Good day everyone. I’ve been meaning to talk about this instrument for a long time, but I only got around to it now.

And so I present to your attention a HAND ENGRAVER or a hand router. I found many uses for such a thing, from drawings on glass to sharpening in hard-to-reach places.

In front of you appearance devices. It consists of a box for the electric drive, a cable (I took a speedometer cable from a car), a holder and a cutting part.

And so on in order.

Inside the box there is a motor from a reel-to-reel tape recorder. More engine power is not needed. Using a transition coupling, the motor shaft is connected to the drive cable.

The cable sheath is rigidly connected to the body.

Also, the outer shell of the cable is rigidly connected to the handle holder. The handle was machined from fiberglass. A stepped hole is drilled inside in such a way that the cable sheath is firmly held, the rotating cable passes freely to the working element, and at the end of the holder a tube is inserted inside which the chuck drive rotates.

The cartridge consists of two halves fastened with a screw. A similar cartridge can be clamped cutting tool from 2 to 5 mm in diameter. The main thing is not to forget about balancing the cartridge and full compatibility the square of the cartridge drive and the windows of the cartridge itself.

Since my hands are busy when working with such a tool, and it shouldn’t rotate constantly, I made a pedal for it. Simple design.

I used a regular push button as a switching device.

Hello craft lovers. Surely many of us once had the idea of ​​​​making a speedometer cable out of a car. It looks quite reliable, so it should withstand quite heavy loads. One author decided to implement a similar idea. The solution turned out to be very simple and practical. can be connected to a drill. As an experiment, the author installed a grinder disc on the shaft, but this did not best solution, since cutting metal requires high speeds, which the drill cannot produce. But if you install a drill chuck on the shaft, you can drill, mill, and so on.

If the homemade product interests you, I suggest you familiarize yourself with it in more detail.

Materials and tools used

List of materials:
- bolt with nuts and washers;
- bearing;
- two PVC pipes of different diameters;
- car speedometer cable.

List of tools:
- gas burner;
- solder and flux;
- drill with drills;
- vice;
- wrenches;
- hacksaw.

Homemade manufacturing process:

Step one. Bearing installation
First we need to install the bearings in the PVC pipe that will be part of the handle. We select the bearing of the required diameter and press it inside the tube. To do this, the end of the pipe must be heated gas burner, well, then a vice will come to the rescue.

Step two. Installation of the working shaft
A bolt is used as a working shaft. A hole needs to be drilled in its head; a cable will be installed here. The author solders the cable, installing it in the hole in the bolt. Well, then we install the working shaft into a housing made of a tube with a bearing, and fix it with a nut.

Step three. Finishing the handle and testing it
As a continuation of the handle, the author used another piece of tube of smaller diameter. To install the tube on the cable, you need to cut it lengthwise. Then this tube is pressed into another, larger diameter. At the other end, a nut from the speedometer cable is installed. To avoid cutting the tube, you can remove the end from the cable. Since we won't need it. Then we simply put the tube on the cable in advance. We fix the tubes together using self-tapping screws.

That's all, after this the device is ready, connect the flexible shaft to the drill. As an experiment, the author, using washers and nuts, secured a disc from a grinder to a flexible shaft. In the future it is planned to install a drill chuck here.

That's all, the homemade product is ready, I hope you liked the idea. Good luck and creative inspiration if you decide to repeat it. Don't forget to share your ideas and crafts with us.

A flexible shaft for a drill or screwdriver, an item that is used extremely rarely. However, if you need to drill a hole or screw in a screw in a hard-to-reach place where a screwdriver cannot fit, it is better to have this tool available. Even if the drilling site is open, but is located, for example, under the ceiling, it is better and more convenient to hold it in weight light handle flexible shaft than the entire drill, which weighs a lot. In this case, you can hang it by tied straps somewhere nearby, and calmly drill or screw it in with a shaft. In addition, the flexible shaft is perfect for a bur machine or engraver.

If you have an engraver and you like, for example, to carve bone, wood or stone, then with this tool things will go much faster and more conveniently. But when making a flexible shaft, there is one nuance: you need to determine for which tool you need a flexible shaft. If, for example, for a drill or screwdriver, then it is better to use a brake cable from a motorcycle (or similar), and if for a machine or engraver, then a cable from a bicycle will be more convenient. I was assembling a flexible shaft, the manufacture of which I will describe below, for a powerful electric drill, which is why I used a motorcycle brake cable. The engraver I recently purchased also drags it out - you can grind, cut and drill, but during operation the speed drops and the engraver engine quickly heats up. This is understandable; for such a small car, the motorcycle cable is too heavy. So for him, on occasion, I will assemble a flexible shaft that is lighter and thinner, from a bicycle cable... I will not deny that the manufacturing process is quite long, but at the same time interesting.

Will need

• Two bearings from old roller skates (or similar in size).
• Steel cable in a protective sleeve, from a motorcycle (or bicycle).
• Metal tube suitable for diameter O.D. bearings.
• Wooden handle from an old soldering iron (or similar wooden tube).
• A steel rod for the shaft on which the cartridge will later be installed.
• Collet chuck, with an internal hole, for the shaft rod of your choice.
• A metal tube with a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the bearings.

Tools and consumables required for work:

• Soldering iron, tin and flux.
• Bor machine or engraver, with a saw blade and a 3 mm drill.
• Pliers.
• Secondary glue with soda.
• Insulating tape.
• Scissors.
• Solid oil and machine oil.

Manufacturing of flexible shaft

First of all, let's prepare the cable. It must be pulled out of the protective sleeve. In order for it not to unravel when we cut off the restrictive seal, it must be soldered with tin. They coated it with flux, heated it, impregnated it with tin, and cut it off.

We take it out of the sleeve. On any brake cable, at the other end there is a threaded rod to adjust the traction. We cut off the thread from it, so that a small piece remains, about a centimeter and a half. Next, we solder a metal tube onto this section, onto which we will later put bearings. We also coat the surfaces to be soldered with flux, put the tube on a piece, throw a piece of tin into the tube, and heat it with a soldering iron until the tin melts and spreads over all the lubricated surfaces.

While the tube with the soldered cable is cooling, let's prepare the rod for the cartridge. I took it from the CD drive. But you can use any of the appropriate caliber. We adjust this rod to the inner diameter of the tube by winding electrical tape around it until the desired caliber is achieved.

We insert the rod into the tube, coating it with glue.

When the glue inside sets, the connection will be no worse than from soldering, this can be seen in the video... Next, we will prepare the body of the holder. I took an aluminum case from a perfume bottle for this purpose - it almost perfectly fit the bearings. We drill a hole in the end of the body for the rod exit for the cartridge.

We put bearings on the tube with the cable. My bearings fit perfectly, but to be sure, I also added a drop of glue, for greater reliability.

Next, we also adjust the bearings to the housing using electrical tape.

We drip glue inside the body and insert a tube with bearings on it. We position the bearings in such a way that there are free edges of the housing. About a centimeter.

Don't forget to put a drop of oil on the bearings. We carefully ensure that the glue does not get into the bearing mechanism, otherwise all the work done will go down the drain! I used Cosmo CA-500.200 glue - it’s extremely difficult to tear off something glued with it, that’s why I preferred it to soldering... So, the shaft housing is ready. All that remains is to attach the wooden part of the handle with the cable sleeve.

We thread the sleeve into the wooden handle and secure it with glue inside the handle. Next, generously lubricate the cable with grease.

We thread it through the handle with the sleeve and fasten, again with glue, the wooden handle to the aluminum body.

Install the chuck collet.

If the resulting flexible shaft is planned to be used only for a drill or screwdriver, then the work is finished - we fix the protruding end of the cable into the drill chuck, and use it with pleasure!

And if you made a shaft for the engraver from a thin bicycle cable, then you also need to make a rigid protection for the cartridge so that the elastic cable does not loosen it. Each engraver has a threaded cap below the cartridge. This cover is removed and, if necessary, a plastic cartridge with a flexible shaft cable is screwed onto this place. We will need a thread, like on the lid, a piece plastic pipe, into which the thread will fit, and a tapering end into which we will thread the cable sleeve. There is nothing complicated here; glue all the parts together, put it on the cable sleeve, clamp the end of the cable in the collet chuck, and screw the resulting cap onto the engraver body.

It will prevent the rotating steel cable from loosening the brass collet cartridge. I made a flexible shaft for a drill, but to show clearly how to use it with an engraver, I also made a protective cap.

Such a shaft will not take up much storage space - it can be easily twisted into rings and hung on a nail in a shed or pantry, and at the right time it will help you make a hole in a hard-to-reach place, or screw a screw there.

Such an interesting device as a flexible shaft for a drill is intended for drilling holes in hard-to-reach places. Hard to reach places are such areas when access to them is limited due to large sizes power tools. To make working with power tools easier, tool manufacturers have invented a device such as a flexible shaft for drills and screwdrivers, which can be easily purchased on the Internet or at any tool store. It is a flexible attachment device that transmits torque to a tool that is not coaxial for the electric motor.

Why do you need a flexible shaft for a drill?

The design of the product in question is quite simple, but despite this, the device is multifunctional. The flexible drive consists of two elements: a cable with an armored base and a soft body. On one part of such a nozzle there is a special tip, with which the shaft is secured in the chuck of a screwdriver or drill.

The second part, in which the bits are fixed, is equipped with a cartridge or a special retainer for replaceable bits. The presence of a chuck on a flexible shaft for drills allows drills and other types of attachments to be secured in the structure of the device. Such equipment is used in medicine, or more precisely, in the field of dentistry. With the help of the products in question, the functioning of drilling machines is ensured, with which holes are drilled in teeth for installing fillings. There is a factory-made flexible shaft for sale for a mini drill engraver, which is used by craftsmen who repair electronics, watches and other small devices.

A flexible shaft for a drill is rarely used in construction, but without it, sometimes it is simply impossible to get to the fastening element in order to tighten it or unscrew it. Cases where a flexible shaft on a power tool is indispensable include times when there is no direct access to carry out work with a drill or screwdriver. The nozzle in question allows various types works:

• Drilling holes in wood, concrete and metal
• Grinding and cleaning of parts
• Screwing in and out of various screws and screws

Using a nozzle (also called a “flexible spiral” or “guta-percha extension”) to drill holes in concrete or metal is not entirely convenient, since this will require a reliable stop, which a useful device cannot provide due to its design features.

This is interesting!An attachment called a flexible shaft can be used not only on drills or screwdrivers, but also on an angle grinder. However, you need to be extremely careful and attentive with this tool. After all, the spindle rotation speed reaches 11,000 rpm, so you need to work with the use of personal protective equipment.

Flexible shaft design for drills and screwdrivers

The flexible shafts considered for drills differ depending on the manufacturer and the cost of the product. The basis of any device under consideration is a steel cable inside an armored base. It is with the help of such a cable that torque is transmitted from the drill chuck or screwdriver to the attachment lock at the end. Let's delve into the design of the device.

The base is made of armored wire in the shape of a spiral. To protect the internal structure of the device and prevent lubricant leakage, the outside of the spiral wire is coated with various soft materials. Often rubber is used for this, but other materials can also be used, such as silicone. Lubricant is poured into the power tool attachment to reduce friction and increase protection of the internal cable from abrasion.

Bearings play an important role in the design of the device. After all, it is to them that the cable is attached, which rotates during operation and transmits torque from the tool chuck to working attachment. Cheap models are not equipped with bearings, but have a low service life. The price of the device in question is low, which makes the device affordable. If you are just going to buy a flexible shaft for a drill so as not to make it yourself, then you can do this at any construction center or online store.

Make your own flexible shaft for a drill

The cost of a high-quality device is high, especially considering the fact that if the product needs to be used, it will be in a one-time quantity. To avoid having to buy one, you can easily make a flexible shaft for your drill yourself.

To make flexible shafts for drills with your own hands, you will need to take any braided wire. It can also be purchased, which will cost ten times less than buying a ready-made nozzle. If you plan to wind a spiral wire around the cable yourself, then you need to understand that it is impossible to do this at home. After all, armor steel is used as a spiral base. When such a device operates, the steel cable rotates inside the shell, and the armor in the form of a spiral wire bends in any position, but does not move. During operation, the device is held by hand by the spiral wire.

Finally, a shank is made for the flexible shaft, which is installed in the drill chuck. To do this, use the tail part of a damaged drill. The cable is connected to the shank by welding (other connection methods are unacceptable). Attached to the second end of the wire collet, which can be taken from another power tool.
There are quite a lot of advantages to a homemade flexible shaft for screwdrivers and drills, but the most important thing is its low cost. Having used such a nozzle once for work, you can find out what its main advantage is and why manufacturers came up with this device. The ease of making an attachment in the form of a flexible shaft for a drill yourself makes it more interesting to make it yourself than to buy it on the Internet or a tool store.

Flexible shafts are used in a variety of industries, wherever it is necessary to transmit torque at arbitrary angles. It is used as a transmission in drills and engravers, drills, as well as for transmitting rotation in measuring instruments, such as a car speedometer.

Why do you need a flexible shaft and where is it used?

A flexible drive for a drill consists of two main parts: a flexible cable with armored braiding and a soft shell. On one side it is equipped with a connection unit to the engine or manual drive, on the other hand, it has a chuck for attaching a tool.

Using a flexible shaft is very convenient when you need to tighten or unscrew fasteners in narrow places with difficult access, where you cannot insert a screwdriver in the working position

Flexible shafts are also used for drive hand tools for fine and precise work. Placing a heavy, high-speed electric motor in the tool itself would lead to rapid operator fatigue and loss of precision in operations. An example is a dentist's or engraver's drill.

As a result, the user gets the opportunity to work for a long time with a comfortable, light and small-sized device, and the level of vibration from the electric motor transmitted to the hand is reduced.

A feature of the use of a flexible shaft is the limitation of the maximum torque that it is capable of transmitting. If this limit is exceeded, the cable becomes twisted and the shaft fails.

Design Features

Home design feature and at the same time, the main advantage in application is the ability to bend it anywhere in any direction. This is achieved by using the following components:

• flexible and durable steel braided cable that transmits torque;
• armor braid or spiral-wound spring wire that acts as a flexible drive housing.

The outside of the wire is covered with a corrugated plastic sheath, inside of which there is a grease. It reduces friction, prevents abrasion of the core cable and protects it from moisture and dust.

The design of the flexible drill drive also includes bearings to which the cable is attached. They keep it spinning. At one end the cable is fixed in a socket, at the other it is provided with a mount for a tool.

This drive is designed for light and fine work, you shouldn’t count on using it to unscrew a soured bolt or screw in a 130-mm self-tapping screw at full speed; you must remember that the torque transmitted by the flexible shaft is limited.

How to make it yourself

Those who like to make tools with their own hands can easily make a flexible drive for a drill on their own.

Important! You won’t be able to make the armor braid yourself; for this you need industrial equipment. It is also important to understand that a homemade flexible shaft for a drill will be inferior to a factory one, first of all, in terms of working life. And it’s better to use it occasionally - then it won’t let you down at a crucial moment. For professional work in large quantities it is better to spend money on a purchased extension cord.

You will have to buy a braided cable in a store and ask them to cut it to the length you need. All that remains for Samodelkin is to cut the ends and mount external protection, filling it with lubricants. The shank from a broken drill of a suitable diameter will work as a blank for the mounting unit in the chuck.

As an option, you can take a cable from a car speedometer, as well as a motorcycle gas or clutch control drive as a starting material.

One end of the armored braided wire will need to be welded to the shank of the broken drill using a nut of suitable diameter and welding machine. A drill chuck or a hex adapter is welded to the second end of the cable for quick tool change. Remember that when operating such a drive, you need to hold it not by the rotating cartridge, but by the stationary braid. Such a do-it-yourself device will not only save money, but also make the drive exactly the length you require. Most factory drives are 25cm or 50cm long.

Flexible shaft for engraver

The engraver, or drill, develops high speeds - up to 30 thousand rpm. The device is small-sized and fits comfortably in the hand and is used for operations:

• polishing;
• milling;
• drilling holes of small diameter;
• grinding, etc.

Working as an engraver requires high precision movements of the master. The effort involved is small, compared to, say, tightening self-tapping screws. The torque is also low. Such devices are used by jewelers and craftsmen artistic creativity, creating works that are not inferior the best examples wood and stone carvers, as well as embossers. Engraving is performed on materials such as:

• metal;
• tree;
• stone;
• glass;
• plastics.

The flexible shaft for the engraver allows the user's manual efforts to be reduced to a minimum, turning many hours of work into an exciting activity.

Shafts for lawn mowers

Mechanical scythes with electric and gasoline drives use both flexible and rigid shafts.

Powerful brush cutters, capable of cutting tall, hard and dense grass and even small bushes, use all-metal rigid drives. Such devices are designed for long-term operation and have high torque. They are also large in size and weight and are worn on shoulder straps. The working tool is thick, rigid fishing line or powerful steel knives - two, three or four - bladed.

The flexible drive is used in lightweight, low-power and small-sized trimmers designed for mowing corners after a lawn mower or trimming grass on small lawns. These trimmers are held with one hand, and the flexible shaft is used to mow in the most comfortable position. The cutting element of such devices is a fishing line of small or medium thickness or a lightweight two-bladed knife. If the device is overloaded, the flexible shaft may become twisted. In this case, the rupture usually occurs near the shaft-to-engine attachment point. If you cannot buy a “original shaft”, then you need to select a suitable length from drives in the direction of the braid. Such drives can only rotate in one direction.

Before starting seasonal work and after changing the drive, remove any remaining old lubricant, rinse with gasoline or other solvent, and fill the cavity in the handle with new lubricant. The type of lubricant is specified in the user manual.

Speedometer flexible shaft

The flexible shaft transmits torque from the car or motorcycle transmission to the magnetic speedometer sensor. If the speedometer needle, when driving at a constant speed, begins to twitch or goes to the extreme position, it means the cable is faulty. You can replace it yourself. The flexible shaft is selected according to the parts catalog for your car brand. It must match in terms of attachment points and length. If the cable is too long or too short, there is a risk of bending it at too small a radius. This leads to extraneous noise (similar to howling), increased wear and premature failure of the unit.