Collet Chuck Options

[Buzz]

Hi all

I’m looking to get the best possible mandrel set up for my penturning, both A and B sizes. I would like to have just got the Beall collet chuck, but it is not available to suit my spindle, even though my lathe is a Jet Mini. In Australia, for some strange reason, the spindle on this lathe is 1†x 10 TPI, instead of the 1 x 8 supplied in the US.

I’ve seen reference to the Woodcraft collet chuck set that uses a morse taper set-up instead of the threaded adaptors and am wondering if this is a good alternative for me? Also, does this set include both of the collets that I would need for the two sizes of mandrel?

I have the ‘B’ mandrel from BTW which seems to be pretty good quality, and am using unbranded “A†mandrels bought locally. What are the best mandrels to complement the set-up I’m considering?

Any comments from users of the Woodcraft collet set would be appreciated as would comments from anyone with other suggestions or comments.

Thanks everyone.

 

[its_virgil]

I know several who use these... http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1752
... and are quite happy with the performance. A draw bar is used through the head stock to draw the collet into the #2MT on the Jet spindle. No chuck is needed.

Maybe a spindle thread adapter can be found to change your thread size to one of the sizes offered on the Bealle.

Good luck and ...
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Buzz
<br />Hi all

I’m looking to get the best possible mandrel set up for my penturning, both A and B sizes. I would like to have just got the Beall collet chuck, but it is not available to suit my spindle, even though my lathe is a Jet Mini. In Australia, for some strange reason, the spindle on this lathe is 1†x 10 TPI, instead of the 1 x 8 supplied in the US.

I’ve seen reference to the Woodcraft collet chuck set that uses a morse taper set-up instead of the threaded adaptors and am wondering if this is a good alternative for me? Also, does this set include both of the collets that I would need for the two sizes of mandrel?

I have the ‘B’ mandrel from BTW which seems to be pretty good quality, and am using unbranded “A†mandrels bought locally. What are the best mandrels to complement the set-up I’m considering?

Any comments from users of the Woodcraft collet set would be appreciated as would comments from anyone with other suggestions or comments.

Thanks everyone.

 

[JimGo]

Wow, wish I had known about those before I bought the Beall Collet Chuck...that's pretty cool, and MUCH less expensive, especially if you just get one of these: http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1747

 

[Chuck B]

I understand the concept of a drawbar. I have a Jet mini myself. How do you hold the draw bar against the headstock Do you use a drawer pull that has been threadded?

 

[ctEaglesc]

Buz=
HAve you contacted MHW tool group( jet) as to wht your lathe has a 1x10 thread on the headstock or the possiblity of switching it to the same spindle gound in the states(I wonder why they changed threads for you Aussies)
As far as the other collets go( the ones with draw bars)
their size is limited (up to i/2" on one I looked at) and their design prohibits their use to some of the possibilites that a Beall can do( through drilling)
That being said the draw bar type should not be compared to the Beall set-up based on price, you also should consider functionality.
I am in no way acting as a champion of the Beall set up it is a tool made in China that I believe is over priced based on what you get,If I had it to do over again I would buy the BEall chuck and the er 32 collets from a less expensive source.
If I could find a Chuck that would fit on my head stock spindle that was less expensive than the Beall I would get it and the collets from another source.

 

[angboy]

I have a question about the beall set-up: how do these work exactly? One thing I read talked about hand tightening, so I assume you put your mandrel or whatever else in one that's slightly larger than it and then it tightens around the mandrel somehow? The ones from the LMS just didn't look to me like they were flexible like that, so maybe I'm not understanding right. Also, can this be used to hold something square? Since a lot of pen blanks come as square I'm wondering if you take a square blank and turn it down to something round?

Next question (OK, I had more than one...) when you turn a pen and use your mandrel in the Beall, do you still use the tailstock pushed up to the end of the mandrel? I'm assuming you would, since I'd think that the mandrel, being kind of skinny, might flop around and the pen not stay round if you were turning it with the one end unsupported?

On the Hartville Tools site where I found the Beall system, they also sell the 1/4" and 3/8" collets. Why would you need those, is that something different from what's included in the original set?

Finally, anyone know the best place to buy the Beall system? (Sorry if some of my questions seem rather, ummm... naive)

 

[JimGo]

Angela:
1) The mandrel fits inside the little opening at the end of the chuck, and in this case, as the chuck is drawn into the morse taper (i.e. as the "draw bar" is tightened, it pulls the chuck deeper into the morse taper), the chuck closes around the mandrel. The slits in the ones from LMS are what allow them to close around something. The amount they close/open is limited (typically something like +/- 1/32" or something like that).

2) Yes, you still use the tailstock.

3) Check out Tangboy's web site (the URL for which escapes me at the moment) - he has a GREAT price on the chuck itself, and a good price on the chuck with collets. As has been mentioned, you can get the collets from LMS too - they are ER32 collets.

 

[gerryr]

Originally posted by angboy
<br />
On the Hartville Tools site where I found the Beall system, they also sell the 1/4" and 3/8" collets. Why would you need those, is that something different from what's included in the original set?

If you were to buy the complete collet chuck system from Hartville Tools, it already includes the 1/4" and 3/8" collets. The collets clamp on whatever you are holding the collet chuck holds and tightens the collet. And no, you can't hold something square, it needs to be round.

 

[chigdon]

http://www.woodchipshome.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WC&Product_Code=BEALLCCKIT&Category_Code=GRBU

 

[bjackman]

A 5/16" collet is the size needed for Berea's B mandrel.

So, in theory if all you really wanted to hold were the mandrels, the only size you would need would be the 1/4 and the 5/16.

 

[JimGo]

Thanks Gerry and Chris...I KNEW I meant to come back to this thread!

 

[its_virgil]

These MT2 collets are a good choice if all you want to do is hold the mandrel. They do have limitations as has been mentioned, but are an excellent choice for just holding a mandrel. The collet is threaded on the non holding end and an all-threaded rod is placed through the headstock and screwed into the collet. Then a washer is placed on the threaded rod and a wing nut is tightened against the washer which is now against the hand wheel on the headstock. I've turned on one of these and the mandrel runs as true as it does on my Beall. I have the Beall because of it's functionality for some of the stuff I do which could not be done with this 2MT collet. I think the cheapest place to purchase the Beall is from http://www.woodchipshome.com . He does sell just the chuck. Not sure about individual collets, but they are available from industrial supply places like MSC Direct or Little maching Shop in the $10 range...maybe cheaper.
Do a good turn daily!]
Don

Originally posted by recon
<br />I understand the concept of a drawbar. I have a Jet mini myself. How do you hold the draw bar against the headstock Do you use a drawer pull that has been threadded?

 

[woodbutcher]

I bought the collet set from Woodcraft this weekend. It's around $80.00 with several collet sizes. Haven't had a chance to use it yet though. On Sat we had a going away for my 18 yr old son who leaves for the Navy the 31st of this month. On Sun my daughter had her 18th birthday party. Also in the middle of a complete remodel on my home (including 3 baths) Wken I get a chance to use the thing I'll let you know my opinion. The machining seems ok and the fit also appears good. At this point I have nothing else to offer.
Jim

 

[johnnycnc]

Here is the link to a fairly recent discussion,
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17070
Some related info there[]
I have the Woodcraft collet chuck set,and will say
there are probably better options for money spent,IMHO.
It does include the 1/4" collet for "A" mandrel,
and 5/16" collet for the "B" mandrel,(and largest collet
is 5/8")
I had to send the first one back,the machining fit
on the chuck nut threads was so loose.The replacement
is acceptable,but not spectacular.I have an album in my IAP
photo gallery named "lathe" with (8) closeups,
http://www.penturners.org/forum/photo_album_view.asp?cname=lathe&mid=2413&cid=3344
showing an indicator at different points along the setup.
Hope this helps in some way,your mileage may vary![]
Good luck in making a choice.

originally posted by Buzz
I’ve seen reference to the Woodcraft collet chuck set that uses a morse taper set-up instead of the threaded adaptors and am wondering if this is a good alternative for me? Also, does this set include both of the collets that I would need for the two sizes of mandrel?

I have the ‘B’ mandrel from BTW which seems to be pretty good quality, and am using unbranded “A†mandrels bought locally. What are the best mandrels to complement the set-up I’m considering?

Any comments from users of the Woodcraft collet set would be appreciated as would comments from anyone with other suggestions or comments.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by ctEaglesc
<br />Buz=
HAve you contacted MHW tool group( jet) as to wht your lathe has a 1x10 thread on the headstock or the possiblity of switching it to the same spindle gound in the states(I wonder why they changed threads for you Aussies).....

Good luck!! About a year or so ago I made some inquiries to JET USA about this very problem and no one that I talked to(mostly folks in technical services) even knew that the Aussie spindles were threaded differently from ours. I wonder if the JET company in Austrralia is independent of the US company and marches to their own drummer??

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Angela:
1) The mandrel fits inside the little opening at the end of the <b>chuck</b>, and in this case, as the <b>chuck</b> is drawn into the morse taper (i.e. as the "draw bar" is tightened, it pulls the <b>chuck</b> deeper into the morse taper), the <b>chuck</b> closes around the mandrel. The slits in the ones from LMS are what allow them to close around something. The amount they close/open is limited (typically something like +/- 1/32" or something like that).

The word should be "collet." Technically, there is no chuck in this system as the collets are held directly in the MT of the spindle. With the Beall system, a chuck is screwed onto the spindle and the chuck holds the collets.

 

[JimGo]

Thanks for the correction Randy.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

You can order a replacement for the collet from Jet. It wasn't too expensive when I replaced mine. I don't know what the shipping would cost...

 

[Buzz]

Thanks everyone that responded. At this stage I am probably going to go with the collets from the Little Machine Shop. I don't think that changing my spindle just to suit the Beall is a viable option, given then that I would be looking for adaptors for my face plates and Vicmarc scroll chuck.

While I suspect that my technique sometimes contributes to problems with out of round issues, I'd still like to "engineer" as many potential problems out of the process as possible.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again.