The pneumatic is proly nice to use. Wouldn't mind having one.
Why not just put a pneumatic closer on the 15" Clausing?

The photo of the enco (OP) seems to have something of a nose on it, but
doesn't quite look like the nose for a collet closer; also no snap handle.
Any idea what it is?
--
Mr. P.V.'d
formerly Droll Troll
"jay s" wrote in message
news:mgoSf.827413$x96.137852@attbi_s72...
Royal is not making lever actuated collet closers anymore, the parts may
be available. Only selling pnuematic ones.
We just bought another 15" Clausing at work, the toolmaker told me to get
a Royal but they don't sell them in the new catalog and a call to their
number just confirmed what the catalog says. So we are modifying the one
that was on the 13" Clausing to fit the 15" by buying a new spindle nose
adapter and the drawtube (about 500.00 total).

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote in message
...
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.