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which doms drill?

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by 4th little piggy, May 25, 2011.

  1. 4th little piggy

    4th little piggy Welcome New Poster


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    Hey pod people....
    I'm on the look out for a drill for home visits. So something light, smallish, but not too weedy to tackle pesky thick nails. I realise I will have to forego dust extraction. Any recommendations of specific models? Dremel have been mentioned. Are we allowed to discuss brands? Of course, I want to spend as little as poss......Help!
     
  2. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Hello 4th piggy,
    I am glad you are the 4th piggy and not the 5th who had problems with continence ... :D

    If you want a drill that will tackle all the onychauxic/gryphotic nails that you come across then you will will have to be thinking quite big.

    Also, why would you want to compromise on dust-extraction? You have only one pair of lungs which will have to serve you for many years as a practitioner, so best start looking after them now, don'cha think?

    'Buy cheap, buy twice' is always a good maxim to bear in mind.

    If you are in the business for the long haul as a serious professional then you will buy the best quality equipment that you can. If you don't want to invest serious money in your business, it begs the question "are you really serious about your business - or "is yours a serious business or a cheapskate operation" ?

    Just some points to ponder ...


    regards

    CF
     
  3. RobinP

    RobinP Well-Known Member

    Not that I really disagree with anything you are saying Catfoot, quite the opposite in fact.

    However, I think it is possible to be serious about starting a business but not having the capital to afford the best equipment straight off. Of course there are lease options etc but the difference between having equipment that is usable(if not great in the long term) and equipment that is good might be quite a considerable amount. If you are unsure about the viability of your business(as many are when just starting out)that is quite a big gamble to take.

    The reality is that you should have a business plan and have everything costed properly but from personal experience, there are always extras that you will not have considered and the burden of paying for more expensive equipment straight off can be quite a strain if you have limited starting capital.

    In saying that, you have to speculate to accumulate and have faith in yourself that you can make it. Not everyone is that confident though.

    Drills - ebay have the occasional one from someone selling a practice but it is rare.

    Also worth keeping an eye on Chiromart although they have nothing suitable for you at present I don't think.

    Algeo and Canonbury have the occasional offer on but still a lot more than a Dremel.

    Good luck
     
  4. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    Robin P,
    Going into business is always a gamble.
    What you have quite rightly pointed out is that a good, well-thought out, financially sound business plan can help to load the odds of success in one's favour considerably.

    A great many self-employed professionals have to bear heavy initial set-up costs but I don't recall seeing any posts anywhere on the internet from dentists, physiotherapists, opticians etc.asking how they can set up a business "on the cheap".

    Maybe this has some influence on the public perception of the podiatry profession?

    regards

    Catfoot
     
  5. cornmerchant

    cornmerchant Well-Known Member

    Try doing without a drill, especially if you do not want to spend money for dust extraction.

    I speak as a pod who has never picked up a drill in 17 years , since I qualified in fact. I do the same job with nippers and scalpel and finish off with foot dresser.

    CM
     
  6. RobinP

    RobinP Well-Known Member

    Perhaps.

    I don't know many dentists /opticians/physiotherapists who do domicilliary visits. If they did, they would probably be carting around the bare minimum of equipment in a case like most podiatrists do. There is a limit to how good this equipment can look.

    I suspect if you showed a regular joe public a dremel cordless drill with a little charging mounting block, then a £500-£700 domicilliary drill, they are not going to be able to tell which is the good one. Turn up in smart branded gear with clean equipment and I don't think you are going to look particularly cheapskate.

    Not that it is always the case, but a lot of private practitioners do domicilliary work because it negates all the extra expenditure of practice set up costs. That in itself is "on the cheap" and I don't mean that in a derogitory way. Some simply cannot afford premises and the associated costs. Having done it myself, they are frighteningly high.

    With regards to other health professionals, they are generally high value practitioners. Their hourly rate is such that the set up costs, although high, are more managable due to the earning potential in the future. Obviously, physios may not fall into this catregory but arguably their set up costs are a little less substantial. A friend of mine just set up as a physio with a room in a health club with a bed. He spent about £500 on equipment

    Once again, as someone who has gone down the route of investing heavily in my business, I agree on most levels, just playing Devil's advocate really.
     
  7. clod

    clod Active Member

    Hi 4th Little Piggy!
    I too am looking into buying a dom drill. However after setting up mobile round a few months ago i've found that up til now i haven't actually needed one. Had a few thick nails but nothing that an extra 5-10 mins filing doesn't sort out. Whilst training some of the other grads reported that the NHS trusts where they were posted didn't use drills either so like cornmerchant says its not a 'necessity'.
    Some pod companies (canonbury, DLT, acmedical and others im sure) offer finance on equipment but i think you have to spend over £1000 - most dom drills less than this - but maybe this can be negotiated? It's something i would consider in the future cos like catfoot said if i decide to purchase a drill i want a REALLY good one, but thats just me! and obviously this means repayments, interest etc..so just another option to consider.
    Also my husband has a dremel for DIY and personally i find the handle far too bulky.
    Hopes this helps a little
    Clod
     
  8. Disgruntled pod

    Disgruntled pod Active Member

    4th little piggy,

    Go without dust extraction at your peril! At an SCP conference H and S advisor Gordon Burrows was saying just how dangerous this set up is to your lungs. For goodness sake, think of your health.

    Invest in a good quality drill and it will be an asset bringing money in.

    I have 2 surgeries (1 has an associate at it) and both have an Oceanos dust extraction/water spray drill.

    For reducing OX nails fantastic, gets super dooper results (a wide burr is used). For (part of) dealing with a mild involuting nail for example, the narrow burr does an excellent job.

    For dealing with dry flaky skin around the calc or dry skin general, the water spray function is excellent.

    The machine gets excellent results, and quite frankly, I could not be without it. It gets excellent results. If a customer is paying for treatment, i firmly belive that you should have equipment which enables you to do a good thorough job.
     
  9. 4th little piggy

    4th little piggy Welcome New Poster

    Thanks v much for all your responses. I will take all views onboard.
     
  10. brendanreidy

    brendanreidy Member

    Hi,

    Just to chuck my hat in here(a bit late to the party I know) but I can't imagine how you could possibly deal with ram's horn nail without a drill, the nail is far too thick to get through it with nippers, without running the risk of levering the entire nail off. And as for filing, maybe if you have the whole day to spare..!

    BR
     
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