Opinions on ER collets please.

Pete Wass

Pete Wass

Well-known member
I bought a lathe last fall that came without any collet system. I am considering an ER collet system for it, one that I can use on both ends of the lathe and in my mill. I am thinking the ER collets are a better set-up for this scenario. To that end, I have decided on ER 40 collets, thinking they have the greatest versatility. Is my thinking sound on this?

Thanks,

Pete
 
ER collets (Erickson) style double taper collets have been used by the manufacturing industry for decades. The best holding and truest running collets available. Remember though, the Erickson style collets come in several size ranges, so when you convert to or reorder and you want, as example, a 1" capacity collet, it can come in different size ranges on the OD.

.
 
I made the switch to ER 40's in the shop about a year ago - headstock, tailstock, mill, and a floating chuck for mounting round work to the mill table, rotab, etc. I've been meaning to make a set of 'collet blocks' - like the 5C version, but for ER40. It's been great - best collet solution I've ever used.

GsT
 
I use ER-40 in a shopmade collet holder on my Southbend 9A and a shopmade ER-20 adapter for my Bridgeport M heads. It was easier to make the holder than to find B&S #7 collets, etc for the M head. Buy the collets as a set, buy the holding ring and make the adapter. I had to make the adapter on lathe at work because of the metric thread, but turned the collet seat at home on the lathe its used on. The M head adapters were both made complete on work lathe, I made the collet end first and then used the 1/2" collet to clamp it to a ground arbor and then did the taper.
 
The lathe I bought is

a 1994 ENCO 12X36. It's' in great shape but has been banged around a bit from handling. It came on a heavy rickety wooden bench but I found a new and original cabinet on line for a good price and have been picking away repairing the banged up stuff. The 4 jaw chuck had never been mounted. Ways are blemish free and there are still scraping marks on the undersides of every surface I have uncovered, such as the scraping is :). Having been employed in that trade some yeas ago, I know how it should be.

It has one minor flaw, which I am trying to fix. The reversing relay sticks on and over-rides the emergency switch so it NEEDS to be fixed. I thread in reverse so I want it to work properly.

I also will add a 2 axis DRO to it when I get back home. Keith Fenner is doing one pretty much like mine in a YouTube series right now so that gives me some great reference to work with. Keith was fortunate to have a friend volunteer to scrape in his Saddle and slides for him, lucky dude that he is.

Nez sent me a whole relay set up but unfortunately, everything is 90* out from my wiring. I guess I could extend the wires but that is a bit messy so I will try to find a relay to replace the defective one in my box. A close friend here is a retired Honeywell technician so I am hopeful he will be able to find a suitable replacement. I am also considering simply adding a DC motor and controller of it and forget the AC stuff all together. I think I would go up in HP vs the AC 1.5HP motor on the machine if I do that.

So comes the Collet situation. I plan to start ordering the collets and chucks I will need for the lathe and mill right away. I will buy the cam lock setup for the spindle, a Morse #3 for the tailstock and an R8 for my mill. That should do me very well. I am thinking the full 23 pc set by 1/8"ths and the chucks separate. I read that one can find the ER 40 Collet Blocks from a supplier in Australia, I believe it is. Would like to find the name of the company if any one knows it.

SO, lots of fun. I think the machine I have will be far and away above the 10L I will be replacing, once I have finished up these items. I was able to use the aft Spider off my 10L to locate spider screws into the rear of the spindle on the new machine and that worked out very well. I simply used the spider to drill and tap through. Easy Peasy.

Merry Happy,

Pete
 
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I have a few set or ER20 and 32 that I use in the tail stock. I got them from Asian suppliers and they are all good so far.

I am still looking for a D1-4 ER collet chuck but haven't found anything, maybe haven't searched hard enough. I could get a backplate and a ER chuck, but would rather a complete assembly. If you find a d1-4 I would be interested to know your supplier.

GST
 
Try Amazon

gstprecision said:
I have a few set or ER20 and 32 that I use in the tail stock. I got them from Asian suppliers and they are all good so far.

I am still looking for a D1-4 ER collet chuck but haven't found anything, maybe haven't searched hard enough. I could get a backplate and a ER chuck, but would rather a complete assembly. If you find a d1-4 I would be interested to know your supplier.

GST
Click to expand...

There is one listed there for just under a hundred dollars.

Pete
 
I don't feel qualified

MilGunsmith said:
I use ER-40 in a shopmade collet holder on my Southbend 9A and a shopmade ER-20 adapter for my Bridgeport M heads. It was easier to make the holder than to find B&S #7 collets, etc for the M head. Buy the collets as a set, buy the holding ring and make the adapter. I had to make the adapter on lathe at work because of the metric thread, but turned the collet seat at home on the lathe its used on. The M head adapters were both made complete on work lathe, I made the collet end first and then used the 1/2" collet to clamp it to a ground arbor and then did the taper.
Click to expand...

to make holders myself. I have never been very good at using machines even though I love using them. I have always been pretty good at using "Spanners" but the things that require fine attention to details; not so much. Now that I am into my 7 th decade, well, I don't hold out a lot of hope that somehow I will get a lot better at very much.

Merry Christmas,

Pete
 
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