Draw bar question

[Kermit]

Does the X2 mill use one?

I have located a nice 3MT tapered collet chuck that holds ER32 collets, but don't know what holds them in the spindle. I've seen some with a 'tang', or two sided flat piece on top and others with a female thread in the end.

Forget learning how to cut the metal; I don't even know how most of the tools that are used are even mounted to the machines. ??? :-[

What simple fact am I overlooking here or don't know? Not gonna blow a $100 dollar bill on something I'm not sure will even work for me. :-\

Kermit

 

[Metal Butcher]

Kermit. I'm no expert, but Since its a "collet holder" used for end mills and fits a MT3 taper, it would probably fall right out of the spindle taper due to side forces created when milling, with out a draw bar bolt to hold it in.

-MB

 

[peteski]

Kermit:
My wife bought me the same collet holder from CDCO last Christmas for my Craftsman 12" Lathe. I measured the lenght of the spindle and just bought a bolt and machined a spacer for the rear of the spindle. Works great for holding small pieces instead of the 4-jaw. It does have about .001 of total runout but then my lathe is about 60 years old. I also use it on my rotary table, unscrew the bolt and move the entire holder to the mill. I am very pleased with it. Hope that helps you.

Peteski

 

[Kermit]

Can someone with an X2 type post a pic of how such a tool would be mounted in the mill?

That would be the simplest way to 'show' me.

 

[Kermit]

Perhaps the actual item I'm getting would help?

http://www1.mscdirect.com/CGI/NNPDF...T4NO=0&PMITEM=05699731&PMCTLG=54&PMT4TP=*LTIP

direct link to the catalog page with the model I'm interested in highlighted in pink(scroll down some)

 

[Metal Butcher]

Heres a link that shows pictures and describes the MT taper held by a draw bar/bolt.

Click on the user guide. Hope this is what your mill is, and the information you looking for.

Scroll down to page 17.

http://littlemachineshop.com/info/minimill.php

-MB

 

[Metal Butcher]

Kermit, have you considered these?

http://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=874479994

-MB

 

[ksouers]

Kermit,
It's just a piece of all-thread that screws into the back of the collet and runs through the center of the spindle. A nut and washer at the top of the spindle hold it tight. It's about as simple as you can get.

 

[Kermit]

So I'm just expecting this to be harder than it really is, huh?

;D

Okay then, a piece of allthread and some washers and nuts it is.

:bow:

Thank you gentlemen, for tolerating this simple minded question.
Kermit

 

[GrahamC]

I see others have already posted a couple of pictures of collets and draw bars.

Kevin's picture is quite intuitive and shows a simple draw bar. I tend to over engineer simple items like this

Two pictures - one shows a 4mt - ER32 collet holder I use in my lathe with it's drawbar attached the second shows the individual pieces separated.

Many uses "all thread" and nut and washer or a long bolt with a washer to make a draw bar and either will certainly work well.

My draw bar was made from 1/2 CRS threaded on one end for the collet and on the other for the retaining nut. You can thread the rod as I did or drill and tap the ends to take a cut off bolt or "all thread" to suit. I made mine this way simply because I have this collet holder plus many other shop made morse taper attachements and collets that I use in the lathe. It got so that I had a drawer full of bits and pieces to use as draw bars and I took that as an opportunity to think through my needs and simplify - I now have two draw bars that have replaced a half dozen, one fitting for the end of the spindle (where the drawbar exits and is fastened with a nut) to replace three and one washer and nut that also replaces three.

Notice on the end of the draw bar a little extension - this is there so that any "mushrooming" on the end of the bar will not interfere with the nut when you have to hit the end of the draw bar to remove it and the collet holder. You would preferably hit the end to remove it with a dead blow hammer and a block of wood but sometimes you have to resort to a regular hammer and a block of wood and sometimes still to just hammer (depends on tight you had tightened up the draw bar).

MB's suggestion of MT collets is a good one. I have a handfull of 3mt collets I use in the lathe all the time for holder milling cutters (I don't have a mill and do some light milling in the lathe). They work very well and are inexpensive and you need only buy the sizes that you need for the cutters that you use.

cheers, Graham

 

[black85vette]

Kermit; I don't want to assume so since I didn't see it in the post is your X2 an MT3 spindle or an R8 spindle. They come in both flavors and since you are asking about an MT3 collett holder I would assume you have that spindle. Just thought I would ask and be sure.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Kermit Yes it is simple I purchased a couple of studs from enco
LMS does sell real draw bars that look like this just make sure you get the correct thread and length for your collets or collet holder.

Just a little less fiddly and one less part (a nut) to keep track of.
Tin