what collets?

[mick70Participant @mick70]

looking at doing some milling in the lathe and wondering what collets are best to use?

do i go 5c or er?

seem to have more choice with 5c as can hold hex and square bar.

and Arc also list expanding and step collets.

will have more use for milling than holding square/hex has can use my 3/4 jaw chucks and only once needed expanding collet when making some rings but found way rd it.

its a clarke cl430 if that helps.

[mick70Participant @mick70]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If you only want them for milling then MT collets would save the cost of buying a chuck to take them.

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

As Jason says direct fitting of collets into the spindle is the best option. However there could be problems if you cannot get the workpiece close enough to the spindle. If choosing between 5C and ER the thing to note is that ER collets are double angled and close down parallel over a range of 1mm per collet. On the other hand 5C collets are single angled and need to be sized to match the item they are holding. I know you can get ER chucks on a morse taper that can also be used in the tailstock if required, don't know if this is a 5C option.

Martin

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

5C in the tailstock is not really an option though I'm sure someone will post a 5C chuck mounted on a MT taper

On a lathe like the CL430 you don't have a lot of distance between ctrs to start with. A typical 5C chuck will cost you about 120mm, an ER on a backplate maybe 60mm .

5C are generally easier to hold short work pieces in but as said you need one for each nominal size you are liekly to hold which is more of an issue if using for work holding too.

Another advantage of 5C and ER on a backplate is that you can pass long items through teh collets into teh spindle as they do not need adrawbar to tighten the collet, only an issue if work holding as milling cutters won't extend that far into the spindle.

Forth option would be a couple of Weldon type holders to suit common cutter shanks which would place teh cutter a little further out of the spindle than MT if the reach is needed.

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

How often are you likely to use square collets? For the odd time, you can make up one (or more) quite simply. Have a look at Harold Hall's method.
http://www.homews.co.uk/page75.html

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[TrevorhParticipant @trevorh]

Sorry to Hijack the thread but is there a way to use collects on a Warco 1224? or is it the same answer that I would need a back plate first and again would there be a prefference to the best type suited to such a lathe

Trevor

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Treveor you coule use MT3 collets with a reducer to take your spindle down to MT3. But on a lathe of that size I would go with 5C, if on a budget then ER 32 or 40 may be a cheaper option as chuck/backplate costs less and you don't need such a wide range of collets.

[TrevorhParticipant @trevorh]

Thanks for the reply Jason,

I will look into this, Just slightly confused as never had to work with collets before so I am unsure on the Pro's and cons of each variety/type and as you say trying to get down in size from the 1224 is another big factor, in hind sight I should have purchased a smaller lathe.

Thanks

 

Edited By Trevorh on 15/07/2016 10:30:05

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