what's my collets

[ALB]

Hello all,

Please can you lads advise on the type of collets i have just received
Got them from Chester Tooling  
and i need a 6mm collet as i got the imperial type so i phoned them up and asked if they were ER type
and the response i got back was NO only Chester collets will fit !
Can this be true or am i being conned?

Thanks again

James

[Bogstandard]

Chester are correct. These sets were a predecessor to the ER system.

If you go to here, and check the measurements of your collets, I think they are the same type, and most probably a lot cheaper.

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Collets/Collets---Other

I used the Chester set for many years, and never had a tool slip.

Bogs

[ALB]

Phew

Thanks Bogs,

I thought i bought a Lemon but as long as they are half decent thats good enough for me
As you can probably tell it's all new to me

James

[andyf]

Each true ER collet will collapse by up to 1mm when tightened. For example, a 7mm one will grip diameters down to 6mm; in fact, they are often marked 7 - 6, 6 -5, etc. So, I can use a 7mm ER collet to grip 1/4" (6.35mm) items. That's the beauty of an ER set; they give continuous coverage of all diameters within the range of the set.

John, are the "non-standard" Chester ones similarly accommodating? If they are, then James could use his 1/4" collet to grip 6mm tools or materials.

Andy

[ALB]

Hi Andy,

Thanks But i have already tried that 1/4" collet- 6mm shank Didn't work 
Looks like i may have to shell out for a set of metric collets (the wife won't be pleased)

James

[Jonny]

Have you used them yet James?
If not send em back biggest pile of crap i had misfortune to use.

[ALB]

I am afraid so Johnny    hey ho they seem to work fine for me at the moment

James

[Gauge3]

I had a set of these co-called "Chinese" colletts for while - in both Imperial and Metric sizes to match my tooling. They worked just fine with the MT2 collet chuck I started out with. I assumed (correctly I think) that they should be only used for their 'nominal' diameter (in a similar way to say a 5C collet). I think Euro Arc Trade had these on offer for a while & may still have.

They served me very well for this purpose as my main use was to hold smaller sizes of end and slot mills. I never had one come adrift or get "pulled" out whilst macheining -albeit taking modest cuts.

However, I moved on to standardise on ER32 collets.

I already had a 5C Spin Indexer (with the 5C/ER32 adaptor) which I used with a few 5C collets originally.  So I then also purchased the ER32 adaptor for my 5C '4 & 6 sided' blocks - which I find very useful for all sorts of things. I now have two ER32 chucks (on Myford/EW 'noses' - so they fit all my lathes and "associated" fittings). A full set of ER32 colletts covers most of my needs & I easily can get replacements if I screw one up. If I need the 'odd' 5C special collet for the Spin indexer or blocks - then I buy them as required.
 
This all seems to work pretty well for me so far and I see no need to change. However the 'Chinese' collet system worked just as well but was not as flexibile with regards all the set-ups I can now use the ER32/5C system with.

regards,

IanT

[ALB]

Thank's Ian,

Mine seem to be ok also but like you i am only taking light cuts also

Well i can't afford to replace at the moment

Cheers

james
 

[Bogstandard]

James,

You have the right way of thinking.

OK, maybe you made a slight mistake going for these in the first place, but if they are doing the job, then stick with them until they won't do what you want any more, only then consider replacing them with something a little more superior. My ones (both metric and Imperial) that I had like yours went with the old mill when I sold it, I then upgraded (so I thought) to ER.

Just as a side note, I have a full ER system, both metric and a few Imperial, but very rarely use them any more. I have outgrown them, and now prefer to use spindle collets instead. The ER's have been relegated to more menial tasks.

It is just a matter of natural progression in our little world of home machining. No matter what anyone else thinks, use what you have, and be happy.


Bogs