collet chuck advice needed please

[MedWoodWorx]

I found a nice collet chuck to buy and i would like your opinion about the collets i should look for; i can find collets sold per piece (marketed as precision engineered) or i could buy a much cheaper set that included a dozen or so at a fraction of the price. I can tell the cheap ones are not as as accurate (each collet covers two metric sizes i.e. 1-2mm, 2-3mm and so on)but my question is how accurate do i need my collets to be? i will use the collet chuck primarily as a tool holder (for pin chucks etc.) and maybe try kitless stuff in the future.
Any advice is much appreciated, cheers

 

[Oliver X]

If you're talking ER collets, the crush range doesn't have much, if any, effect on accuracy. Metric collets have a greater crush range, but good metric collets are as good as their inch equivalents. That said, ER collets were originally intended for tool holding and not work holding. The good ones are typically .0002" TIR or better. Mediocre collets are usually around .0004" TIR. The ones you'll find for a three or four dollars each in sets on the discount sites can range from .0005" TIR to .003" or worse, but sometimes you'll get lucky. Personally, for the sizes where I know I'd need the precision, I'd bite the bullet and buy high quality collets.

I'd buy a decent quality chuck if you can. I bought a PSI because it was cheap enough to try, but it's pretty much unusable on both of my lathes. I may be able to correct it, but it might also be easier to start from scratch...

 

[MedWoodWorx]

If you're talking ER collets, the crush range doesn't have much, if any, effect on accuracy. Metric collets have a greater crush range, but good metric collets are as good as their inch equivalents. That said, ER collets were originally intended for tool holding and not work holding. The good ones are typically .0002" TIR or better. Mediocre collets are usually around .0004" TIR. The ones you'll find for a three or four dollars each in sets on the discount sites can range from .0005" TIR to .003" or worse, but sometimes you'll get lucky. Personally, for the sizes where I know I'd need the precision, I'd bite the bullet and buy high quality collets.

I'd buy a decent quality chuck if you can. I bought a PSI because it was cheap enough to try, but it's pretty much unusable on both of my lathes. I may be able to correct it, but it might also be easier to start from scratch...

thank you for your input, well the one i found available in Greece is from an italian company called Gamma Zinken and its sold at about 100 euros. At what price range should i look at?

https://store.gammazinken.net/Collet-Chuck-Holder-ER25-for-headstock

 

[Oliver X]

I don't know anything about those particular ones. The price seems reasonable. There's no mention of expected accuracy. You may be somewhat limited on options depending on what sort of spindle mount you have, though. I guess I'd ask about their return policy and then gamble.

I'm rather particular about machine tool accuracy, so I may be biased as to what's necessary.

 

[anthonyd]

The Beall Tool Company has excellent collet chucks as well as chuck and collet sets.

The Beall Tool Company

 

[dogcatcher]

Really need to know type of lathe you have and the collet chuck you are looking at. You being in Greece may make it harder for you to acquire what we prefer.

 

[rixstix]

If you are looking for metal lathe chuck accuracy from Beall ER32 chucks, you may be disapointed. The best Beall will guarantee is 0.003". I would guess PSI would also be in that ballpark.

I am not saying that these chucks are no good. They have functioned nicely for woodworking.

 

[wimkluck]

I have this one https://drechslershop.de/search?sSearch=er+collet
Er 32. Did not use it for al long time. But i wil check the accuracy soon. If i can find it in my collection

 

[MedWoodWorx]

The Beall Tool Company has excellent collet chucks as well as chuck and collet sets.

The Beall Tool Company

yes they look well made indeed but they mention that they are not precision engineered, same as the one i found.

 

[MedWoodWorx]

Really need to know type of lathe you have and the collet chuck you are looking at. You being in Greece may make it harder for you to acquire what we prefer.

i work on a small/midi Holtzman woodlathe eqquiped with a 33m spindle. I am willing to pay something extra if a particular part is worth it; on this occasion i am not sure if a high precision chuck on a woodlathe makes any sense.

Holzmann wood turning lathe D460FXL

motor data voltage 230V motor power s1 in W 500 motor power s6 in W 770 turning machines distance…

www.holzmann-store.com

 

[rherrell]

No matter what type of collets you use you should always check for runout before you start turning.
Here's a little video I made on indicating a pin chuck...

 

[Bryguy]

No matter what type of collets you use you should always check for runout before you start turning.
Here's a little video I made on indicating a pin chuck...

Thanks Rick. This video was very helpful!

 

[MedWoodWorx]

No matter what type of collets you use you should always check for runout before you start turning.
Here's a little video I made on indicating a pin chuck...

Thank you for sharing this, very helpful

 

[wimkluck]

Rick thanks to remind me how to do it.
The er 32 collet chuck I post here earlier has no run out in the first cm.
I put a pen blank in the collet chuck turned both ends round and the runout at the collet was 0.02 mm and 0.04 at the end. (96mm total)
For the non metric 0.0007 inch and 0.0015 And for me is it more then I expected. Positive
Turned between centers.

 

[randyrls]

Mike; I would recommend you get the metric set. Most Fractional collet sets have "gaps" in the size you can clamp above 1/2". This may not be an issue for you but if you clamp larger stock, it may.... Your Millage May Vary.