I'm considering using a router (with speed reduction pullies) to drive a precision hand piece myself.  The only issue I have with the handpiece spindles is they bog down on a heavy cut. 

Thanks Derek/Bob, spindle speed would be too high with that for Alu or Stainless and the cutter I use, 20,000 I think is tops. But Bobs idea about using it as a motor to drive a spindle may be worth considering. Then again the Kress are not that much dearer  (I found a few other places to get them in the UK ) so it will likely be the way I go.

Hood

Hood,

Another option might be an air spindle. There are pros and cons. I designed and fabed a Sherline air spindle adapter (which I was rather proud of <grin>) and posted it to one of the hobby sites.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/photos/album/1116381707/pic/list

 For my purpose it turned out to be less than acceptable. My hobby mill is inside the house (need to be inside the AC here in southern Louisiana) and the air spindle noise would wake the dead, or in my case a sleeping wife. Also the air requirement exceeds the capacity of the small ‘quiet’ hobby compressors and dragging an air hose from the garage into the house wasn’t convenient.  In the end, even tho it worked very well, I gave up on it.

In a shop environment where you have plenty of air and noise isn’t such an issue, an air spindle might be worth considering.

Al Lenz

alenz
 Yes I had considered air but a few  problems, two of which you have mentioned, are making me hesitant. First is the noise, probably not a huge problem though. Second is the air demand. This in itself shouldn't be an issue as I have a medium sized compressor but air is actually a quite expensive way of driving things as the large three phase motor on the compressor would be constantly running just to turn a small air motor.
Having said all that it is still worth considering as it wouldn't be getting used day in day out, or at least not at this point in time.
Tried to look at the link you supplied but afraid it needs membership of the Sherline group

Hood

Hood,

Another option might be an air spindle. There are pros and cons. I designed and fabed a Sherline air spindle adapter (which I was rather proud of <grin>) and posted it to one of the hobby sites.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sherline/photos/album/1116381707/pic/list

 For my purpose it turned out to be less than acceptable. My hobby mill is inside the house (need to be inside the AC here in southern Louisiana) and the air spindle noise would wake the dead, or in my case a sleeping wife. Also the air requirement exceeds the capacity of the small ‘quiet’ hobby compressors and dragging an air hose from the garage into the house wasn’t convenient.  In the end, even tho it worked very well, I gave up on it.

In a shop environment where you have plenty of air and noise isn’t such an issue, an air spindle might be worth considering.

Al Lenz

Hood,  Sorry for the thread jack. 

Al,

I'm curious which factor or component decided you to move your machine into the house.  I've been able to keep my motors and controller within the heat specs by putting fans on the machine, and with my newer motors and controller heat sinks have done the trick.  Its not uncommon for temps to get close to 100F inside my shop.  The only part I really worry about for heat is the computer iteself.  I'm in Southwest Arizona where outdoor summer temps often hit 110-115 in the shade and occassionally hit the low 120s.  We normally do not have anywhere your humidity however so air cooling does work better.  5-20% most of the time and maybe 40% in late summer. 

When I get some time and the urge it is in my plan to put my machine next to the communications closet in my office, put the LPT cable through the wall, and place the computer in the air conditioned closet. 

Bob

Bob, the air conditioning is a requirement for my comfort, nothing to do with the equipment.

Bob, the air conditioning is a requirement for my comfort, nothing to do with the equipment.

At 99% humidity and 99F in the shade I can understand that.  I'ld rather experience 110F in the southwest desert than anything over 90 in the midwest or south. 

small high speed spindle that would be suitable for attaching to my mills quill. Only for engraving so doesn't have to be that powerful and small size and reasonable cost would be a big advantage. Looking for around 20,000 rpm and variable speed is not needed.

HOOD,
I have a few air driven and electric motor driven ones for engraving.
Probably the best bang for the buck was the Flexible Shaft Grinder from "Grizzly model WA300" since  it was 1/4 HP and 1800 rpm.
 I bought the associated handpieces also ( one uses a collet and other has a small chuck ). After a simple modification they were better than a lot of the expensive handpieces. Just make a holder for the handpieces and a holding plate for the quill and your good to go at very reasonable cost.
They work fine for engraving and small milling and also as a pecking drill when using a foot controlled pedal to vary the speed.

I prefer the electric ones to the air ones, still noisy but not as bad as the air ones.

If you want more info,like how to modify the handpieces, just ask.

RICH

Rich, is that 18,000 or 1,800? need the higher of the two
Will look at the ones you mentioned.

Hood

Oops that's  18,000 rpm. I just looked and Grizzly dosn't have that model listed, but if you search under Flexible Shaft Grinders you will see one which looks like mine / has a handle with a small drill chuck. If you tweak the handle by taking out the end play it works quite well. I replaced the chuck
( which wasn't bad at all ) with one from Albretch and also Jacobs.

I wouldn't spend the money for Foredom ( say $300+ or Dumore say $700 ) or some other brand when $100 one works just as well!

RICH