Foredom HP,1/6 or 1/3

[CJ Courtney]

With the price difference between the 1/6hp and the 1/3hp,I need help making the call.My intent is to use it to quickly remove wood using a 3/4 saburr burr shaping chair legs,contour chair seats,and making the queen ann style ball & Claw feet.Will the 1/6 get me by without bogging down the bit or should I bit the bullet and go w/the 1/3hp.Thanks for the advice----CJ

[Paul_Guraedy]

CJ, I bought my Foredom 30 years ago and did not have the money, at that time, to do more than the minimum I had to spend. I believe that mine is the minimum power available at that time. I would check and see but an ice storm last night keeps me from getting to my carving building. I have never had a problem with it bogging down.

But, in my opinion there are two factors involved, more than any orhers, in the speed of wood removal. First is the variety of wood and the second is the agressiveness of the bit.

I think I would enjoy having something like an Arbortech; but, have not made that decision as yet. So, If there is a lot of wood to remove, my first choice is a saw. I then move to an agressive 1/4 shank steel burr (shape depending on the design), then to a smaller shank agressive butt to get into hard to reach areas, and finalize with sandpaper (80 grit) to get down to where I start carving. I prefer to make many passes with each of these rather than apply a lot of pressure and have less control of my tool. So, maybe it is my carving style rather than the power of the motor that has kept me from having a problem with bogging down.

[SeaLeveler]

My large rotary tool isn't a foredom but it is 1/3 hp and I think 1/6 would be handy and does the 1/6 have reverse feature.I have seen several times when reverse would be handy also.Tony

[Donna_T]

CJ,
I've not looked at my Foredom, but as Paul said about his, it's probably at least 30 years old and it doesn't have a model letter on it and is probably 1/8 or slightly more horsepower--whatever was the model at the time. Back then, I don't think they had several choices of models and power, like Foredom offers now.

Also, like Paul said, when I'm "hogging" or roughing out a carving, I prefer to make several passes rather than bearing down hard enough to lug the motor and try to get it in one pass. It's better for your carving, since you can shape as you go, and not risk taking too much off in one area.

I, too, use progressively less aggressive bits as I work on a carving on which I'm using power...start with Typhoons and work up to fine sanding. But I use progressively more controlable power carvers--with the Ram micro motor being my final tool for fine details. But I didn't have it for the first 15 years of carving--made do with the Dremel and Foredom.

Buy the biggest/best you can afford and need and if taken care of, it should last you many years.

Donna_T

[Hugh-P]

Go for the 1/3 hp model, much much better unit for quick wood removal. I used the small 1/8 hp model for years and it worked fine, but the 1/3 hp model is fantastic compared to the other. You can put a large typhoon bit on the 1/3 hp and bury it in tupelo and it just keeps right on digging. Just my 2cents worth.

[Merle Rice]

I agree with HughP, I used Dremel for yrs. about 4 of them,they are all gone, got Mastercarver 1/3 hp last year and what a difference. My vote is the 1/3hp and don't think you will be sorry. Merle

[davidinsarasota]

I just bought the TX (1/3hp). Tim Allen (Tooltime) mentality. See my post "Foredom is in the house" in this section for more.

[Dileon]

I have the TX for hardwoods and extreme roughing out. I use SR , 1/6 hp. for smaller burrs. I have two black and decker, three flex shaft dremels various, and two proxxy all hanging for small detail work, and a micro motor for the extreme details. I am getting ready to kick it up ... as I have extreme hard wood this guava...and I am carving a large budda....the TX does not like to work on this kind of wood, too hard. So it is the power stuff, die grinder, angle grinder,....some day a mini chainsaw...not sure they rust like everything here. Di

[telecarver]

Originally Posted by CJ Courtney

With the price difference between the 1/6hp and the 1/3hp,I need help making the call.My intent is to use it to quickly remove wood using a 3/4 saburr burr shaping chair legs,contour chair seats,and making the queen ann style ball & Claw feet.Will the 1/6 get me by without bogging down the bit or should I bit the bullet and go w/the 1/3hp.Thanks for the advice----CJ

For contouring chair seats and roughing out Queen Ann legs, use a 24 grit 3" disc on a 4" angle grinder with a router speed control. They don't have center screw to get in the way and they don't fly off when they heat up like PSA discs. It's amazing how fast you can remove material. The backing pads are made for air die grinders used in the auto body industry so they only come with a 1/4" mandrel. The pad threads onto the mandrel. I had a machinist make an adapter from a long hexagon nut and a 1/4" Allen cap screw. You can get the discs from Supergrit; 1-800-822-4003. Get the button type. Avoid the 3M Roloc style that is commonly available at auto parts stores. The plastic threaded stud tends to break off and it's a real chore to dig it out of the backing pad. They make pads and discs down to 3/4" in diameter but they come from a different supplier. I would recommend ordering 1,2 and3" pads and discs in a variety of grits. By slowing down the angle grinder and working with a 1" disc with a 180 grit you can refine the leg quite a bit before switching to a detail tool.