Dental type mirrors

[wds]

Picked up these two mirrors, one marked Western Electric.  These types of mirrors always come in handy.  I've been using one made out of plastic, so these metal ones will be a nice addition to my tool box.

[DavePEI]

Hi David:

These are great items. I have been using similar ones for years. Another thing that can be very useful are good stainless dental explorer picks for opening up solder filled holes in PCBs. Heat the hole and press the pick end through - they won't stick to the solder... I have also been known to use dental drills and burs to drill out holes in PCBs.


Dave H.

[Kenton K]

Funny how these random tools come in so handy. I've been using an old freebie I got at an garage sale, perfect for looking at dates in those hard to see places.

[DavePEI]

Speaking of Dental mirrors, I just ordered a couple more from eBay as my old ones are now located in the same place 1 of each sock seems to disappear to - they are around somewhere, but I think they must be in sock heaven.

Anyway, a good deal is eBay #120998465493 at $5.50 ea including postage. They will take a while as they are coming from ZHENGZHOU, China, but are the next best thing to having the real WE ones

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120998465493

These are the good stainless with copper handle type and not merely the more common plastic ones. I would suggest placing shrink wrap tubing on the handle as I did with my previous ones to add protection against shorts.

Great for checking to see if a dial is pulsing correctly "in situ". I used to have a really helpful dentist who gave me picks, scalers, mirrors, and drills and spurs whenever I visited him! Sadly he passed away some years ago. The common bits and burs will fit Dremel tools. Great for drilling out PCB holes.

[Bill]

Dave et al -

At any large flea market, there seems always to be a vendor with a table full of hemostats (many shapes and sizes), mirrors, picks, clips, and so forth. Usually they are priced at $1 per piece, but if you buy several pieces the vendor will lower the price, sometimes substantially. I think that PEI has markets of this size, especially in Charlottetown - it is worth checking.

Bill

[DavePEI]

I think that PEI has markets of this size, especially in Charlottetown - it is worth checking.

Bill

No Bill:

I have never seen items like this in either the large fleamarket in Charlottetown, at the fleamarket in St. Eleanors, or in the 70 Mile Coastal Yard Sale... Wish similar would show up as I would stock up!

Dave

[wds]

I ordered a couple of these off of Ebay just for comparison to the WE.  $3.60 each.  Stainless steel.  I'm curious to compare these made in China mirrors with the WE mirror.

http://tinyurl.com/kxsvan4

[DavePEI]

I have posted a "Wanted" topic in our classifieds section looking for dental mirrors, picks, and other tools handy for hobbyists. I am hoping we might have a Dentist or two, Dental Hygenist, or Oral Surgeon amongst the gathered masses who might be a source for used tools for us all:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=10913.0

Note: Instruments should not be used for human use, but are great for hobby purposes. While they aren't WE, they are great tools for delicate projects. Hopefully a seller will properly autoclave used instruments before shipping, but it is still recommended that used instruments be sterilized even before a hobby use to protect against infection from accidental pin pricks. A half hour soak in bleach, followed by a couple of hours as 320 degrees in an oven should suffice!

Dave

[Doug Rose]

WE mirror on eBay.....great seller I have purchased a few tools from her. Her Dad was a phoneman....Doug

http://tinyurl.com/kjeme3o

[DavePEI]

I just wanted to put a little list of Dental tools which can be of use for a telephone hobbyest. While most aren't typical items in a phone man's kit, they can be very useful when doing restorations. These are all items I have used in the past. Sadly, as I mentioned below, my source has long ago dried up, and many of the tools I once had are badly worn from use or have been lost through the years. I have since been able to replace some buying on eBay.

Dental Picks and probes - #1 use, to clean out holes in PCBs. Heat the solder, and push the pick through the hole. Solder will squirt out the other end and won't stick to the pick due to its stainless construction.

Dental Mirrors - as discussed below: For viewing in congested and obstructed areas.

Dental Burrs and Drills - used in a Dremel tool for drilling PCBs and for smoothing plastic repairs. Burrs can be used to neatly "V" out around case cracks for filling. Dust saved from the grinding process can be saved to mix with the filler glue to color it.

Dental Forceps - for holding wires and small components for soldering.

Dental Spatulas - for forming plastic repairs to meet the surrounding contour.

Dental/Medical Tweezers - various small part handling.

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Drive Options:

Air Turbine Dental handpiece - Superior to using a Dremel for repairs, as they offer more control over speed and movement via a simple push button. They can also provide cooling water to control heat on the object under work. These, however, require a suitable small compressor and matching hose/adaptors. This is something I don't have personally, but an item I have been looking for for quite some time.

Alternatively, a quality hanging Flexible Drive Dremel or similar (as shown below) - can be used with dental bits. The better the tool, the better the speed can be varied at lower torque. Cheaper ones will only provide the needed torque at higher speeds. I find these flexible drive units superior to normal dremels, as they offer more control of the cutting bit. A normal Dremel bench tool has a bit of a gyroscopic action when moving it, making it more difficult to do exact work - the flexible shaft is easier to control due to the motor being located separately, with minimal gyroscopic action at the tip.

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Bit Storage:

A dollar store pencil case makes ideal storage for these. Burrs will fit in the smaller divisions of the box.

Any additions to this list?

Dave

[wds]

My "made in china" mirror came today.  $3.60 each with delivery.  Advertised as stainless steel coated copper.  They are not magnetic, so maybe they are as advertised.  Pretty good quality for the price.  I would definitely buy more.