"woodworker88" wrote in message
ups.com...
Yeah, us with our lowly Atlas machines can't take a 5C through the
headstock, and Bison 5C collet chuck has so much overhang you might as
well use a regular, properly adjusted 3-jaw chuck (not to offend
anybody who owns one of them, but they're not exactly what I'd call
convenient compared to an ER collet chuck)
One problem in particular is that most of the ETM style collet chucks
use a drawbar mount system, which means that you lose your thru-
spindle capability. This can be a real drag on anything other than
small work. I just noticed that Beall Tool came out with a system
that's threaded for several sizes of lathe spindle noses, but this is
a relatively new product.
http://www.bealltool.com/products/tu...olletchuck.php
They're primarily designed for woodworking, so I'd be tempted to go
over one real well with a dial indicator before using it for any
precision work, but they use standard ER collets, and I'd bet they
make them to a reasonable TIR anyways, since it's easier. The other
thing that I'd really like to see, which I've never seen, is a system
that's designed to work really well with multiple arbors. Yeah, they
are "interchangeable", but I want to change them about as much as I'd
want to change my drill chuck arbor. I'd really like to be able to
buy one collet chuck which I could easily mate to a R8 arbor for use
in my Bridgeport, quickly swap for a 1 1/2"-8 threaded back for my
lathe, and back again.
One last application would be some sort of collet block/indexer that
is designed for ER collets. In tool catalogs I see all sorts of 5C
spin indexers, but it would be nice to be able to use a single set of
ER collets in every tool in the shop. Even better would be a collet
chuck that could be transplanted directly from the lathe to the
indexer, to maintain concentricity.
I think that you have the opportunity to start building tools that the
people here on RCM really need, as well as your multispindle drill
business (BTW, if you ever decide that you need to "dispose" of one of
your units, count me first in line :-) )
Part of the challenge for us is that we really haven't done much outside the
box thinking as far as the ER-style collet chucks go... So any new device I
could come up with would be beta tested on the first few customers, etc.
I'm willing to look at any opportunity someone wants to try out. A no
obligation "beta test" quote is a phone call away... Ask for Joe Jr.
As for the free device that I'm disposing of... You wouldn't want the stuff
we give away for free... It's sometimes turned down by the guy next door
with the scrap bins.
Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
http://www.AutoDrill.com
Multiple Spindle Drills:
http://www.Multi-Drill.com
V8013-R