5c collet chuck

[chucketn]

I finally ordered the 5c collet chuck from metal lathe accessories. Should be fun and educational.

kd0afk put it in the first post.
Chuck

 

[Philjoe5]

Hi Macmarch,

I'm somewhat surprised at the the runout you have with the 5C

I bought the chuck and a set of 5C collets 1/8" - 1 1/8" by 1/16's for $200 USD so I knew what I was getting. I mainly use these for working close to the chuck and I also have the square collets that are great for quickly turning square work. I didn't expect TIR's that you are experiencing but now that you mention it I do have 1 expensive collet I bought at an auction. I should check it but I think most of the runout is in the chuck itself,

Cheers,
Phil

 

[macmarch]

Philjoe5,

I bought mine from Warco (UK). So I expect the carriage would be a bit pricey. I am sure that the ones you get over there will be from the same chiwanese source. I paid £119 for the chuck. Before machining the backplate I went the extra mile to ensure that the nose and backplate threads were absolutely clean. The register was turned until the chuck recess started to go on. A touch or two with fine emery and the recess went on a little. Bring up tailsstock and use to drive on the chuck. Remove the lot and drill and tap and fit bolts. Tighten down until the chuck is pulled hard back to the backplate. I apologise if I appear to be teaching how to suck eggs but getting a perfect fit is vital. I was taught this way when I was an apprentice. (before England won the world cup.) Also I am assuming that, like mine, your chuck is ground all over including the recess.

 

[kd0afk]

Sorry, I'm dumb.
The address is http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/

 

[macmarch]

If it helps then have a look here,
http://www.warco.co.uk/128-lathe-collet-chucks

 

[kd0afk]

Philjoe5,

I bought mine from Warco (UK). So I expect the carriage would be a bit pricey. I am sure that the ones you get over there will be from the same chiwanese source. I paid £119 for the chuck. Before machining the backplate I went the extra mile to ensure that the nose and backplate threads were absolutely clean. The register was turned until the chuck recess started to go on. A touch or two with fine emery and the recess went on a little. Bring up tailsstock and use to drive on the chuck. Remove the lot and drill and tap and fit bolts. Tighten down until the chuck is pulled hard back to the backplate. I apologise if I appear to be teaching how to suck eggs but getting a perfect fit is vital. I was taught this way when I was an apprentice. (before England won the world cup.) Also I am assuming that, like mine, your chuck is ground all over including the recess.

What I'm making is a kit from foundry castings. The important surfaces like the collet hole and taper are all machined in-situ so the run out should be very slight.
I'm taking great care to make sure that the backplate is a press fit or close to it and that everything is dialed in. I bought this to increase my accuracy. I'm not going to rush it.

 

[Philjoe5]

Hi Macmarch,

Having prepared my backplate as you suggested and obtaining the result that I did, I concluded there is merit in the expression:
you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear

But that is OK because the tool works for me as intended.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[kd0afk]

The directions for the hole call for it to be lapped.

 

[Maxx]

I've been wanting the get a 5c chuck for about a year but farming isn't cheap and last year wasn't good and if corn prices don't go up - this year doesn't look great either....

 

[kd0afk]

If anyone wants to donate a brass 5c collet to the cause, I could sure use one as a lap.

 

[kd0afk]

I've been wanting the get a 5c chuck for about a year but farming isn't cheap and last year wasn't good and if corn prices don't go up - this year doesn't look great either....

This thin was less than $140 and it comes with everything but the cutting tools.

 

[kd0afk]

When I machine the taper and I refine it using bluing and I get it to where it is bluing the while surface. Would I be safe to use a lap made by using the same taper angle to finish off the taper? I just checked and a brass collet isn't cheap. Lapping will render it useless and I don't want to ruin a new collet.

 

[kd0afk]

Will I need to lap the taper? The directions don't call for lapping the taper, just the bore but I would like it to be as precise as I can make it.
With that said, I hate to bring the name Dremmel into the conversation, but has anyone had good results grinding with a Dremmel?

 

[petertha]

The address is http://www.statecollegecentral.com/metallathe/

Perfect, thanks! I'm interested in how the kit components go together. Can you elaborate...

(1) Is the backplate I assume? So you had to machine threads on the backside shown to fit your lathe spindle nose? And then a lip or something on the front side to fit a matching recess or something on (2) the chuck body? Do bolts retain the chuck on the backplate from behind?

(3) what is this chunk for?

Also looks like small bearing balls. Where do they go?

 

[kd0afk]

The chuck has a backplate 1 and body 2. The slug 3 is the nut it is machined with threads that fit the collet. It goes between the backplate and body. The ball bearings are to fill the races that are to be cut on both sides of the nut and the corresponding surfaces of the backplate and body. The collet is drawn tight by the nut. Pretty ingenious design.

 

[kd0afk]

As a side note I check the price of New hardinge 5c collets. Just a full set of fractional collets, round square and hex, not including meteoric or rectangular, a full set Will run around $10,000. WOW!

 

[macmarch]

Oops! Didn't realise that this was a DIY job. I also make a fair number of 'tools' and if they do the job required then what matters how it looks or how 'accurate' it is.

Out of interest is it permitted on this site to put up pics and instructions of how to make a particular tool. Or should I refer those that want it to a website?

 

[Philjoe5]

Hi Macmarch,

if you've made tools in your shop that other model engineers would be interested in then by all means post pictures in the "Tools" forum of this website

Cheers,
Phil

 

[kd0afk]

I can't find a way to mount my phone to get a shot for video so it will have to be a combination of stills and hand held. My shop is tiny.

 

[macmarch]

I'll take some pics of the first one. Its an AVS for repetitive work. Very simple but saves hours of work.
I had to make it when an apprentice but I have never seen one since.