boot's was referring to as the reducer, though I
think he missed you're going the opposite way.

The only way to use 1/8th bits in a dentist handset is to replace the
collet. Someone with a lathe could make one for you easily enough, boring
out an existing collet to 1/8th might be possible, but they're usually
hardened. Well, good ones are.

You can get what's called an 'emergency collet', basically a blank you drill
out to the correct size.

Tony

Do you think the dentist drill will have room to accommodate the larger collet?

They do sell air powered straight grinders that will take 1/8th shanks
and run at pretty high RPM.

ST

P.S.: That always reminds me of a travel documentary I saw about
Pakistan, the presenter went to a dentist on a market there.
The dentist had this drill:
<http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/engineering-design-problems/DSCF0003.jpg>
When the presenter asked where he had studied dentistry he said "this
shop belonged to my uncle, and now I am the dentist".

On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 8:21 AM, Tony Smith <ajsmith1968@...> wrote:
>> Dentist bits are 1/16". PCB drill bit shanks are 1/8". So you have to
> insert a 1/8"
>> diameter shank into a 1/16" hole. Does the ER collet accommodate this?
>
>
> You can't mix & match sizes, 1/16th bits in 1/16th collets, and 1/8th bits
> in 1/8th collets.
>
> Seems obvious, but using the wrong size means it doesn't grip properly.
> Damages the collet too. ER16 goes down to 1/32th, IIRC.
>
> You can use a 1/16th bit in a 1/8th collect (dentist bit in a Dremel) by
> slipping a piece of tube (maybe with a slit in it) over the bit to make up
> the different, that's what 'Boot's was referring to as the reducer, though I
> think he missed you're going the opposite way.
>
> The only way to use 1/8th bits in a dentist handset is to replace the
> collet. Someone with a lathe could make one for you easily enough, boring
> out an existing collet to 1/8th might be possible, but they're usually
> hardened. Well, good ones are.
>
> You can get what's called an 'emergency collet', basically a blank you drill
> out to the correct size.
>
> Tony
>
>

As suggested, the little air powered grinders run about 55,000 RPM and they
only cost about $20 from Harbor Freight.



A lot of years ago I used the turbine from a dental handpiece and diamond
tipped burs to build a microscopic sized custom milling machine to mill the
outside edges of PCB. The PCBs where only 3x3mm (yes, mm) and only 0.2mm
thick. Amazing speed: 350,000 RPM.

Bertho



From: Stefan Trethan Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 03:20





Do you think the dentist drill will have room to accommodate the larger
collet?

They do sell air powered straight grinders that will take 1/8th shanks
and run at pretty high RPM.

ST

P.S.: That always reminds me of a travel documentary I saw about
Pakistan, the presenter went to a dentist on a market there.
The dentist had this drill:
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/engineering-design-problems/DSCF0003.
jpg>
When the presenter asked where he had studied dentistry he said "this
shop belonged to my uncle, and now I am the dentist".






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 11:41 PM, Boman33 <boman33@...> wrote:

>
> A lot of years ago I used the turbine from a dental handpiece and diamond
> tipped burs to build a microscopic sized custom milling machine to mill the
> outside edges of PCB. The PCBs where only 3x3mm (yes, mm) and only 0.2mm

I'm curious, how did you hold the PCBs down?

Mitch.

Trained ants.
Very useful, you know...

ST

On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 1:43 PM, Mitch Davis <mjd@...> wrote:

> I'm curious, how did you hold the PCBs down?
>
> Mitch.
>

The PCBs were clamped under a rail when forced past the milling bit. Hundreds of thousands were made. There was a VERY small transformer on the PCB and it became an SMT part.

Bertho



From: Mitch Davis Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 07:44

On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 11:41 PM, Boman33 boman33@... <mailto:boman33%40vinland.com> > wrote:
>
> A lot of years ago I used the turbine from a dental handpiece and diamond tipped burs to build a microscopic sized custom milling machine to mill the outside edges of PCB. The PCBs where only 3x3mm (yes, mm) and only 0.2mm

I'm curious, how did you hold the PCBs down?

Mitch.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

On Wed, Feb 6, 2013 at 12:27 AM, Boman33 <boman33@...> wrote:

> The PCBs were clamped under a rail when forced past the milling bit. Hundreds of thousands were made. There was a VERY small transformer on the PCB and it became an SMT part.

Interesting, thanks.

Mitch.

The air grinder at Harbor Freight requires a very large, high cfm rate, compressor. A dentist drill works with small and regular size home compressors and has the higher rpm required by the small drills.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Boman33 <boman33@...>
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 7:41 AM
To: Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Homebrew_PCBs] dental handpieces for copper clad drilling


As suggested, the little air powered grinders run about 55,000 RPM and they
only cost about $20 from Harbor Freight.

A lot of years ago I used the turbine from a dental handpiece and diamond
tipped burs to build a microscopic sized custom milling machine to mill the
outside edges of PCB. The PCBs where only 3x3mm (yes, mm) and only 0.2mm
thick. Amazing speed: 350,000 RPM.

Bertho

From: Stefan Trethan Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2013 03:20

Do you think the dentist drill will have room to accommodate the larger
collet?

They do sell air powered straight grinders that will take 1/8th shanks
and run at pretty high RPM.

ST

P.S.: That always reminds me of a travel documentary I saw about
Pakistan, the presenter went to a dentist on a market there.
The dentist had this drill:
http://www.electronicsweekly.com/blogs/engineering-design-problems/DSCF0003.
jpg>
When the presenter asked where he had studied dentistry he said "this
shop belonged to my uncle, and now I am the dentist".

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]