Just for completeness, I'll sort of start at the beginning.

One of a variety of forms (I think most would consider it the best) of
holding work in your lathe via collets, usually style 5C (from 3/64 to 1
1/8", also in square/hex, and "pot chucks" for big washer-type deals, up to
mebbe 6" diam).
The jaw chuck is removed, a nose cone inserted, which holds the collet
(threaded on one end), and a tubular draw bar of sorts goes thru the lathe
head, w/ a pivoting handle mounted on the thru-tube if the lathe head.

With a very short stroke of the handle (over a distinct detent, ergo the
"snap"), the work is locked in the collet, for very rapid (and accurate)
parts holding/changing. With the right set up, you can get machining times
rivaling that of CNC, for a given move/operation. Well, older cnc, at any
rate.

There are other types of 5C collet holding systems. One is a kind of snap
handle collet system that mounts in a lathe chuck (heard of it, haven't seen
it)-. Another is a handwheel that replaces the snap handle described above,
which draws in the collet. Other "spin type" collet closers work at the
nose.
And I believe they make pneumatic collet closers, altho I haven't seen these
on manual lathes--common on cnc.

Also, there are other collet styles, both smaller and larger than 5C,
depending on the diameter of the thru tube of yer lathe.
In my very limited exposure, 5C is by far the least expensive collet, w/
imports costing as little as $6, used Hardinges available for $10, Bison
(Polish) for 12-$15, Royals for $25-35, and new Hardinges for about $1
million a piece. Someone told me Royal is not making 5C collets any more.
At any rate, any other size than 5C will cost a small fortune, and are much
less readily available.

The Law:
You cain't have a pimped-out manual lathe without a snap-handle 5C collet
closer.

Also, collet closers are not cheap. Royal makes them for many many lathes,
and Enco supplies their own. Min price for a Royal is about a grand,
typically $1.5 to 2K, and proly more for higher-end lathes.
I think Hardinge (or the supplier for Hardinge) made the best ones--super
smooth, nice.

Enco's snap handle jobby is not bad.
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
wrote in message
oups.com...

Proctologically Violated©® wrote:
I have a '92 13x40, pretty pimped-out-- x,yDRO, snap-handle 5C,
OK, Mr. PV. This will really show where I belong on the experience
ladder, but I gotta ask anyway. I have seen you refer to this before,
but what is a snap-handle? I'm not familiar with that term. Thanks,
Bill.