# What collet chuck do you use?



## jbswearingen (Sep 7, 2011)

I remember reading about one of the members here turning his blanks to about .75", mounting in a collet chuck, and then drilling them on the lathe.

Can you guys tell me what collet chuck you like to use?  I'd like to buy one soon.


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## its_virgil (Sep 7, 2011)

I have the Beall collet chuck and the PSI collet chuck. I like them both. They use industry standard ER 32 collets. I use them frequently. I used one of the smaller collets last night and made a new handle for my fly reel. I also hold my mandrel with the 1/4 inch collet.

If drilling pen blanks will be the only use you may want to consider the pen blank drilling chuck from PSI. I hear good reviews about it. Don't have one myself so I can't commet first hand.
Do a good turn daily
Don



jbswearingen said:


> I remember reading about one of the members here turning his blanks to about .75", mounting in a collet chuck, and then drilling them on the lathe.
> 
> Can you guys tell me what collet chuck you like to use? I'd like to buy one soon.


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## PaulDoug (Sep 7, 2011)

I have had both.  Had the beall, but gave it to the guy that bought one of my lathes.  I kept the psi one.  I gave him the beall because it fit the spindle on the lathe he bought from me.  Both are great chucks, the psi costing a little less.  I also purchased the set of collets from 800watts off e-bay. I use the collet chuck a lot.


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## ssajn (Sep 7, 2011)

I have the collet chuck from Craft Supply. Works fine but rarely use it. I do all my drilling on the lathe using a Vicmark chuck with pin jaws and drill everything while still square.


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## sbell111 (Sep 7, 2011)

I recently bought the Apprentice Collet Chuck from CSUSA.  In my opinion, it is just as good as the more expensive chucks out there.  It comes with five collets that are also ER32 so can be supplemented easily.  

I got mine during one of their frequent sales so it was only $76.50 after 15% off.  I couldn't not buy it at that price.

I bought my original collet chuck for drilling out bullets, but find that I have used it for lots of other projects.


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## jbswearingen (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks, all.  That Apprentice Collet looks like what I need.  I'll look around a bit more, but that's probably what I'll go with.


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## pianomanpj (Sep 7, 2011)

You can usually get the PSI collet chuck on Amazon at a better price.


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## MarkD (Sep 7, 2011)

If your considering the PSI chuck check out Wood-n-Whimsies. They carry the PSi chuck for less than PSI. You may need to call them. I don't believe it's listed on their web page.


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## Texatdurango (Sep 7, 2011)

All my collets are er-32

1. Beall chuck with 1 x 8 threads with an adapter so I can use it on my big lathe with 1 1/4 x 8 threads 

2. PSI holder mounted on mt-2 shaft

3. No-name Chinese holder mounted on mt-3 shaft bought from Ebay vendor.

Three holders from various locations and all the clamping nuts are interchangeable.  I like the nut from PSI best because I can grip it better and hand tighten any of the chucks.  The Beall nut is smooth and I often have to use the wrenches to tighten it.

Just so you know...... if you have a lathe with 1x8 spindle threads odds are that the inside diameter of the spindle is close to .675" so even with a threaded holder such as the Beall, you will only be able to insert a 3/4" blank in about 2" before it hits the spindle!  Some folks think you can stick a long 3/4" blank into the beall chuck, which you can... just not while mounted on the lathe! 

*Suggestion....* If you are going to be turning down a lot of 3/4" blanks I would visit discount tools and pick up three collets not found in any sets; the 25/32, 20mm and 13/16.  You will find that some 3/4" blanks are slightly larger than .750 and won't fit into a 3/4" collet, the larger collets will accommodate the odd size rods as well as most 20mm ebonite rods.  Here is their site... http://www.discount-tools.com/ER32-collets.cfm


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## jbswearingen (Sep 7, 2011)

Thanks again for the suggestions!


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## TomW (Sep 7, 2011)

Metric collets from ebay 800Watt. and a Beall chuck.  The set has complete coverage up to slightly over 3/4" (19-20mm).

Tom


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## mtcsss (Sep 7, 2011)

*Best Collet Chuck Price*

You can get the collet chuck at Wood-N-Whimsies. They have the best prices I have seen.


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## MarkD (Sep 7, 2011)

I have the PSI collet chuck set ( from Wood-n-Whimsies ) and a set of metric collets from 800Watt on ebay. I also have a 3MT collet chuck for my metal lathe on the way from CTC tools.


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## thewishman (Sep 7, 2011)

I found the PSI set at this place for $77.99.

http://www.righttoolusa.com/p/PSI-W...CDOWEL-Dowel-Collet-Chuck-System-1634846.html


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## Lenny (Sep 7, 2011)

*Suggestion....* If you are going to be turning down a lot of 3/4" blanks I would visit discount tools and pick up three collets not found in any sets; the 25/32, 20mm and 13/16. You will find that some 3/4" blanks are slightly larger than .750 and won't fit into a 3/4" collet, the larger collets will accommodate the odd size rods as well as most 20mm ebonite rods. Here is their site... http://www.discount-tools.com/ER32-collets.cfm
[/quote]

PSI here... I would highly recommend it or the CSUSA version orthe Beal! 

George gave me the same (above) advice and it has proven VERY helpful!
With those "extra" collets there is not much you won't be able to handle.

You may buy a collet chuck thinking you are just going to "drill on the lathe" but you will soon find it's oh so usefull for SO MANY other things as well!!!


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## jbswearingen (Sep 8, 2011)

I just ordered the PSI collet.  Thanks!


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## Dave Turner (Sep 8, 2011)

I'm also looking into purchasing a collet chuck system and have a few questions. The 18 piece English unit ER-32 collet sets sold by 800watt are missing the 13/32, 17/32, and 21/32 sizes, but otherwise have continuous coverage by 1/32" (0.79375 mm) steps. Do these collets have enough range to cover these missing sizes. If not, I'll probably go with the 18 piece metric unit set, which has continuous coverage by 1 mm steps.

I'll probably get the Beall chuck for my 1 1/4 x 8 head thread. PSI won't fit. Thanks for your help.

Dave


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## Texatdurango (Sep 8, 2011)

Dave Turner said:


> I'm also looking into purchasing a collet chuck system and have a few questions. The 18 piece English unit ER-32 collet sets sold by 800watt are missing the 13/32, 17/32, and 21/32 sizes, but otherwise have continuous coverage by 1/32" (0.79375 mm) steps. Do these collets have enough range to cover these missing sizes. If not, I'll probably go with the 18 piece metric unit set, which has continuous coverage by 1 mm steps.
> 
> I'll probably get the Beall chuck for my 1 1/4 x 8 head thread. PSI won't fit. Thanks for your help.
> 
> Dave



If I understand your question, the answer would be ... no the fractional inch collets would not have decent coverage if the 13/32, 17/32, and 21/32 sizes are omitted.

Let's say you were making your own pen and the final lower diameter wound up at .510 diameter (a popular size) and you wanted to chuck it up to work on it.

The 1/2" collet would be too small for it to even fit and the next size in the "standard set" would be 9/6 with a clamping range of .523 - .562 which of course would be too large for the pen blank so you would either need to buy the 17/32 collet individually (like I did) OR wrap tape around the blank so the 9/16 collet would work.

Since you are starting fresh, going the metric set would be the way to go *IF*..... the price of the sets are comparable *AND* you keep a conversion chart handy so yuo'll know which collet to reach for when you have a fractional size in mind *OR* just teach yourself to deal strictly in metrics when making your pens (A feat easier said than done, at least for me)


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## sbell111 (Sep 8, 2011)

They do not have sufficient range to cover the holes.  The metric set is definitely the better purchase, for this reason.  

It should be noted that it matters not if you have a metric or standard set.  You're still are going to use the smallest collet that the item will slide into.  There's no need for conversion chart or math skills.  All you need to do is organize the collets by size.


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## DurocShark (Sep 8, 2011)

I've been very happy with my PSI set. I've added a 20mm one as well to hold my 3/4" pipe blanks as they don't fit in the 3/4" collet.


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## BigShed (Sep 8, 2011)

Texatdurango said:


> Dave Turner said:
> 
> 
> > I'm also looking into purchasing a collet chuck system and have a few questions. The 18 piece English unit ER-32 collet sets sold by 800watt are missing the 13/32, 17/32, and 21/32 sizes, but otherwise have continuous coverage by 1/32" (0.79375 mm) steps. Do these collets have enough range to cover these missing sizes. If not, I'll probably go with the 18 piece metric unit set, which has continuous coverage by 1 mm steps.
> ...



I have the metric set, in fact I have 2, one at the metal lathe and one at the wood lathe. I can safely say I couldn't do what I do without collets, nor would I want to.

I have 4 collet chucks, the first one I bought with the first collet set, it is an MT2 one for my wood lathe. I eventually found this limiting because of the limited depth available. I then bought a Vermec one (similar to the Beall/PSI) which screws on to the M30x3.5 wood lathe spindle.







I then got a metal lathe and bought another ste of collets for it together with an MT3 chuck, again this was found to be limiting and I then bought a backplate mounted one as I couldn't find one that screwed on my metal lathe spindle (M39x4).






One of my "to do" projects is to make my own M39x4 screw on chuck for the metal lathe, have the material for it (60mm 12L14) but still honing my threading skills.

On the subject of metric/Imperial size conversion, I mad up 2 racks that the collets sit in marked with their (metric) sizes. I don't really need to look at the sizes as you can just put the piece you will be working on in the closest collet size in the rack.

This is the rack that sits between my 9x20 metal lathe and my DM45 mill






The original MT2 chuck, which can be seen at the bottom of the rack next to the collets, is now being used in my 6" Rotary table for when I cut slits in closed end mandrels and mill flats on them, as well as other work.






Having said all that, the one thing I don't use my collets for is drilling blanks, particularly not square ones. Collets are not designed to grip non-round objects, I use my Nova G3 with long pin jaws for all my blank drilling.


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