Collet Chuck?

[LL Woodworks]

Need to add a collet chuck to my arsenal for my Jet mini lathe. Any recommendations on brand, where to purchase and a set of collets to go with?

Thanks for the help.

 

[The Penguin]

I have one of these:

Amazon.com: PSI Woodworking Products LCDOWEL Dowel Collet Chuck System: Home Improvement

so far - I like it.

 

[tim self]

The chucks sold by the vendors will work equally well. CSUSA/Packardwood/Beall for the Beall (this one does not come with the collets) and PSI for their version (this one does, 5). A set of 18 collets can be had for a nominal fee which will go from about 4 to 20mm.

 

[JD Combs Sr]

My recommendation is the PSI ER32 collet chuck system. The ER32 collets are an industry standard and extra sizes are available from most online machine tool sites. China versions of the collets can be found on eBay. A similar choice is the Beall System but for near twice the money for a similar ER32 system. I have purchased both over the years and I have found that run-out on the PSI version is better then the Beall system(at least on the two I have)

Edit: As The Penguin points out it is available from Amazon at a cheaper price then from PSI and it has free shipping. It comes with a 1"-8tpi thread that will fit most of today's less then full size lathes and a few of the fuller size ones. It does come with an adapter for smaller size spindles.

 

[IPD_Mr]

I would recommend the Beall chuck. You can get it with the right threading to screw right onto the spindle threads. As for the collets I would go with wherever you can get it the cheapest.

 

[LL Woodworks]

Thanks all - this gives me a good starting place.

 

[KenV]

CUSA sells the same chuck (visually identically) but it has the option of being machined to fit a 1 1/4 by 8 threads with a 1 by 8 thread insert. Fits midi as well as those bigger lathes with larger headstocks. My runout tests show it the same as a Beall collet Chuck.

The PSI/CUSA style ER 32 chucks are finished differently than Beall but function as well in my experience.

 

[PTsideshow]

Is the version sold by craft supplies usa
I have this one and have purchase some extra sizes from the local Wholesale Tool, both of their import brand collets work great in this chuck.
:clown:

 

[seamus7227]

800watt on ebay sells ER32 collets in standard and metric sets and most come with around 18 collets to the set, and I personally recommend the Beall Collet. total cost is somewhere around $150

 

[IPD_Mr]

Seamus I have not seen 800Watt on eBay for some time now. The best thing I found searching the other day that didn't ship direct from China was from allesgute1638 The set is just over $100 shipped. You can get an MT2 collet chuck with the set for an additional $25 but I would rather have something more like the Beall so that I can push the material as far into the collet as I want. Using a MT chuck doesn't allow for that.

 

[Lenny]

I have the PSI version and recently added a set of metric collets, 3 - 20 mm, from isoldit.ca0238 on ebay. It's nice to have the full range of sizes!

 

[PTsideshow]

Seamus I have not seen 800Watt on eBay for some time now.

As some one posted in another collect thread He is now amtools.com Unimat SL-1000 lathe, Unimat 3 lathe, DB 200 lathe, Sherline lathe, Sears, Caliper, Gage, Lathe Chuck, End mills, Lathe Chucks, Adapters, Backplates, Boring Bars, Boring Head, Boring Shanks, Coax, CAT, BT, Arbors, is what he calls him self now he has his own web site above. And was supposed to also be on Amazon used and new tooling. But no currect listing for collects.

Precision ER32 Collets great prices under $10.00 each plus a discount for 10 or more. I haven't tried them yet as I'm caught up on the collects I needed.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/1331127-post1.html is the link to the original thread on collects
:clown:

 

[PenMan1]

I have 3 collet chucks. A Beall, a PSI and a CSUSA Apprentice. Hands down, my favorite chuck is the Beall. It has a much smaller footprint which allows me to do much better detail work up close to the chuck.

The PSI and Apperntice are good chucks, but I keep taking the skin off the back of my hand with that gargantuan knurled ring! Boy that hurts!

I could "extend" the work farther from the collet, but I've found all 3 of my chucks are more accurate closest to the chuck. The more the extension, the more chance for runout.

 

[seamus7227]

Seamus I have not seen 800Watt on eBay for some time now. The best thing I found searching the other day that didn't ship direct from China was from allesgute1638 The set is just over $100 shipped. You can get an MT2 collet chuck with the set for an additional $25 but I would rather have something more like the Beall so that I can push the material as far into the collet as I want. Using a MT chuck doesn't allow for that.

Wow, thats wild. Glad i bought them when i did! the prices have almost doubled! I think i paid around $68 and that was shipped to my house, plus the $80 for the beall chuck and shipping. Either way a great buy!

I have the PSI version and recently added a set of metric collets, 3 - 20 mm, from isoldit.ca0238 on ebay. It's nice to have the full range of sizes!

thanks for the update Lenny!

 

[PenMan1]

I have a full set of Metric and SAE collets from 800 watt on Amazon. They work as well or better than the collets than came with the tools. The body of the Beall chuck is made in the USA, but Beall, PSI and CSUSA er32 collets ALL come from China, likely from the same factory as 800 Watt's much less expensive ones.

 

[PenMan1]

Mike 800 Watt has hit the big time and moves to Amazon. His service is better than ever and last order, I got some neat freebie tools in the package.

 

[jlord]

I've been looking into a collet chuck myself. So I ordered the Beal collet chuck this morning by itself ($89.00 after shipping) after reading many recommendations. Then I ordered some er32 collets from Discount tools @ $8.95 ea. (I saw the link in the posts here) then saw that they are in Huntington Beach CA. about 20 min from me. I called & asked if I could pick them up instead since I was going to WoodCraft in Stanton just 3 miles from them. He gave me directions but 2 of the collets were out of stock & would take 4 weeks to come in. He said he had another source in Chino but they would be $11.95 ea. I said go ahead & send them & he said they would be shipped today & at my door step tomorrow. Beal sent a notice that the chuck has been shipped. The Quality looks as good as I've seen anywhere.

Precision ER32 Collets

http://www.bealltool.com/products/turning/colletchuck.php