Help, please: Looking for help from Doc Mark on rotary tools and GraverMax, or anyone else with experience

[Dupont24]

My GraverMax is currently getting some TLC at GRS in Kansas and I can’t wait for it to come back so I can get busy! In the meantime I’m seriously contemplating a rotary handpiece for my machine...I’d love the 850 offered by GRS but I have a friend who is a dentist and has an extra tool he’s not using anymore. Have any of you used a dentists rotary tool with your GraverMax?

 

[SmileMaker]

Which handpiece is he going to give you? You will need a dental handpiece connector and section of tubing amerdental.com or perhaps he can supply it with the handpiece. Identify the drive air in and out in the tubing and splice it (air in) to a tubing that will fit your foot control. You will probably want to splice a second tube to the air out and vent it to a remote location where the escaping air noise won't bother you. This should work with either a dental high speed or low speed assuming you can supply the needed 40 - 60 psi to the handpiece. Supply tube splicing barbs and retention collars are available from American dental supply. **** I am a recently retired dentist and new to engraving. I do not own a GraverMax , however eventually I will be using a few of my old handpieces in pursuit of the hobby. I plan on connecting my handpieces to the compressor with a regulator and foot control supplying them.

 

[Doc Mark]

Hi Dupont24,

SmileMaker gave you some good advice. I have several high quality dental handpieces but tend to use the 850 because of the "straight" bur angle. The dental handpieces are usually what we called "contra angled". The straight angled 850 is easier to view under a scope and I find this an important issue. I don't use my Gravermach to power the handpiece but rather have a dedicated pressure regulator control connected directly to a standard dental disc type foot control which is driven by my larger tank compressor. Because of the noise factor, I have the larger compressor in an out building and the air is plumbed into my engraving bench. I find that even the SilentAir compressor has to work too hard to keep up with the rather significant air demand.

By the way SmileMaker, where are you in Ohio? I'm an old Ohio State Dental School (Class of 1972) grad but did all my practice in the Navy, then Maryland and finally in Hampton, VA.

 

[SmileMaker]

Hi Dupont24,

SmileMaker gave you some good advice. I have several high quality dental handpieces but tend to use the 850 because of the "straight" bur angle. The dental handpieces are usually what we called "contra angled". The straight angled 850 is easier to view under a scope and I find this an important issue. I don't use my Gravermach to power the handpiece but rather have a dedicated pressure regulator control connected directly to a standard dental disc type foot control which is driven by my larger tank compressor. Because of the noise factor, I have the larger compressor in an out building and the air is plumbed into my engraving bench. I find that even the SilentAir compressor has to work too hard to keep up with the rather significant air demand.

By the way SmileMaker, where are you in Ohio? I'm an old Ohio State Dental School (Class of 1972) grad but did all my practice in the Navy, then Maryland and finally in Hampton, VA.

I am located in Marion. University of Pittsburgh grad but I have been in the buckeye since 1981.

 

[vdrum4250]

many electronic lab dental hand pieces would easily replace the 850 hand piece and no compressor is needed. I also feel that the electronic ones have more torque.. but alas the price is high. for the great ones. but i have tried the marathon 2 on ebay and it seems to work well.. these lab type handpieces are straight type. you can change the collets also to be able to use different size burrs..