Author Topic: Good info on using collet chucks  (Read 2190 times)

Offline Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks

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Good info on using collet chucks
« on: February 05, 2011, 12:01:49 AM »
I use a Beall collet chuck on my 3/4" and 5/8" Flint Hills expanding mandrels.  I just got a 1/2" mandrel and a 1/2" ER32 collet from Flint Hills, mounted it up and it just didn't run true.  It had a good 1/32" of runout along the mandrel's entire legth.  I don't have that issue on my larger mandrels and that kind of runout isn't acceptable so I emailed Andrew w/ Flint Hills and asked what to do....Honestly thinking it was the collet.  He sent me a really informative response suggesting a couple things.  He said to put the collet in the chuck without the mandrel and crank that baby down.  That worked like a champ!  Runs 100% perfect.  So good in fact, that I did the same thing on my 5/8" and 3/4" collets, and it improved how true they run.  And I thought they were pretty good before.

So the lesson of the day is to "mold" your new collets to your chuck before putting the mandrel in.

Big thanks to Andrew at Flint Hills Duck Works for helping me out on this.  Great level-headed customer service from a guy that obviously knows his machine tools better than I do!  He was ready to send a replacement collet if his suggestions didn't work, and I'm glad that wasn't necessary. 

Offline Braz

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2011, 12:10:58 AM »
Yep, when changing collets, I always run the collar up tight, then back it off enough to insert the mandrel. It really helps to make the mandrel run true, as you said.
Braz
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Offline Wade@WEBFoot

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2011, 12:28:57 AM »
Ive not held a Beall collet chuck in my hand... so I dont know...  when you have the collet and mandrel installed, loosen the collet nut, remove the mandrel, and then remove the collet nut, does the collet come with it?  Is it supposed to according to the instructions?

The reason I ask, is the ER collets are heavily used in machining, and the way the collet nuts are made for metal working equipment, you HAVE to put the collet in the nut BEFORE you thread it on and put anything in the collet.  The groove in the collet "clips" into the nut.  This way when you back the nut off, it will pull the collet out of the taper - releasing to the tool.  If you dont, you will have anywhere from not much run out to horrible amounts because the collet face is hitting the retaining ring face, instead of the machined face intended for the the collet.  

Just reading about that made me wonder.  Because unless those collets are not hardened, they really cant form to anything, because they are hardened steel, likely 8620 from what I have read...  and there wont be much of any "shaping" going on... maybe collapse the collet a little... The other thing, is, if by doing as you described, AND it does have the retaining ring in the nut, when you put the collet in with nothing, and tighten the nut, youll compress the collet, and it will likely then fit inside the retaining ring.  And when you back it off a little, it stays where it should.  Slide a mandrel in, and youre good...  but change the collet and dont do the same thing, and if it catches the retaining ring, you could be off again.  The other thing that could have done is rubbed off some burrs by closing the collet with nothing in it, its able to collapse farther, which in turn allows it to move more in the axial direction, therefore rubbing off some burrs from when they slit the collet.

Now this is all from what I know of the metal working machinery world, and it may not apply...  I have no idea.  Im curious.  But since you have one, you might take a look.  I know that is a common thing that arises in the metal working world with people who are new to ER, TG, and a few other collet configurations.
Wish I had one to check it out.

If this is the case, its the action of placing the collet INTO the nut so it clips in is the actual solution to the issue.

Wade

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Offline Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2011, 01:39:35 AM »
Wade they definitely don't clip into the nut.  The nut will come off, leaving the collet with the mandrel installed still fairly tight in the taper.  The nut seems to drive the collet down into the tapered body of the collet.  I can take pics if you want to see?

Offline Braz

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2011, 01:43:21 AM »
Aaron, you must be using a different type of system than I am using. The PSI system that I'm using, which is the same as the Beale, does have a grove in the nut. Once the collet is seated in the nut, it will come off with the nut, as Wade said. Sometimes I can push the collet in by hand, but mostly, to be sure, I just run the nut up, the collet goes into the grove, and I'm good to go until I change the collet.
Braz
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Offline dogcatcher

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2011, 01:48:14 AM »
The Beall has the same groove as the PSI.  I have both of the systems and they both have it, but the PSI doesn't always click in place on the nut.  Used to, but after awhile I guess it wore down a little.

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Offline Mark at Bad Medicine Game Calls

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2011, 07:32:15 AM »
Thats some good information!  I've been having similar problems and I'll give this a shot and see if it helps!
Mark Levasseur

Brandon, VT

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Offline Wade@WEBFoot

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2011, 12:05:28 PM »
Okay.... after a bunch of digging  (boy the Beall Tool website is VERY POORLY designed and laid out...  ugh - after being there Im just mad....  something so simple yet so hard to find)

I dont know about you guys.....  :huh: :nono:  :tt2: - Just messin with ya....

But I suggest everyone with a collet chuck read this....   :up1:

http://www.bealltool.com/pdfs/collet_chuck.pdf
« Last Edit: February 05, 2011, 12:13:10 PM by Wade C »
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Offline Wade@WEBFoot

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Re: Good info on using collet chucks
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2011, 12:22:22 PM »
Oh and I would also suggest that you not run the nut down on the collet in the collet socket (with nothing in it) as a regular practice.

I would insert the collet in the nut, and put it together and go.

If you run the nut on with nothing in the collet, you risk collapsing it some, and may make it difficult to get anything of the correct size in the collet.  Secondly, flexing the collet beyond its designed and intended limits will stress the collet and likely limit its life span.

Wade

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