# Beall Collets



## chriselle (Nov 24, 2011)

Hey folks,  

  I have the standard set of collets spanning the normal range of sizes up to 3/4 inch.  For the kitless stock beit, round ebonite or square acrylic... how are you holding the blank to turn it down to 3/4 to fit the collet?  Are you using a dedicated scroll chuck like a Nova or just turning it roughly between centers?  I've been doing the latter and it sucks.  Just curious. 

OR.... I need someone to cast me a bunch of 3/4 alumilite blanks.:wink:


----------



## Curly (Nov 24, 2011)

I use my metal lathe but the principle is the same if you want to do it with your wood lathe. I use a small centre drill to make a small hole for the tailstock live centre and then just grip the other end of the square in the 4 jaw chuck by 1/8 or a 1/4 inch and turn it to the diameter you want. The remaining square on the chuck end can be dealt with once you can hold the round part in the collet chuck. Make sense?


----------



## studioso (Nov 24, 2011)

If u don't want to get a scroll chuck, perhaps you can glue a 3/4 round scrap to your square blanks


----------



## randyrls (Nov 24, 2011)

Chris;  I would make a jam chuck that is held in the collet chuck, then drill a small hole in the blank to match the jam chuck.  

A butt glue joint isn't very strong in shear strength. 

Actually, I never understood the reason to turn the blank round.  It makes it harder to hold for drilling (I use a drill press).

A little while ago someone posted a note about how to make a set of aluminum pen drilling jaws for a standard chuck.
Finally found the reference!
http://www.davidreedsmith.com/Articles/AuxPenJaws/auxiliary_pen_blank_jaws.htm


----------



## dogcatcher (Nov 24, 2011)

I turn them to 3/4" diameter between centers.  If I know a blank will be used for a pen, I set it aside and then when I have about 10 I set up the lathe and turn them.  This way they are ready to fit in the collet when I need them.


----------



## leestoresund (Nov 24, 2011)

+1.


----------



## thewishman (Nov 24, 2011)

If you have a router table, just use a 1/4 round bit and run it through four times.


----------



## Texatdurango (Nov 24, 2011)

chriselle said:


> Hey folks,
> 
> I have the standard set of collets spanning the normal range of sizes up to 3/4 inch. For the kitless stock beit, round ebonite or square acrylic... how are you holding the blank to turn it down to 3/4 to fit the collet? Are you using a dedicated scroll chuck like a Nova or just turning it roughly between centers? I've been doing the latter and it sucks. Just curious.
> 
> OR.... I need someone to cast me a bunch of 3/4 alumilite blanks.:wink:


Chris, I do something a little different, I use ER-32 collets that are LARGER than 3/4" for those fatter ebonite and acrylic blanks.

If you visit http://www.discount-tools.com/ER32-collets.cfm you will see a table showing all the sizes of ER-32 collets. Towards the bottom you will see that three are larger than 3/4", the 25/32, 20mm and 13/16".

For some reason many think that 3/4" is the largest ER-32 collet but that's not true. I have all three of these larger sizes aswell as others not found in the "common sets" and they all fit the Beall and PSI holders just fine.


----------



## lorbay (Nov 24, 2011)

I use one of these in the head stock to get my blanks round 3/4 to fit my collet.

Lin.


----------



## chriselle (Nov 24, 2011)

Thank you for the replies.  For the square blanks I'll just keep doing what I'm doing with turning between centers.

 For the round stock.....George that is exactly what I was looking for with the larger sized collets as a lot of blanks I have are just slightly larger than 3/4.  I sourced a 20mm but the 13/16 is really the one I need.  Now I have to see if they can send one to Japan..

Cheers


----------



## IPD_Mr (Nov 24, 2011)

dogcatcher said:


> I turn them to 3/4" diameter between centers. If I know a blank will be used for a pen, I set it aside and then when I have about 10 I set up the lathe and turn them. This way they are ready to fit in the collet when I need them.


 
That has been the best way that works for me when dealing with square or "close to" square blanks.


----------



## Texatdurango (Nov 24, 2011)

chriselle said:


> Thank you for the replies. For the square blanks I'll just keep doing what I'm doing with turning between centers.
> 
> For the round stock.....George that is exactly what I was looking for with the larger sized collets as a lot of blanks I have are just slightly larger than 3/4. I sourced a 20mm but the 13/16 is really the one I need. Now I have to see if they can send one to Japan..
> 
> Cheers


 Chris, If they can't, I can, let me know if you need a work around!  Just a thought........ I have used all three of the larger than 3/4" size so......... thast tells me I have found a need for each one at one time or another so for the extra $18, I'd recommend getting all three.  I'd hate to see you get just one then find that the ONE blank you are trying to turn down is a hair too narrow for the collet to clamp down on!


----------



## chriselle (Nov 25, 2011)

Texatdurango said:


> chriselle said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you for the replies. For the square blanks I'll just keep doing what I'm doing with turning between centers.
> ...




Thank you sir for the generous offer.  I will send them an email shortly  to check on international shipping.  Yes, I mis-spoke .... I will for sure be  ordering all three.   
Cheers,

    Chris


----------



## workinforwood (Nov 25, 2011)

Yea...that's when having a metal lathe is a real bonus. There's no fuss about spinning a square blank between centers and having it come out nice and straight and even. I got a dead center from Johnny CNC that was once actually a live center but the bearings were bad, so he removed it leaving a shorter and straight shank center instead of a tapered one so I can just stick that in a collet rather than removing the collet chuck to insert a tapered center. Makes life a whole lot simpler.


----------



## Texatdurango (Nov 25, 2011)

Hey Chris,  While your looking up neat stuff, Robert Sorby makes a nice spring loaded STEB center which are great for rounding those square or semi square blanks.  They come in different sizes but I use my 1/2" center more than any other....... http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/stebcentres.htm

As Jeff mentioned above, there is nothing like chucking up a blank and making a few passes ending up with a perfectly round blank with the same diameter the total length of the blank.


----------



## chriselle (Nov 26, 2011)

Texatdurango said:


> Hey Chris,  While your looking up neat stuff, Robert Sorby makes a nice spring loaded STEB center which are great for rounding those square or semi square blanks.  They come in different sizes but I use my 1/2" center more than any other....... http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/stebcentres.htm
> 
> As Jeff mentioned above, there is nothing like chucking up a blank and making a few passes ending up with a perfectly round blank with the same diameter the total length of the blank.



Thanks George.  I think I'm going to pick up one of those.  I was thinking about it a few years ago but didn't really need one as my four tooth center was fine.  And yes, you and Jeff have me thinking of a metal lathe.....quite convenient that Christmas is right around the corner.:wink:


----------



## chriselle (Apr 3, 2012)

Sorry to drag up this old thread of mine.  Lately I've been using a 3/4 Fostner bit in a collet chuck and it holds the blanks perfectly and the 3/4 diameter of the bit takes the guess work out of it.  Try it...works well.


----------



## Texatdurango (Apr 3, 2012)

chriselle said:


> Sorry to drag up this old thread of mine.  Lately I've been using a 3/4 Fostner bit in a collet chuck and it holds the blanks perfectly and the 3/4 diameter of the bit takes the guess work out of it.  Try it...works well.


It took me a minute to figure out what you were talking about then it hit me.......... a poor man's steb center,  Clever idea!


----------

