5c fun !!

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Unwrapped my new Chinese made 5c collet chuck delivered yesterday. Wiped it clean and tried fitting a new collet but the chuck key would not fit. After a bit of faffing I discovered that burrs at the edges of the square chuck key holes were preventing insertion of chuck key. A quick rub with a small file and all was well.

Still the collet would not draw in properly instead it simply cocked over to one side. This time no faffing but quite a bit of head scratching instead.

Out with the vernier and inside mic and the problem was revealed. The key which fits into the keyway on the collet and stops it rotating as it is being tightened was .006” to long causing it to jam in the bottom of the keyway.

Filed .010” of the end and Bobs ‘yer uncle!

I’ll not complain though as the chuck was only a fraction of the price of say a Bison and if a little detail fitting means saving 3-4 hundred Chardonnay vouchers then I’m up for it every time.

I’m not going to get to smug just yet though, the next job is to machine a back plate for it and see how true the collets run – fingers crossed.

Rik

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

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