Easing off into porting.

[BMSS]

Happy new year! So I’ve been messing around (I use that term very loosely) with chainsaws for most of my life. Recently I’ve had a heightened interest in diving further into them and seeing if I could improve the performance of some of my older saws. Mainly just getting them back to running around factory spec before trying any porting or anything like that.

I’m cursed with a problem that when I dive into something I go all out! Haha. I’ve already got most of the tools to work on my saws, but when I started gathering resources for porting tools, a small lathe and other more specialized items I started pumping the brakes a little and wanted to ask the advice of the builders here.

I started looking at porting tools and saw the foredom was the ticket, I didn’t want to buy a dremel or anything to “get by” because I’m a firm believer in just buying the right tool from the start, rather than possibly becoming frustrated from inferior and inadequate tools and quitting all together. Looking back at your beginning into saw building would you piece together a porting set up, or go to a company like CC Specialty and just buy one of their kits? For anyone who has bought their kit, which did you choose and why? Happy new year and have a great 2024! Thank you all!

 

[Canadian farm boy]

Either of these kits from CC Specialties would be a good starter kit. You can buy additional hand pieces as needed or wanted.
I’d suggest getting a variety of burrs and stones to start with just to see what you like best plus maybe a split mandrel for finish work.

There’s cheaper brands of flex shaft rotary tools like Grizzly that can use the key drive style foredom hand pieces. Iirc @huskihl has or had a Grizzly

 

[BMSS]

Either of these kits from CC Specialties would be a good starter kit. You can buy additional hand pieces as needed or wanted.
I’d suggest getting a variety of burrs and stones to start with just to see what you like best plus maybe a split mandrel for finish work.

There’s cheaper brands of flex shaft rotary tools like Grizzly that can use the key drive style foredom hand pieces. Iirc @huskihl has or had a Grizzly View attachment 402681

That’s actually the kit I was looking at. It seemed to have to the motor and hand pieces that I have seen folks speaking highly of. I tried finding some used stuff on eBay but then realized the price of a used foredom and then piecing everything else together would come out nearly the same as just buying this kit.

 

[huskihl]

Idk why but I can’t keep sheaths from melting on the Foredom. Went through 3 sets of brushes on the HF unit, 2 sets of brushes and 10 sheaths on a Foredom sr and went back to the HF unit. 800 to 1000 saws on it and only replaced a sheath, quite a few cables from crashing a big burr doing muff mods, and a few sets of brushes.

 

[Ketchup]

The CCC kits cost a bit more than a piece-meal setup, but they get you started fast.

Used Ebay Foredoms often cost as much as new ones. It’s definitely worth doing some comparison shopping. I recommend a reversible model. I got my Foredom new for under $200 with the heavy duty collet hand piece (44?). Cheaper Harbor Freight and similar models can be nearly the same function for less money. The CCC 182 hand piece is the standard quality right angle. There are cheaper knock-off options that are more ungainly. @srcarr52 makes a super cool hand piece that adapts a contra angle dental head. Check his stuff out:

Angled Rotary Porting Handpiece Kit

This small head, angled handpiece is great for grinding the upper transfer ports of small two-stroke cylinders. It works with any key drive, quick disconnect, flex shaft grinder such as Foredom, Dumore, Mastercarver, some Dremel, and many others. The push-button style dental head uses 3/32"...

luckydogmfg.com

Then there’s burrs. Get quality. The chinese burr kits aren’t terrible for large material removal but higher grade single cut and diamond burrs leave a much smoother finish and help you control the cut. Aluminum cutting burrs have a more open spiral that both removes material better and leaves a nicer finish. You’ll want a few football shapes, a couple skinny, pointy shapes for tight corners, and an assortment of ball sizes in both carbide and diamond. A few longer (2-1/2 to 3”) carbide burrs help keep the hand pieces from gouging the outside faces of the ports.

 

[BMSS]

Either of these kits from CC Specialties would be a good starter kit. You can buy additional hand pieces as needed or wanted.
I’d suggest getting a variety of burrs and stones to start with just to see what you like best plus maybe a split mandrel for finish work.

There’s cheaper brands of flex shaft rotary tools like Grizzly that can use the key drive style foredom hand pieces. Iirc @huskihl has or had a

Idk why but I can’t keep sheaths from melting on the Foredom. Went through 3 sets of brushes on the HF unit, 2 sets of brushes and 10 sheaths on a Foredom sr and went back to the HF unit. 800 to 1000 saws on it and only replaced a sheath, quite a few cables from crashing a big burr doing muff mods, and a few sets of brushes.

Huskihl, will the HF unit accept foredom hand pieces? Or are you using the one that came with the unit?

 

[huskihl]

Huskihl, will the HF unit accept foredom hand pieces? Or are you using the one that came with the unit?

Get the key drive hf unit and they all work

 

[BMSS]

The CCC kits cost a bit more than a piece-meal setup, but they get you started fast.

Used Ebay Foredoms often cost as much as new ones. It’s definitely worth doing some comparison shopping. I recommend a reversible model. I got mine Foredom new for under $200 with the heavy duty collet hand piece (44?). Cheaper Harbor Freight and similar models can be nearly the same function for less money. The CCC 182 hand piece is the standard quality right angle. There are cheaper knock-off options that are more ungainly. @srcarr52 makes a super cool hand piece that adapts a contra angle dental head. Check his stuff out:

Angled Rotary Porting Handpiece Kit

This small head, angled handpiece is great for grinding the upper transfer ports of small two-stroke cylinders. It works with any key drive, quick disconnect, flex shaft grinder such as Foredom, Dumore, Mastercarver, some Dremel, and many others. The push-button style dental head uses 3/32"...

luckydogmfg.com

Then there’s burrs. Get quality. The chinese burr kits aren’t terrible for large material removal but higher grade single cut and diamond burrs leave a much smoother finish and help you control the cut. Aluminum cutting burrs have a more open spiral that both removes material better and leaves a nicer finish. You’ll want a few football shapes, a couple skinny, pointy shapes for tight corners, and an assortment of ball sizes in both carbide and diamond. A few longer (2-1/2 to 3”) carbide burrs help keep the hand pieces from gouging the outside faces of the ports.

Thank you for the advice ketchup! I’ve seen the cheaper “knock off” foredom models and thought about giving them a try, such as the grobet, the red label SR, and I think vevor was another. Im gonna go to my local HF and see if they still sell the unit Huskihl is referring to, I’ll check out that hand piece you posted as well.

 

[farminkarman]

Thank you for the advice ketchup! I’ve seen the cheaper “knock off” foredom models and thought about giving them a try, such as the grobet, the red label SR, and I think vevor was another. Im gonna go to my local HF and see if they still sell the unit Huskihl is referring to, I’ll check out that hand piece you posted as well.

I also run the HF motor & pedal with several Foredom handpieces.

 

[BMSS]

I also run the HF motor & pedal with several Foredom handpieces.

I was wondering if they would work. Thank you for letting me know about this!

 

[BMSS]

Get the key drive hf unit and they all work

Huskihl, thank you for the reply! I’m gonna go check out harbor freight in the morning. You are referring to the green flex shaft unit that looks like the grizzly one correct? I noticed they started offering a couple of different flex shaft options.

 

[srcarr52]

Thank you for the advice ketchup! I’ve seen the cheaper “knock off” foredom models and thought about giving them a try, such as the grobet, the red label SR, and I think vevor was another. Im gonna go to my local HF and see if they still sell the unit Huskihl is referring to, I’ll check out that hand piece you posted as well.

Any key drive flex cable motor (Foredom, Vevor, HF, Grizzly, ect.) will work with the handpiece I make as well as all other Foredom and other handpieces. Having reverse is nice on occasion. 18k rpm seems to be the sweet spot, 15k rpm is a little slow but it works, the 30k rpm motors just smear aluminum even with really nice 1/4" burrs.

 

[srcarr52]

Idk why but I can’t keep sheaths from melting on the Foredom. Went through 3 sets of brushes on the HF unit, 2 sets of brushes and 10 sheaths on a Foredom sr and went back to the HF unit. 800 to 1000 saws on it and only replaced a sheath, quite a few cables from crashing a big burr doing muff mods, and a few sets of brushes.

Were you melting the top or bottom of the sheaths? Top is usually because you've kinked the inner cable and it's rubbing on the top of the sheath really hard. If it's near the handpiece it's because you have too much flex shaft stick out and it's jamming the cable back into the sheath.

 

[huskihl]

Huskihl, thank you for the reply! I’m gonna go check out harbor freight in the morning. You are referring to the green flex shaft unit that looks like the grizzly one correct? I noticed they started offering a couple of different flex shaft options.

The Grizzly unit likely is the HF unit

 

[huskihl]

Were you melting the top or bottom of the sheaths? Top is usually because you've kinked the inner cable and it's rubbing on the top of the sheath really hard. If it's near the handpiece it's because you have too much flex shaft stick out and it's jamming the cable back into the sheath.

It was on top. And that could well be why. Even brand new it heated the sheath so much it would burn me if I touched it

 

[BMSS]

Any key drive flex cable motor (Foredom, Vevor, HF, Grizzly, ect.) will work with the handpiece I make as well as all other Foredom and other handpieces. Having reverse is nice on occasion. 18k rpm seems to be the sweet spot, 15k rpm is a little slow but it works, the 30k rpm motors just smear aluminum even with really nice 1/4" burrs.

I will definitely be ordering one from you in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for the reply!

 

[BMSS]

The Grizzly unit likely is the HF unit

I knew it looked almost identical. The Vevor units that cloned the SR are around $40 less, im gonna give one of those a try, as the HF close to me doesnt have the flex shaft in stock. Thank you huskihl.

 

[Stump Shot]

It was on top. And that could well be why. Even brand new it heated the sheath so much it would burn me if I touched it

Lubricated?
Foredom cable drive lube

 

[huskihl]

Lubricated?
Foredom cable drive lube

Yes, no, everywhere between

 

[legdelimber]

How would you fix the drive cable excess stickout problem?
Carefully grind a bit off and very gently deburr the tip?
Of course re-checking fit as you go.
My first thought at least.

I'm not at the place where my tools are stored, or I'd go look to see how things are assembled and what ideas I'd likely go with.

I have used the foot pedal from the harbor freight unit to control the dremel style units.
Worked fine with my needs.
Most of My usage has been a good bit lighter than porting metal cylinders, so keep that in mind for durability estimates.

I've only used the Harbor freight hanging unit and a few cheapo, dremal type, knock-offs, also flex units.
But I always pull the drive cable (in new units) and wipe it off (looking for manufacturing debris goofs, etc) and then re-grease and insert it.
(string trimmers/attachments get the same treatment too)
A good time to do a visual inspection for any twisted wire or damages in the cable bundle.

Before using the kit. Check that each individual thing feels smooth, before hooking them together.
Make sure each part spins like it should, the motor, flex shaft and the handpiece.
You want a bit/burr tightened in the collet to make sure nothing is binding or rubbing when tightened.
After that..
With the flex shaft installed to motor, hand piece installed and a bit installed and tightned, hand turn things again. If anything dosen't feel right when you hand spin the bit, need to go back and find out which part starts the trouble when you add it into things.