Reamer Parts Wear Down So Fast!

[danachit]

Hi all!

When knotting pearls, I will often slightly ream out the end pearls to better accomodate the doubled silk being pulled through.. (especially when attaching the clasp and the amount of silk is twice the normal amount).

I purchased an electric reamer and have been getting replacement pointed bits (?) (reamer thingies?) I think from rio grande...as I believe that's where I originally bought the reamer.

HOWEVER....they just don't last long at all. Can anyone suggest where I can get some reamer pointy things that will actually last longer than three uses? Thanks! Dana

 

[knotty panda]

Try a round file. No, not that round file. They are stronger, not electric, but you really don't need electric. If you have a Dremel, the little bits work nicely too.

 

[pearlescence]

I don't use a reamer - much too fiddly. I just use an ordinary household drill and a 1mm wood drill bit. Even though I have a proper pearl drill, for enlarging an existing hole at start and finish you cannot beat fingers for maneuvering the pearl so that the drill follows the hole - with a pearl clamped in a fixed position it is all too easy to end up with two exit holes and a large ooops.
(which is conversely exactly why you need a proper pearl drill for undrilled pearls..not two exit holes but at least one in the wrong place due to a minutely wrong angle at the start)
You might drill your fingers a few times but you will save hours of time
A dremel type unit just isn't powerful enough to drive the bit, by the way.

 

[knotty panda]

I don't think she is drilling, she is enlarging holes and the reamers are too flimsy for that. That's why I said a round file. It's strong and does the job. Or if she can't find a file, I have used a drill bit. But you do make a good point of making sure you are working in the same direction as the original drilled hole.

 

[danachit]

Thank yall for the info! Where would you suggest I go to purchase such things?

 

[pearlescence]

drills? any decent hardware shop.

 

[laurenb]

You might drill your fingers a few times but you will save hours of time
A dremel type unit just isn't powerful enough to drive the bit, by the way.

I'm curious about this because I have been planning to experiment on pearls with the variable speed Dremel MultiPro with a detachable flex-shaft I used when I was carving stone ? when you were having power issues with a Dremel, was it a battery-powered or plug-in unit? Do you happen to know or remember the type of Dremel it was and the voltage?

I checked a few pearl drills online and they drill at up to 6,000 RPM. The new MultiPros can do 35,000 RPMs (no idea about mine ) but max unencumbered drill speed isn't the same thing as torque, which seems to be what you're saying Dremels lack.

Perhaps a Dremel will work better on a pearl with another type of bit, as they're not shaped/designed for wood drilling.

Look forward to seeing people's thoughts and experiences ? I know Dremels come up from time to time, but there seem to be more aspiring drillers on PG now than ever before.

 

[pearlescence]

It is a plug in one, no idea of model etc. I use it for some silver polishing
it is no prob using a big building type drill anyway - I can rest the battery/handle on something which gives steadiness.
It is perhaps because it all looks so out of proportion that some plump for a dremel type drill, but there is no problem using it - it works fine and I can drill a 1mm hole in a couple of seconds.

 

[Pearly Shell]

To widen an existing hole I would use a drill bit that is slightly larger than the existing hole. I would use my flex shaft with a foot speed pedal so I can control the speed. I don't drill at too high a speed to prevent cracking of the nacre or having the flex shaft jump out of my hand and scratch the pearl.

I have used a drill bit in a pin vise for really small jobs that need precision.

I got most of my tools from Rio Grande or Stuller, but I bet they are way cheaper from a hardware store.

 

[pattye]

Do you have to hold the pearl under water while you drill? Haven't tried enlarging holes yet, but want to!

 

[pearlescence]

no.
(and it is a sign of a blunt bit or a drill which needs recharging if the pearl gets hot)
I use 1mm and 1.5mm - the former for the first and last three pearls on a knotted piece and the latter to make a hole big enough for the leather string for a man pearl piece
they last about 20 pearls but I buy in bulk from a builders' supplies company by the 100s
Donna - I seem to recall from somewhere in building experience being told that slow drills are like blunt knives - far more dangerous and indeed likely to cause chipping etc. And a big heavy drill won't jump or wobble like a lightweight

 

[knotty panda]

Thank yall for the info! Where would you suggest I go to purchase such things?

Yes, any hardware store carries those little Dremels and should have the smaller bits. If you go with a file, Fire Mountain has them, Stauchura, they are a pretty standard item with any supply house.

 

[danachit]

I feel a bit silly admiting this but I can't even begin to picture what a dremel is.

Can anyone supply a link?

 

[danachit]

oooOh...I found this thread!

https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/consumer-pearl-q/3230-drilling-pearls.html

 

[laurenb]

I feel a bit silly admiting this but I can't even begin to picture what a dremel is.

Can anyone supply a link?

Dremel is the brand name of a company best known for rotary tools. They make other stuff, but their brand has become synonymous with rotary tools, just as "Kleenex" and "Xerox" are used as object names.

 

[Marianne]

For enlarging existing holes, I have used a Dremel. To safely clamp the pearl in a small vise I padded the jaws with sticky back foam tape, then used double sided tape to help align the pearl. Just remember to go slowly and rotate the pearl about half way thru, then finish from the opposite end. I use small wood bits. Several years ago I purchased a EUROTOOL Diamond Bead Reamer Set HDP-375.00. It is slightly smaller, lighter weight, quieter, and therefore less scary than the Dremel. (also a bit slower), but... with patience and the trusty wood bit, I can enlarge holes in larger pearls (9mm+) holding the pearl with my fingers instead of the vise. This way I can feel if the pearl is getting warm. You need to clean the bit often (a damp wash rag works great), and always wear eye protection. I like straight bits better than the reamers because they give a hole that is the same diameter all the way through the pearl. Reamers are tapered and therefore the holes toward the outside of the pearl tend to be larger than the opening in the middle. Hope that makes sense. Slow and steady wins the race!