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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 12:15 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:19 am
Posts: 1534
Location: United States
First name: Nelson
Last Name: Palen
Can you guys recommend a good source for these?
I'm looking for 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" and see quite a range of prices leading me to believe that some of them are inferior.
Ebay shows several different sets of metric and "imperial" but the price, which figures as low as $5.00 each collet is suspect.
I've seen prices for individual collets as high as $70 ea.
Thanks
Nelson


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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 2:47 pm 
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Walnut
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Posts: 34
I bought a set of cheap ER25 collets and some of them had a terrible runout. Then I changed to Rego-Fix collets from Switzerland. They are expensive, but I am sure they will last a long time. Mine are standard precision, but they have them in high precision (extremely low TIR, below 5 um). The difference can even be seen: my original collets had a matt surface, these others shine like mirrors.


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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 3:33 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:19 am
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Location: United States
First name: Nelson
Last Name: Palen
Sounds like they were vapor blasted or something to make them look pretty (matt surface) but not precision ground?
Runout is my main concern as I'm investing in a spindle that's supposed to be within .0006" TIR.


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PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2009 10:00 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:16 pm
Posts: 190
Location: Bell Buckle, TN.
First name: kevin
Last Name: waldron
City: Bell Buckle
State: TN
Zip/Postal Code: 37020
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PART ... O=22538163

Try these guys. I have always had good result with there products.

Kevin Waldron


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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 4:26 am 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:09 am
Posts: 34
Quote:
Sounds like they were vapor blasted or something to make them look pretty (matt surface) but not precision ground?
Runout is my main concern as I'm investing in a spindle that's supposed to be within .0006" TIR.


Standard TIR in most collets is 15 um (0.0006"). Some of my cheap collets measured more than twice that value. Standard precision in Rego-Fix collets is 10 um, and high precision collets are below 5 um (0.0002"). Rego-Fix were the inventors of ER collets and they must be the best around, but perhaps you may find cheaper alternatives.


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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 10:44 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 9:02 am
Posts: 2351
Location: Canada
First name: Bob
Last Name: Garrish
City: Toronto
State: Ontario
Country: Canada
Status: Professional
I don't know where he gets them, but I pay $20 a collet from my tooling guy. He supplies all the aerospace shops, etc, around here so he only sells top quality stuff. So I know that you can get top-grade ones for $20 at most :)

What's with the quotes around 'imperial'?

_________________
Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services


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PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2009 1:07 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2005 4:19 am
Posts: 1534
Location: United States
First name: Nelson
Last Name: Palen
"""What's with the quotes around "imperial"?"""

Good question, Bob. I never know for sure what to call it, guess I'm used to "inch system" actually. :)

http://www.france-property-and-information.com/imperial-system-and-history.htm


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 08, 2009 8:00 pm 
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Mahogany
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Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:25 am
Posts: 57
Location: Northeast Ohio
First name: Anthony
Last Name: Lembo
Country: United States
Focus: Build
Nelson,

I've had good luck with collets from US Shop Tools.

Get their ultra precision (UP) collets - .0002" TIR

ER-20's are $15 each.

http://www.usshoptools.com

Anthony

_________________
Anthony J. Lembo
Lembo Custom Guitars - www.Lemboguitars.com


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