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Desiccant Filter Tips for Best Results

I’ve had a few calls lately with questions about our Desiccant Filter that I wanted to address and provide some Desiccant Filter Tips.

A Desiccant Filter is a very effective tool in removing moisture from the air before it reaches your handpiece. (Water is not good for bearings!)

Desiccant Filter - Remove Moisture from AirIf you’re seeing water in your tubing or hose, you could benefit from a desiccant filter.

Here’s how most systems work: A compressor delivers air through a hose to your filter/regulator.  The filter/regulator removes moisture (in liquid form) from the air before delivering the air to your handpiece.

Here’s the problem. When moisture is very hot, like when it comes from a compressor, it travels in the form of vapor, not liquid. Vapor will pass right through your filter/regulator and then as it travels through the tubing, it will cool down and turn back into a liquid form. Basically, water just found a way right through your Filter/Regulator and now begins to take it’s tole on the bearings in your handpiece.

The trick is to cool down the air being delivered from your compressor so it travels in liquid form and can be removed before reaching your tools. We do this by running the air through a desiccant filter. The desiccant filter is installed inline before the filter/regulator. Air enters the desiccant filter and travels through desiccant beads. The air is cooled as it travels and the desiccant beads suck out all the liquid in the air. The air then travels downstream through your filter/regulator and to your handpiece after all the moisture has been removed.

Check out the Desiccant Filter to learn more. There’s a video showing you how it works.

TIPS for Using the Desiccant Filter

  1. Desiccant Beads can be dried and used over and over. However, the slower you dry the beads, the drier they will be and the better they will work the next time. Dry them as slow as you can! If you try to dry them too fast, they will POP like popcorn and you will end up with little bead fragments that can clog up the filter.  The instructions (download here) say to dry at 275 degrees, but if you can dry them slower, you might find that they work better.
  2. When the beads turn pink, or you see moisture in your filter/regulator bowl, the beads need to be dried or changed.
  3. After you dry the beads, remove any partial beads or fragments before putting the desiccant back into the filter. I’ve seen filters come back that are completely clogged up with these pieces of beads. Only put the full beads back into the filter.
  4. Clean off the O-ring good before putting the lid back on. Pull out the O-ring and wipe it off. Also clean off the lip where the O-ring sits. If any beads or pieces are on the O-ring or Lip, the lid will not seal well and air will escape.
  5. Purchase a refill of desiccant beads so you can be using your equipment while drying the beads.

 

 

 

 

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Engraving using High Speed Tools?

What’s the big deal about Engraving using High Speed?

NSK Presto High Speed Dental HandpieceWhen we talk about Engraving using High Speed, or High Speed Engraving, we are referring to ultra high speed air driven engraving tools. Air driven tools, also referred to as pneumatic tools are able to rotate much quicker than electric tools. However, they require the use of a compressor and filter/regulator where electric tools do not.

High Speed Engravers

High Speed handpieces such as the NSK Presto II rotate at speeds over 300,000 rpm – That’s about 6 times faster than the fastest electric rotary tools!  They use 1/16″ friction grip burs, the same burs dentists use. They also require the use of a compressor and filter/regulator.

High Speed tools are used in dental labs to make crowns, bridges, etc. They are also used by glass engravers, wood carvers, egg artists, pistol grip carvers, knife engravers, leather carvers and so on. The possibilities are endless to what you can personalize with these tools.

They operate on SPEED, not torque. The high speed is what gives you the control and unparalleled precision.

Electric Rotary Tools

Electric rotary tools, such as Dremel, Foredom, etc. typically turn between 25,000 and 40,000 rpm. Some others, such as the RAM OZ Plus, will get up to 50,000 rpm. (still much slower than air driven, high speed engravers). They are high torque, but lower speed. You can dig them into wood and remove a bunch of material in a hurry. However, because they are slower speed, if you try to engrave on a hard surface or add detail to hard wood, they tend to “run”. If you’ve ever tried to engrave using a vibrating engraver, you know what I mean. They pull your hand around and it’s hard to control. You will not get this with High Speed Engravers.

Which Tool is Best for Me?

This depends on what you are trying to do. High speed engraving tools are not meant to replace electric engravers or carvers. Each has a purpose.

  • Electric tools are better for removing large amounts of material in less time. They have more torque and less speed. On the contrary, high speed tools are designed for precision and detail. They operate at way higher speeds giving you more control but have lower torque than electric tools.  If you are removing material, use an electric tool (or even a chain saw depending on how big we’re talking).
  • High Speed tools are for adding detail to an engraving or carving when you need maximum control. It’s basically like writing on paper with a pen. There is no comparison to high speed engraving tools when it comes to adding detail. The speed allows you to control he tool and the bits will not “run” on you like slower tools do.

RAM Oz Plus MicromotorSummary

I always tell people to use whatever tool gets them to their end result. When it comes to engraving and carving, there is no “one size fits all” tool. That’s like having one wrench in your mechanics tool box. Our customer use all kinds of tools from chain saws, electric grinders, electric micromotors, and all the way down to high speed pneumatic tools. Don’t expect to purchase a high speed engraving tool to replace another you already have for every project.

It’s all about getting to the end result in reasonable time without wearing out your tools in the process. Don’t remove the background of a large wood carving (such as Dyke Roskelley’s) with an NSK Presto. Use a larger tool that will accommodate much larger, more aggressive burs such as Saburr Tooth Burs. If you’re looking to perfect the eyeball of an animal in a detailed carving, a high speed tool will greatly simply this task and the end result will most likely be much better.

Use the right tool for the job.

If you have any questions, please Contact High Speed Engraving.com.

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Compressor Turning Off – Heat Issue

Air Compressor for EngravingEvery once in a while we will receive a call or email from one of our customers that is having trouble with their compressor shutting off during use. If they are at an engraving event, this is a BIG PROBLEM. The last thing we want is for your engraving equipment not to work properly while you are in front of customers at an event.

Here’s the Situation – The Compressor is Getting Hot and Turns Off

You’re engraving away and all of a sudden your compressor shuts off. It won’t turn back on and if it does, it will only stay on for a short time before it shuts off again. It feels HOT. Once it cools down, it will turn on again but then this same scenario repeats as the heat returns.

Luckily, this is an easy fix 99% of the time.

Here’s How to Avoid Your Compressor Turning Off

  • Plug the compressor directly into the wall outlet
  • Do not plug it into a Power Strip
  • Do not plug it into an extension cord (see below if you HAVE to use an extension cord)
  • If you must use an extension chord, make sure it’s a 12 gauge cord (12 gauge is the thickness of the wires) and not excessive length. The size of the wire used in the extension cord will be stamped or moulded on the cord (AWG). If the cord is labeled 12/3 – that means it is 12 gauge wire and has 3 wires.  Here is a good article on this if you want more explanation.
  • The longer the extension cord, the larger the wire will need to be in order to deliver enough power to the compressor. The longer the extension cord, the more heat will be generated during use. Therefore, use a shorter extension chord when possible. Buy Quality – Cheap extension chords are not worth the risk!

Power Strips – Most Power Strips have small wires in the cord. Even though the length is usually very short, if the wire is undersized, this may cause your compressor to over heat. Go ahead and plug your lights, etc. into a power strip, but plug your compressor directly into the wall outlet.  This will eliminate the problem of the compressor overheating and turning off.

Best Practices

  • Get a good 12 gauge extension chord and take it with you to every engraving event.
  • Only use the extension cord for your compressor if you HAVE to and don’t use one that’s too long – the shorter the better.
  • Never plug your compressor into a power strip or extension cord with undersized wire.
  • Go ahead and use a power strip for your table lamps, desk lamps, etc.
  • If your compressor overheats, wait for it to cool down completely before operating to avoid damaging the compressor.

Here’s the Explanation of the Problem

Compressors, including the Thomas Quiet Compressor for Engraving, require quite a bit of power to operate.

Power is delivered to the compressor through the power chord. If the size of the power chord (or extension chord) is too small, the compressor cannot get enough power and therefore has to work harder in order to do it’s job. The by-product of this situation is HEAT. The compressor eventually overheats due to the lack of power.  Luckily, quality compressors (like the Thomas Portable Compressor) have built in thermal protection which turn off the motor before damage occurs from heat. When the compressor gets too hot, the thermal protector will not allow the compressor to turn back on until the motor cools down to a safe operating temperature. This is a good thing – it’s protecting from further damage.

A common mistake we see is when the compressor is plugged into a power strip. We understand that most people use power strips in order to have more outlets to run lights, etc. while they are engraving. Power strips are great but they’re not great (at least most of them) for powering compressors and other things that require more power than the tiny wires inside the power strips can pack.

Conclusion

Be prepared when engraving at live events. Prepare for situations when you might be far away from a power source or even a building with poor electrical wiring. Invest in good equipment including extension cords and always have a back up of those components that might fail (I never do an event without having at least a spare cartridge with me).

If you have any questions, please Contact Us.

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NSK Presto Aqua Cartridge Rebuilds

NSK Presto Cartridge

Utah Handpiece Repair can rebuild your NSK Presto Aqua and save you money!

Instead of buying a new NSK Presto Aqua cartridge, let us rebuild yours for less than 1/2 the cost!.

Turn around time on most rebuilds is just a couple days and we know how important this is to dental labs when you have jobs to complete. We rebuild cartridges for many dental labs all over the country. We also give you a warranty on every rebuild we perform that is equal to the warranty you would receive on the purchase of a new NSK Presto Aqua cartridge.

Don’t discard that old cartridge and throw it away! Even if you decide to purchase a new cartridge, we are still interested in your used cartridge. We often offer a credit for old cartridges so we can use the parts. We also offer refurbished cartridges for NSK Presto as we have them available.

Contact Utah Handpiece Repair today and let us start saving you money on your NSK Presto Aqua Cartridges.

NSK Presto Aqua Cartridge Rebuild includes:

  • New Bearings
  • New Washers
  • New O-rings
  • Testing
  • Warranty

Note – Most of the cartridges we receive only need a rebuild. However, there will be additional charge if your cartridge needs a new chuck or other parts. We will contact you with a quote before performing any repairs.  Please send all the parts you have with the cartridge so we can accurately test.

Send your NSK Presto Aqua Cartridge to Utah Handpiece Repairs today!

Where to Send:

Utah Handpiece Repair

654 North 800 East #315

Spanish Fork, Utah 84660

Please include your name and all contact information in the package. Upon receipt, we will contact your with a repair estimate before completing any repairs.

We also rebuild NSK Presto and other high speed handpieces, turbines and cartridges.