monophoto
Member
I recently encountered a situation that I suspect many others have also run into - I bought a collet chuck set that came in a molded plastic box with provisions to hold the five collets that came with the set. I also bought a couple of additional collets that I wanted to store safely (meaning store in a place where I can find them when I need them), but the plastic box didn't have provisions for additional collets.
So I modified the box to create storage space for two more collets. The box had a space for a chuck adaptor that is slightly smaller than a collet. I don't need the chuck adaptor, so I set it aside. I used a hole saw to enlarge the hole intended for the adaptor to the diameter of a collet, and also to cut a second hole in a blank area in the box. Now, the holes that are molded to hold collets are shallower than the depth of the box, so I hot-glued some scrap plastic in the new holes to create bottoms at the appropriate depth. I also drilled a couple of 1/4" holes next to the new holes that I cut into the box.
Finally, I wrapped the new collets in kitchen cling film, and set them into the new holes, and then squirted expanding insulating foam through the 1/4" holes to fill the cavity around the new collet holes. The foam cured in the shape of collets. Later, I simply cut away any excess cling film and foam that expanded out through the 1/4" holes.
So I modified the box to create storage space for two more collets. The box had a space for a chuck adaptor that is slightly smaller than a collet. I don't need the chuck adaptor, so I set it aside. I used a hole saw to enlarge the hole intended for the adaptor to the diameter of a collet, and also to cut a second hole in a blank area in the box. Now, the holes that are molded to hold collets are shallower than the depth of the box, so I hot-glued some scrap plastic in the new holes to create bottoms at the appropriate depth. I also drilled a couple of 1/4" holes next to the new holes that I cut into the box.
Finally, I wrapped the new collets in kitchen cling film, and set them into the new holes, and then squirted expanding insulating foam through the 1/4" holes to fill the cavity around the new collet holes. The foam cured in the shape of collets. Later, I simply cut away any excess cling film and foam that expanded out through the 1/4" holes.
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