Opinions on ER collets please.

Well, I pulled the trigger!

I sent for and have received a D1 4 ER 40 collet holder. It is machined and fit excellently and was about a hundred bucks. It appears to be a good start. Next comes the collet kit. I plan to buy an R8 kit for my mill with about 20 collets. After that, if those look good I will get a M3 holder and I should be set.



Pete
 
Pete Wass said:
I sent for and have received a D1 4 ER 40 collet holder. It is machined and fit excellently and was about a hundred bucks. It appears to be a good start. Next comes the collet kit. I plan to buy an R8 kit for my mill with about 20 collets. After that, if those look good I will get a M3 holder and I should be set.



Pete
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Pete,

Could share with us the precision and accuracy testing of the collet chuck when you have the chance to do it?


nez
 
NezRongero said:
Pete,

Could share with us the precision and accuracy testing of the collet chuck when you have the chance to do it?


nez
Click to expand...

I'm not Pete, but ER's are about as good as they get. You can expect around .0002 or better with quality collets and holders. Don't bank on that with chicom brands. As with everything in the machine world, you get what you pay for. We use ER collets in place of drill chucks, except for drill press work in our Bridgeport's. A Cat 40 ER tool holder is cheaper than a Cat 40 arbor and a super chuck and they don't ruin your tooling shanks. It's a sad day when a quality drill chuck is no longer made in the USA. ER collets are also rather forgiving with over and under sized tooling.

TG collets are good also but pricey and bulky. those we use to drive taps in our machining centers.

R8 collets- You will find you will only use 6 or so of the sizes and the rest just hang in the rack, "IF" you use a drill chuck. Most guys do. If you are going to use drills in your collets "Never" use them in a chuck. That especially goes for reamers.

ER 40 collets and holders are rather bulky???

Keep in mind that when you see tooling prices coming down.......BEWARE. There's a reason and you'll find the prices and quality are racing each other to the bottom. Actually that's consistent with anything we purchase in the US.
 
Actually,

I have been thinking about going for a smaller ER setup for the mill because of the size of the ER 40's. My mill is small all around so I would never use large hole sizes in it anyway, I don't think. So, perhaps I will focus on a Morse taper #3 for now with the ER 40Collets and deal with my mill later. I have end mill holders for it along with a basic R8 collet set soooooo. I don't expect ultra low runout with these tools. I am only a hobbyist and don't demand ultra precision. If they are within .0005" I will be satisfied.

Thanks for the input.

Pere
 
Pete Wass said:
I have been thinking about going for a smaller ER setup for the mill because of the size of the ER 40's. My mill is small all around so I would never use large hole sizes in it anyway, I don't think. So, perhaps I will focus on a Morse taper #3 for now with the ER 40Collets and deal with my mill later. I have end mill holders for it along with a basic R8 collet set soooooo. I don't expect ultra low runout with these tools. I am only a hobbyist and don't demand ultra precision. If they are within .0005" I will be satisfied.

Thanks for the input.

Pere
Click to expand...

Why not just use R8's ? The less adapters the better. The only collets we use in our bridgeport's are R8's. End mills drills reamers, center drills.....all R8.
 
I have had issues

TRA said:
Why not just use R8's ? The less adapters the better. The only collets we use in our bridgeport's are R8's. End mills drills reamers, center drills.....all R8.
Click to expand...

having end mills slip in R-8,s, why the end mill holders. From what I've read, the ER series have a stronger purchase and have a larger range. Heck, R8's would probably do me I guess. I do have a bunch of very small end mills that I may or may not ever use but one always want's to be prepared, eh?

Pete
 
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