Stevensons original collet blocks & Arc Euro 6″ grinder

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Could I ask what the difference is between Stevenson's original collet blocks and any other available, and are the ball bearing caps worth having instead of the plain.

Also anyone bought the Arc Euro trade 6" bench grinder, is it a good machine?

Cheers

Chris.

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi Chris

I'm not sure if there's a physical difference, size wise, between the Arc ones and the cheaper ones available on Ebay and the like. But having bought a few items from various Ebay sellers in the past and been very disappointed by the accuracy of some, I would say that everything I have ever bought from Arc has been well made and accurate.

As for the ball bearing nut I can't recommend these highly enough, ER collets have to be done up quite hard and the bearing makes it much easier and it feels more positive.

Can't help with the grinder though, only thing I will say is I recently bought an 8" grinder (old Wolf from the 60's) and if you have the space and can run to the extra cost it's worth considering the next size up, I find the slightly larger size makes it more convenient to use, especially sharpening the larger drills.

Hope this helps

Dave

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Chris Vickers on 14/12/2019 17:32:30:

Could I ask what the difference is between Stevenson's original collet blocks and any other available, and are the ball bearing caps worth having instead of the plain.

…

I believe they may well be the originals and others are copies? Quality can vary, so cheap alternatives may not be within spec. The bearing nuts require less effort to tighten adequately. Your physical build might mean they are to your advantage, or it may not. Personal choice in the end.

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Thanks Dave & not done it yet.

To be honest I had not considered the larger grinder being a more convenient size so that's helpful indeed and something(else) for me to think about. Likewise the Arc endorsement, I have to date only read good things which is nice. Earlier in the year I bought a 1MT collet chuck from RDG which I was quite happy with till this week I fitted it in my ML1. I was quite surprised by the inacuracy, thinking at first it was likely the lathe, as I'd only got it up and running this week. But I tried it also in my wood lathe and it seems it is indeed the collet chuck. I had thought a MT fitting one would be accurate. Anyways yesterday an eBay Chinese backplate fitting one arrived, hopefully I can make and fit a backplate and it will be more accurate. Think I'll go to Arc in future…and get the bearing nuts as well.

I wonder if retro fitting a bearing nut to the 1MT one will make matters worse?

Cheers

Chris.

[Yngvar FParticipant @yngvarf]

ER collets have to be snapped into the nut. I did not do this when i first got a mill and was very dissapointed with the chuck`s runout.

[magpieParticipant @magpie]

It's surprising how many people don't know how to insert an ER collet into the nut.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I think one of the JS features was that the back face was true to the collet axis. The price is very reasonable and the quality good so what is not to like ? I bought a set and have no complaints.

Mike

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Thanks for the collet comments guys, yes I agree Mike price seems perfectly reasonable, I can just see how useful they are going to be.

Cheers

Chris.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by magpie on 14/12/2019 21:43:12:

It's surprising how many people don't know how to insert an ER collet into the nut.

Yes I agree. Perhaps it’s me but you only need to look at the inside of the nut to see that you can’t insert the collet into the chuck then screw on the nut and expect it to work correctly. The other clue is that all the pictures show the collet flush with the nut.

Agreed about the bearing nut, I’ve got several.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Posted by Chris Vickers on 14/12/2019 17:32:30:

Could I ask what the difference is between Stevenson's original collet blocks and any other available, and are the ball bearing caps worth having instead of the plain.

Cheers

Chris.

Generally agree with what has been said before Chris but will add a few other things which might be useful. It's a kind of 'Evolution' story in terms of my collet collection…

Before the JS ER32 Blocks were available, the (Hobbyist) Trade only offered 5C collet blocks – so that's what I originally purchased. 5Cs will hold up to 28mm round stock but you can also get square and hex collets. They are for just a 'single' size but that may not be a problem for specific projects (I only have a few sizes). The quick release lever-type 5C holder can be more convenient than ER when working on multiple parts.

At this time I also had a 'Chinese' MT2 collet chuck (with non-ER collets) – but we can skip over that as ancient history…

My Spin Indexer was also 5C but then JS introduced his ER32 adaptor for it – so I started to use (and like) ER32 collets. In terms of work holding size – you can now get ER40 of course (max 26mm?) but I'm invested in ER32 – so the 5C is still handy occasionally.

I also have a 'bearing' nut that gets used when I really need to take a ER32 collet down near it's minimum – and it does make life much easier (especially if you have trouble gripping things too hard) but for anything near the 'max' diameter of the collet – the normal nut is perfectly useable. I've also mentioned before that a few Imperial collets can help in this area – If I have some 6.2mm material to hold – a 1/4" (6.35mm) collet is easier to use than a 7mm one…

All my collets/chucks have come from Arc Euro (and I've no complaints) – so I cannot speak to other suppliers.

Collets & Collet blocks are very useful things to have and the more you use them – the more uses you seem to find for them. Hope this hasn't been too far off-topic…

Regards,

IanT

Edited By IanT on 15/12/2019 15:13:10

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Hello IanT,

Thank you for that, most interesting and informative, and bang on topic. I was making a shopping, well wish list earlier and your comments have certainly helped!

I emailed Arc Euro earlier to ask if the collet sets are supplied in an aluminium case, strangely it doesn't say on their website.

I also notice one can now get (elsewhere) collet's to take up to 25mm for the ER32 holders.

Cheers

Chris.

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by IanT on 15/12/2019 15:11:11:

I also have a 'bearing' nut that gets used when I really need to take a ER32 collet down near it's minimum – and it does make life much easier (especially if you have trouble gripping things too hard) but for anything near the 'max' diameter of the collet – the normal nut is perfectly useable. I've also mentioned before that a few Imperial collets can help in this area – If I have some 6.2mm material to hold – a 1/4" (6.35mm) collet is easier to use than a 7mm one…

Agree 100%

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I'm 99% sure they won't be a boxed set but Ian or ketan should be able to confirm tomorrow when they get your e-mail.

Not too hard to make up a suitable rack, I have this one in a draw just under the mill easy to get to on full extension slides and takes up less room than an open box on the bench and does not fill with swarf. ER and 5C blocks in there too.

Edited By JasonB on 15/12/2019 17:27:39

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Thanks Bandersnatch, and

JasonB, Wow that looks impressively tidy! The drawers in our house do look that neat! (-:

Cheers

Chris.

[Alan VosParticipant @alanvos39612]

Posted by Chris Vickers on 15/12/2019 17:17:17:

I emailed Arc Euro earlier to ask if the collet sets are supplied in an aluminium case, strangely it doesn't say on their website.

The set I ordered arrived as a collection of individual square blue plastic boxes. A discount for bulk-buying. No special packaging.

Those plastic boxes are now packed open-ended on a square grid in a wooden box that originally contained cutlery.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Like Jason, I store  the ER 20 collets for my Worden Cutter Grinder, in holes bored (Thankfully, all the same size ) in a piece of chipboard that is a close fit in the drawer made to fit within the reinforcing bars in the base.  It looks almost as neat as Jason's!

My ER 25 collets came in a wooden block within a cardboard box, from Chronos. Many years on, the box and the wooden block are still reasonably intact!

So, how about making a case, for custom made, for your collets?.

For anyone doubtful about how to mount an ER collet into the Clamp Nut, the Arc Euro Catalogue (Issue 11 just released ) shows how to do it.

Howard

Edited By Howard Lewis on 16/12/2019 20:44:43

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

And for those without the catalogue it also comes up when you click any of the ER collet sizes on their site here

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Thanks Alan & Howard, yes Arc Euro got back to me and they are indeed supplied in individual little blue boxes.

To be honest I was baulking at the idea of having to make a tray to hold them as I got it into my head I'd need a different size hole for each size collet….and they say you cant beat stupid!

Cheers

Chris.

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Thanks Alan, seems like its the way to go,

Cheers

Chris.

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Hi all, is using 3 x 6mm stainless steel bolts a bad idea for fixing a 80mm ER32 collet chuck to its backplate?

Just slightly concerned as stainless being more brittle than 'ordinary' steel.

Thanks

Chris.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Posted by Chris Vickers on 17/12/2019 12:18:04:

Hi all, is using 3 x 6mm stainless steel bolts a bad idea for fixing a 80mm ER32 collet chuck to its backplate?

Just slightly concerned as stainless being more brittle than 'ordinary' steel.

Thanks

Chris.

Just my thoughts but you can't sensibly machine anything massive with an ER32 chuck and they do slip, so it's not going to see a lot of shock unless you really do something silly – and even then, I'd expect you'd see more variation in strength from a cheapo M6 bolt to a rated 4.6 or 8.8 for example – what grade is it? (A2 I'd guess?)

Even A2 has a higher yield than 4.6, and I'd be happy enough to use that – I'd just avoid anything unrated/monkey metal.

Edited By Russ B on 17/12/2019 15:39:51

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Many thanks Russ, they probably were A2 but I cannot recall now where I got them to check.

They're actually round heads so I might order some plain steel C/S screws and be done with.

Cheers

Chris.

[Nick HulmeParticipant @nickhulme30114]

Posted by Russ B on 17/12/2019 15:35:11:

Just my thoughts but you can't sensibly machine anything massive with an ER32 chuck and they do slip,

What torque are you tightening to?
I never had an ER collet slip after I looked up the correct tightening torques.

[Chris VParticipant @chrisv]

Hi Nick, please forgive my ignorance but once you know the correct tightening torque how would you apply that to the collet practicably? I mean are there such things as adjustable torque spanners?

Cheers

Chris.

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