The Power Carver and Other HSRTs

[Magister]

Recently I've posted a few of the items I've been working on with this tool, and I've gotten a request or two for more information about it.  I figured why not just start a quick little thread with the information.  

Honestly, I'm pretty evangelical about this thing.  Like most of you I've typically done the majority of my work with hand tools or even some minor use of common power tools.  Well, one thing is for sure, once you've used something like the Power Carver, you won't ever bother with a Dremel for most things again.  Although not historically accurate, I've gone to using this tool for just about everything.  Wood, glass, stone, and egg shells are all fair game.

A Highspeed Rotary Tool (Power Carver, Turbo Carver, Paragrave, etc) is essentially when you boil it all down a modified dental drill.  Yes, the same thing the dentist uses to drill out that cavity.  The biggest difference between this type of tool and a typical rotary tool, like a Dremel, is the speed in which it spins.  A Dremel will typically spin between 15k and 30k RPMs.  A tool like the Power Carver will spin at around 400k.  The HS tools also use a slightly smaller type of burr.  In fact, I like many others who use the tool have gotten burrs from their dentist.  Obviously, there are speciality ones made as well for different tasks.

It's the high speed that allows it to do what it does.  A Dremel would destroy fragile egg shells, and its slow speed causes it to bump and catch on the grain of wood making extreme detail sometimes difficult.  With a HSRT you have unbelievable control.  It's almost like drawing with a pencil.  There are videos out there of artists signing their name just like with a marker on stainless steel knife blades.  These videos are not exaggerating.

All HSRTs that I know of are pneumatic.  You'll need some kind of decent air compressor to get them to work.  All of the manufacturers want to sell you some, "special" one, but honestly, I use one I got from harbor freight for under $100 awhile back.  The big thing is to make sure it can do a constant 40 psi at around 1 CFM.  Remember, an air brush compressor will not work.  Just doesn't move enough air.  

As far as size of the tool goes, it's about 5.5 inches long and about as big around as one of those fat Sharpie markers.  I'll try to get a photo of my setup later today next to something for perspective.

So.. enough of my rambling.  Here is the information sheet from one supplier of the product.  You can also find a pretty in-depth comparison of the different tools on the market on their website (I am NOT affiliated with them in any way other than giving them too much of my money for supplies): http://www.sculptingstudio.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=148



Lastly, although they are using a different brand tool, here are a few videos from YouTube showing it in action.  Obviously, they are trying to sell you their version of the tool, but these should give you an idea of what it can do.

Wood Carving Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW2dAaKk6Ko

Egg Carving Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B3NkG6CV0k

[Rani Zemirah]

Ohhh... now THAT's awesome!!!  I seriously WANT one of these!!!  They made a believer out of me...    


Ooooh, but at that price... I highly doubt I'll be getting one any time soon.  I guess if I was going to be making something with it that I could actually sell then it would be well worth the price... but as a toy it's a bit out of my range.  Ah, well... one of these days. 

[Magister]

Yes, at $299.99 it's not a cheap tool (but there are certainly more expensive ones out there).  If you don't all ready have a compressor there is another $50-$80 dollars. 

Then add in all the burrs ($3 - $7 each), and misc. supplies it adds fast.

You're right though, if you can make a business of it you can pay for it all in a reasonable time.

I've justified it by adding up the cost of all the other tools I can do without by using this one.  Funny enough, it's pretty darn close to a wash.

[Rani Zemirah]

Well, if I used my Dremmel more than I do, it might be worth the investment, but as it is, I can't even remember the last time I charged the battery pack.  Of course, I say that, and within a week I'm sure I'll be digging it out and using it for something or other...  LOL 

I'm an occasional stone sculptor, and I'm sure this would make my craft almost too easy... but I've always used simple hand tools in all my sculpting, and I'm wondering if having something like this might somehow... I'm not sure.... maybe, lessen then connection I feel to the stone, itself?  Of course, I don't do large scale sculpting, or minutely detailed figures, but I would imagine I could, with this... so there are definitely lots of pros and cons...

[Woodland Artisan]

In the early days, we used to actually use the real deal ... used/repaired dental drills.  We'd use some of the burrs that the dentists would use but also had people make them for us.  They were really cheap, too.  You don't really need many bits at all, though, because you're kinda just vaporizing whatever you're working on at those kinds of speeds and not really getting any 'bite' to the material where a different shaped bit would make much difference.   I mainly use my highspeed carvers (no real dental drills anymore, thankfully) on wood but have done some non-ferrous metals and stone.  They're only really useful for detail work as they have very little 'power' to them ... just speed.    Foredom-brand rotary carvers are for the heavier work for me and most professional wood carvers/turners although I do use an old Dremel for some things, still.

For some real inspiration, the woodturner/carver Binh Pho, does some amazing work.  Each year, there are more and more out there specializing in that kind of carving and the level of craftsmanship is going up.  It's not really a novelty anymore at the better crafts shows and, especially, art/gallery events but has been mainstreamed, to an extent, now.

If you're looking to do some nice detail work, these pneumatic highspeed carvers are really nice.

[Magister]

WA:

 Agreed.  I wouldn't trade mine for anything at this point.  Foredom tools are very nice, too.  Expensive... but if you use them daily well worth it.  

 You're correct about the torque, too.  The HSRTs definitely are not for the heavy lifting jobs.  I use a ~50k RPM rated electric rotary tool that uses Dremel size burrs for that, personally.  However, I would say that for most carving situations found on say gunstocks or relief work the HSRTs work just fine all by themselves.  Plus you can't beat the universality of the tool and different mediums.

 Now, I will disagree a little on the burrs.  I've found I like having a moderate selection of different types available.  I wouldn't want to use say a 667 long in-place of a 7611, even though they are both pointed carbides.  Also, the difference in detail you can achieve between say a 6 and 2 carbide ball is phenomenal.  Maybe I'm just spoilt given the type of selection there is these days?  Probably so.

 ... I envy the days when burrs and whatnot were, "cheap".  Lately, if you can't get them from a dentist they cost a fortune (relatively).  

 I can't believe I didn't jump on the, "modified dental drill" bandwagon a long time ago.  Here was one trend that completely passed me by... until now.

[Woodland Artisan]

Plus you can't beat the universality of the tool and different mediums.

Without a doubt.   Again, I think it just comes down to the extraordinary speed ... exploding and vaporizing (those that haven't experienced it don't let those terms frighten you ... there's no exploding and laser weapon vaporizing going on ... it's on an extremely small scale and about all you experience is a powerful whirring sound and some very fine dust)  the medium one is working on.  Not a vast difference when going from soapstone to steel.  At least not like if you're using a hacksaw between the two. <grin>

 Now, I will disagree a little on the burrs.  I've found I like having a moderate selection of different types available.  I wouldn't want to use say a 667 long in-place of a 7611, even though they are both pointed carbides.  Also, the difference in detail you can achieve between say a 6 and 2 carbide ball is phenomenal.  Maybe I'm just spoilt given the type of selection there is these days?  Probably so.

Well, yeah, but I was thinking in terms of the hundreds of bits I have just for the Foredom to do the wood work alone.  It's true, though, that I've gotten to the point where I just am too lazy (?) to change bits all of the time on the HSRTs like I do with the Foredoms.  I find that I can get by with just a few bits for wood and a few for everything else on those HSRTs.

Funny you mention the 2-ball.  I have done and still do quite a bit of small and micro-scale turning (under 2mm tall).  Ran across a guy one time where his biggest bit was just under a 2-ball.  Called it his 'hogging out bit'.  All custom made bits.  He was known most for his tagua nut carvings of extraordinary detail and tiny scale.


Yeah, those early days of carving like that were fun.  I learned about it from a fellow in France.  It took awhile for me to find a dentist that would allow me to take an old system from him.  That didn't last long.  Lots of things we didn't really know about the whole thing, too .... did we have to have running water for lubrication and keep down the heat?   Things like that.  Then, some enterprising folks started buying up those drills/systems, repairing and customizing handpieces and selling them.  Quickly after that companies started developing their own just for that purpose.  It's been a really quick evolution, really.

While I only really use the HSRTs on artsy gallery pieces, I guess I could do other things with them ... like the gunstocks you mentioned.  Makes sense.

Good to see another craftsman taking it up.  Just remember ... it's now even easier and faster to pierce your finger, hand, leg too!

[Magister]

The "whirring" sound was the most disconcerting part of the tool at first.  Although modified, it is still essentially a dental drill... and boy does it sound like it.  It's like root canal flashbacks.  I just wear ear muff style headphones and turn on the MP3 player when I work.  Doesn't completely drown out the sound, but it does muffle it enough to not be too annoying.

To make it even worse when you work on egg shells it even smells EXACTLY like when you are getting a filling done.  The enamel of the egg shell smells just like the enamel of a tooth when you touch it with the drill.  It takes you a minute even wearing a paper mask.

Gunstock carving is quite a business.  If you have the time to hit up the gun shows and solicit with examples, let alone an online presence with gallery, people pay through the nose for it.  I imagine when you've dropped 6-10k on a new fancy gun to take to the club what's 1k more to make it unique?

Tagua Nuts, eh?  I did a quick search and found this website: http://www.oneworldprojects.com/products/tagua.shtml

Very interesting.  I may just have to give that a try.  Being in Florida, I am planning to hit up a few of the tourist traps and buy some budget seashells to try my hand at, too. 

A 2 carbide as a hogging out bit, is just too funny.  For those that don't know a 2 carbide ball is very small.  Tip of a grain of rice small.  I'm just starting to get an idea of how small you can really go with these things.  It is amazing.

I'll tell you, I've carved / whittled for years with hand tools and Dremels, but I don't know if I've enjoyed it as much in a long time as I have since I started playing with the HSRT.  Plus, as someone who suffers from wrist issues (numbing hands, shaking, etc.) I've been able to work longer and more consistently with it than with a Dremel.  Less vibration and better ergonomics, probably. 

I know it'll take time to get good with it, but so far it's been fun trying.

I'd love to see anything you've done with yours, WA.  I could use all the inspiration and ideas I can get.