Using Foredom for carbidizing?

[Jared Dinwoodie]

Has anyone tried or see a downside to using a Foredom or other flexible shaft rotary tool for carbidizing? I have some older beat up ones that could work for this rather than spending the money on a separate Dremel engraver.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

The Dremel engraver is not a rotary tool. It vibrates back and forth.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Bill - That is how carbidizing works. The carbide tip is connected to a power source and creates tiny arc-welds to the surface being carbidized at each vibration. Many folks have made one from a cheap vibrator engraver. The commercial hobby units are like that.

Carbidizer - Tung Carb by Bebe Carbidizer

Tung Carb by Bebe ManufacturingThis is a low cost carbidizer. Use this tool to place a hardened surface on your knife edge or liner lock face. This tool vibrates and creates a plasma arc between the tungsten element and the target steel. Every vibration creates a spark and plasma arc. The...

usaknifemaker.com

 

[Drew Riley]

FWIW, the "Rocklinizer" brand carbidizers typically use a rotary style of applicator, though I think the RPM is relatively low compared to something like a Foredom. Not that it wouldn't work, but I'm not sure what affect the higher speed would have.
That said, most guys building a DIY carbidizers are using vibratory engraving tools, and they're not expensive at all. WEN makes a Dremel clone for $10, although the Dremel is only around $20 to begin with.

 

[Jared Dinwoodie]

FWIW, the "Rocklinizer" brand carbidizers typically use a rotary style of applicator, though I think the RPM is relatively low compared to something like a Foredom. Not that it wouldn't work, but I'm not sure what affect the higher speed would have.
That said, most guys building a DIY carbidizers are using vibratory engraving tools, and they're not expensive at all. WEN makes a Dremel clone for $10, although the Dremel is only around $20 to begin with.

My reason for asking is I have a bunch of broken carbide in all sizes and didn’t know if the engraver is limited to a certain diameter, where the adjustable Chuck on a Foredom would let me use many different sizes.

 

[Drew Riley]

My reason for asking is I have a bunch of broken carbide in all sizes and didn’t know if the engraver is limited to a certain diameter, where the adjustable Chuck on a Foredom would let me use many different sizes.

That makes sense. I think most of the vibratory engravers take a 1/8" bit, though I think most of them also use a set screw with a fixed collet, so you might get away with smaller bits as well, though 1/8" shanks are pretty standard, even for Foredom style bits.

 

[Skiller1nc]

John Grimsmo uses a vibratory engraver and old broken carbide endmills. I'm not sure what chuck he uses or endmill sizes, he may have a youtube video where he goes into detail