Direct drive Rotary

I was asked by slicksteel if I would give some tips on using these machines
So here goes I started out using coils but was lucky enough to serve and apprenticship under one of the old school Henry Harris who started out in 1962 and was working 36 years until his retirement. Along the way he lost the sight in both eyes, a big fat spark from a machine with no capacitor for 8 to 10 hours a day didn't do them much good . He had his lenses taken out and replaced with plastic ones to get his sight back, and was working with one good eye and one on the mend so had to learn to work by the feel of the needles in the skin and taught me the same. So I learnt to work the needle rather than the tip which helped a lot when using a direct drive machine. Going back 12 or so years these were pretty much all that were available and after having a piece done by rotary at the Bournmouth convention and thinking wow what a difference nowhere near as harsh as a coil. I have to try one of these. I guess I went for it with no preconceptions of what it should be like. took to it straightaway and haven't looked back scince. The only thing I havn't tried with a direct drive are magnums as I had fallen out with them when using coils and was using all round shaders. I have now seen the error of my ways and the only rounds I use are liners.
I have managed to find a few pics of work done with the direct drive
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/x...enpred0006.jpg
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/x...enpred0002.jpg
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/x...Jumbo30001.jpg

interesting story! so do you ever pick them up from time to time? what do you like and dislike about them?

TBH I haven't looked at them since I changed to using first the Swiss rotaries and then the stealth when the Swiss ones wore out and I wasn't able to get spare parts for them. The main disadvantage with the direct drives especially in stainless was the balance. ATM I am learning to use my Hyper v2 and am seriously thinking of getting a Dragonfly just the price that is a bit off putting