[AlArchie]

Kenny has the right idea on that "water proble". If you go to the auto supply store (or Sears, even), you can pick up a filter with a glass catchbowl that will eliminate MOST of the condensation as the air leaves the compressor. These will have a petcock on the bottom to drain the collected water.
Also available at the automotive supply stores are dryer cartridges that simply fit in-line and remove the remaining moisture. Paint shops use these to make sure their auto paint is applied dry.They come in a 2 pack for around 7 bucks and will last quite a long time. The little ball elements change color when they are fully absorbed. Then either change filters or try cooking them dry in the micowave, if they have all plastic parts. If there are metal parts, just scrap em.

Al

[Bob_in_TN]

One more thing,...........usually you have a drain on the bottom of your tank, actually it's on the bottom of the compressors tank, anyway if you are having the humidity that were having that drain needs to be opened on a regular basis. Drop your tank pressure first!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you do this it will put less stress on the components that AL suggested, which were very good suggestions.

Bob

[Marci MN]

I read these posts off to my husband.. he knew what you were talking about and said we will try that. And to say thanks.

[Callynne]

Kenny, the RAM 45, in my opinion, is just for fine detail work. I have the MasterCarver Rotary system and also a dremel with the FlexShaft attachment. Both of those work terrific for removing all the waste wood and getting down to the hand carving stage. Both are capable of doing detail work, but the 'smoothness' I need isn't there. The RAM does beautiful detail work with a much smoother surface left. For instance, right now I am working on a witch, her face is 3/4" long, her eyes about 1/16" of an inch. I can use my RAM and a tiny little diamond round burr to shape the eye area, make the creases around her nose and make the nostril holes with no problem. I know I can't do that with my other rotary systems, not with the ease and smoothness of my RAM, that's for sure!

I am a huge fan of this Micromotor. So much so that if it quit working, I'd buy another one the same day so I wouldn't be without it while waiting to see if the other one could be fixed. Yes, I like it that much!! That's pretty obvious, huh?! Deborah

[Kenny_S]

Deborah, Does the hand piece get hot like the Dremels. We have two different Dremels and both handpieces get pretty hot after a few minutes use. Tries several different things that have been suggested here on the form maybe a year ago and helped some. Slick 50 ( me thinks Hi Ho suggested that one)in the flex shaft helped the most but still gets hot.
Anyways, thanks for the reply.

[AlArchie]

Most of the overheating problem is causd by friction within the handpiece shaft. If regular lubrication is not taking care of the problem, there may be excessive wear in the bushings in the end of the sheath.

Try unscrewing the whole drive from the motor unit and then removing the flex cable from the sheath. It should just pull straight out. Once you get it out, wipe it down and wash it with a solvent like Sovasol, or even paint thinner or charcoal lighter fluid (almost all the same stuff). That should remove any bushing particles that have worn off. After it has been cleaned and dried, coat it with STP, or chainsaw bar oil. Both those lubes are made to adhere to the metal, and provide high presure lubrication.
After you reinsert the flex cable, put a few drops of the STP or chainsaw oil into the cap where it screws onto the motor. If you hang the unit from the little bracket on the top of the motor, the shaft will hang vertically and the oil will work its way down the internal shaft. If you put a drop of oil in that cap every few hours, you should pretty well eliminate the over heating.
Ipull mine apart anytime it starts to get hot and use this procedure...seems to work for me!

I'm not familiar with that Slik 50, but if it has a high viscosity and adhesion quality, it may well work as well.

Al

[bbeery]

On Deborah's advice, I recently purchased a Ram 45 and love it. The Dremel hangs, unused..forever. The Ram hand piece is very small and easy to manipulate, the motor is very quite and changing burrs is fast and simple. I have a foot feed attached but seldom use it, just set the speed by hand on the base unit. Only a pureist, (and I've met several) who believes only in "hand carving" would want to be without one.

[Kenny_S]

Thanks ALa and BBerry.

ALA, I have done that but used Slick %0, A motor oil additive which has helped in olde high mileage motors. It has helped some. Even tried pulling the shaft out and in to find a location that created less heat.
And tried different posistion of how the hand piece was held to try to reduce the angle of the shaft. I face the fact that high uses or prolong useage of two different types of Dremels, they creat the heat in the shafts.

Maybe the Ram 45 is my anwser, But then, I don't use the dremels like the little bride does.
Now since she has been layed up, she has designed and has started on an egg turtle carving that is setting up. The drawing is cute and what she has carved looks good, so far.

Tried to give her some tips, but like EVE in the Garden of Eden, she didn't listen........................

Something about it being hers and no one elses... Women!!!!!!

[Callynne]

Kenny, sorry I didn't answer you sooner, company over the weekend! And reunions the next two weekends.....plays havoc with my carving time! But it is great to see all the family!!

The handpiece to my RAM 45 never gets hot and I use it a lot. I think you will really like it, if you can get it away from the little bride that is, cause once she tries it I bet she doesn't go back to the Dremel either!!

Bbeery, I'm so happy to hear you like it as much as I thought you would!! Also glad to hear the dial control is what you use the most, since I was thinking about purchasing a foot control but hadn't done it yet!

Kenny, if you get one you'll have to let us know what you think....if you ever get to use it! Deborah