[Jewelry making - Article 00047] - Re: [Orchid] Techno X handpiece problems

[Peter W . Rowe]

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    this happens with normal wear on the collet.  In contrast to another
    answer on Orchid, this IS user servicable and adjustable.  Some
    parts of the Techno are not so servicable, but you're not "there"
    yet.  The collet is made to be adjusted, to a point. Once you've
    reached the point where it won't tighten any more (won't adjust
    tighter), then you've worn out the collet, and it must be replaced.
    This may be a problem is you've got the original Techno, made in
    Sweden, since that company is no more. At least two copies are now
    being made, one swiss, one american. I don't know if the collets for
    these will fit the original, however.  You'd have to ask the dealers.
     But before you do that, lets try and get your Techno back together. 

>            Trying to figure out how it worked and maybe remove the
>     collet for cleaning, I have gotten myself in a mess and don't know
>     how to clean it up.  I unscrewed the quick release and inside the
>     bolt there was a piece just sitting in there.  Now I can not get
>     the release back on and have still not solved the problem with my
>     collet.  Does anyone know how I might fix this myself or who I
>     should send it too? 

    As others have said, you can send it in for service.  But so far,
    this sounds simple enough.  Try following this: 

    The quick release is a cam that revolves in that screw on housing,
    with the handle screwed to it's outer squared end.  The inner side
    has a tab, kind of like the end of a slotted screwdriver tip in
    shape. That tip is supposed to slip between two bearing surfaces, a
    gap you can see looking in the hole. You'll note that it's closed
    tight, as the two sides of the bearing are spring loaded.  And they
    may not quite align under th hole, once the cam is removed. You need
    to force a small point (such as the tip of the screwdriver that came
    with the handpiece between those bearing surfaces until you can push
    that cam tip back between them, then holding it there, screw the
    housing back in place. this may take a couple tries, as to really do
    it easily, you'd need another hand and differently shaped fingers,
    but heck.  it CAN be done.  Sometimes you can get lucky just by using
    the screw driver tip to pull the gap so it centers in the opening,
    then just use the housing to screw down, forcing the cam in place. If
    it doesn't go easily, just try again.  the trick sometimes is keeping
    the slot fitting tip of the cam going crosswise as you assemble it,
    rather than letting it turn.  anyway, just look at it again, and
    you'll see how it goes. Swear at it a bit, and you can reassemble
    it. Now, before screwing the handle back on, put a drop or two of
    light machine oil into the screw hole in the cam. As you may have
    noticed, it goes all the way through, and is how you lubricate the
    cam/release mechanism.  The two bearing surfaces that ride on that
    cam are the outer, non rotating parts of ball bearings,  so there is
    not a great deal of wear on them or the cam part, and this is why you
    can use the lever on the handpiece even when the bit is turning,
    since the bearing surfaces don't rotate. 

    Now, to actually adjust the grip on the collet, you first need to
    clean inside the collet.  The collet screws into the main shaft
    (internal) of the handpiece, and the farther in it screws, the
    tighter the collet is, as the tapered section of the collet pulls
    into the tapered opening in the end of the shaft. Adjustments amount
    to screwing the collet in or out to adjust the grip range. The
    adjustment is held in place by a set screw, inside the collet, that
    locks the collet in position so it won't screw in or out of the
    shaft.  (the collet is a tube, threaded on the inside.  that screw
    fits down into those internal threads, tightening on the end of the
    shaft, jamming the collet in place. Now the trick is that in use, the
    threads that set screw ride in get gunked up, and the slotted end of
    the set screw gets even more filled with gunk, wax, filings, and
    whatever else gets in there.  So you won't be able to adjust that
    set screw till you clean the cross slot on the end of the screw.  it's
    down at the bottom of the collet opening.  If found the best way for
    me, at least, to do this is by taking a can of WD-40 with the
    extension plastic tube, and holding the handpiece collet facing down,
    over a towel, put the extension tube into the collet and blast a bit,
    then let it sit, and repeat.  Then use a fine point of some sort to
    dig down and stir up whatever you can feel at the bottom of the
    collet opening, and repeat again, until you can slip that little
    yellow screwdriver that came with the handpiece down in there and
    feel it slip into the slot on the end of that screw (this is what
    that screwdriver is for) 

    Now unscrew and remove the silver housing from the back of the
    handpiece, exposing the sleeve into which the end of your flexible
    shaft fits.  NOT the larger diameter lower housing of the handpiece
    itself.  Just that back sleeve. Now, with the quick release Open
    (loose), the collet extends slightly from the handpiece, and you can
    gently grip one jaw of the collet with a pair of slim nose pliers. 
    Only one jaw, so you don't crush the collet.  Held like this so the
    collet itself cannot rotate, loosen the screw.  It backs out
    counterclockwise.  Loosen it about a half turn.   Now, grab that
    rear sleeve that the flex shaft fits into with a round nose plier
    (one nose inside the sleeve) so the shaft of the handpiece cannot
    rotate.  Gently screw the collet itself clockwise perhaps a half turn
    or so, which will tighten it into the handpiece slightly.  Again grip
    the collet itself by one jaw, and retighten that internal screw (it
    shouldn't move much, since you've moved the collet in by about the
    same amount you unscrewed that screw.  Once it's tightened down
    snugly,  you only need put the rear housing back on, and check the
    fit of your burs in the handpiece.  If it fits, you're done.  If not,
    you can repeat this procedure as needed, either tightening the collet
    some more, or backing it off a bit if it's now too tight. 

    It's important to note two things. 

    One is that this cannot go on forever.  As noted, collets DO wear
    out.  the inside surfaces of the jaws wear down, opening the collet,
    and the outer taper of the collet (and perhaps it's mating taper on
    the shaft) also wear.  You reach a point when tighting the collet
    pulls it deeper into the shaft without tighteing the grip any
    further.  The collet is then worn out

    The second thing to note is that all quick release handpieces have
    some limits to their grip range.  Some more than others.  And though
    we buy burs and attachments listed as having 3/32 shanks, the truth
    is that they seem to vary by a surprising amount.  I think
    manufacturers all assume we're all using the old jacobs chuck #30
    handpieces, which don't care much about a half millimeter difference
    here or there, but the quick release handpieces very much do care.
    Some burs, such as the Busch and similar dental type burs are
    consistant and accurate.  Others, such as plated mandrels for rubber
    wheels, the snap on mandrels for moores disks, and even many high
    speed setting burs, can vary a LOT in their manufacturing tolerances
    as regards actual shaft diameter.  Before assuming your handpiece is
    shot or worn, check it against known diameter burs like the busch
    burs.  if these grip well and tightly, it may be that what you're
    trying to grip has simply worn smaller, or wasn't up to full spec
    diameter in the first place..  I bought some Spearhead brand high
    speed ball burs once that were enough oversize that none of my
    several types of quick release handpieces would accept it at all. 
    Usable only in a #30 handpiece.  Rather annoying.  And I've some of
    those various aformentioned types of mandrels, often plated brass or
    cheap plated steel, that are enough undersize that only a brand new
    collet still has the grip range to hold them, and even then, they're
    not that secure. Also rather annoying.  But the fault of the bit or
    bur, not the handpiece. 

>        It was purchased through a jeweler friend of mine through
>     Gesswein.  Should I send it back to them?  I sent an email to them
>     and they never responded.  The company that I work for does not do
>     too much buisiness with them but have offered to send it to
>     Gesswein for me, but I am concerned that I might not get it back.
>     Any help will be greatly appreciated.

    If you Do need to send back your handpiece, you should expect to pay
    for the service, as from the sound of this, it's kinda normal for
    several types of quick release handpieces to do this, and need
    periodic adjustment.  The Techno is actually easier than some to
    adjust, once you figure out how.  Once you know how to do it, it's a
    ten minute job at most.  But if you find you just can't get it
    together again, then perhaps the most time efficient is to send it
    in for repair.  As i said, the main problem might be availability of
    new parts, if they are needed.  I'm not sure if the collets for the
    swiss version now sold fits the old handpiece. 

    Gesswein has a fine reputation, and offers good service.  But better
    through the phone, in my experience, than via email.   They are not
    alone in this, by the way.  Several of my favorite suppliers kind fall
    down when it comes to good email support, and I'm not talking about
    minor companies. 

    You might try contacting Elaine Corwin at Gesswein.  An orchid
    reader/member since way back, she's also the technical/product V.P.,
    I think, there, and if their service staff hasn't helped, she can
    certainly help move things along. 

    Also, depending on who you normally deal with, other companies may
    also offer service.  You don't have to go to Gesswein.  Frei and
    Borel, for example, has long offered good service on handpieces of
    many sorts, and there are a couple actual tool repair services, such
    as Lone Star (who just today posted in response to someone's
    ultrasonic problem) and others, who do nothing else but repair our
    tools and toys.  Check the Orchid archives if you need to find these
    folks.. 

Hope this helps.
Peter Rowe

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