ER Collets for pen turning

[Big Shed]

Received my set of ER25 collets and ER25 chuck last week and finally got the chance today to actually put the chuck in the lathe (been away for a few days).

The ER25 chuck has an MT2 taper and fits straight in to my MC900 lathe, I bought a set of 15 collets with it (2-16mm), so now I can hold an A size as well as a B size mandrel and have a certain amount of length adjustment as well. Was a bit disappointed to find that the through hole in the chuck was only 6mm so an A size mandrel will not pass through it, as the chuck is hardened drilling it out was not an option!

The chuck takes a M10 drawbar, so I bought some M10 threaded rod (couldn't get a 235mm M10 bolt). When I passed this threaded rod through the headstock I found that it wouldn't engage the thread in the end of the chuck mandrel. Closer investigation showed that the 10mm internal hole through the MC900 headstock was not concentric to the OD!

Not sure how I am going to overcome this. Don't really need the drawbar for between centres turning with a mandrel, but one of the reasons I bought his setup is to do closed end pens where the end is not supported by the tailstock.

[Mobil Man]

Arizona Silhouette Home Page They have them for a lot of diff. pens. Way down on the left side of the page under mandrels. Closed Ends are a big item over here. Sorry the collets /lathe setup doesnt work, but there are a lot of things you can use them for.

[Big Shed]

Thnaks Mobil Man, I know about the closed end mandrels at AS, however they refuse to ship outside the US and that includes Canada!

[DJ’s Timber]

BS, can you get the allthread started on the chuck before before it is inserted into the MT and then pull the chuck in using the allthread? It doesn't matter if the allthread bends a bit, it is only there to stop it falling out. Another option is to get some 6mm allthread and tap a bit of a 10mm and join 2 bits or weld 2 bits together.

[Big Shed]

BS, can you get the allthread started on the chuck before before it is inserted into the MT and then pull the chuck in using the allthread? It doesn't matter if the allthread bends a bit, it is only there to stop it falling out. Another option is to get some 6mm allthread and tap a bit of a 10mm and join 2 bits or weld 2 bits together.

DJ, I'll try the thread into chuck first method, hopefully that will do it. Once I get my 7x14 mini metal lathe I can try your second suggestion.

[DJ’s Timber]

Let us know how it goes, if needed I can drill and tap a short bolt and post for you, have all the gear here to do so.

[Big Shed]

Let us know how it goes, if needed I can drill and tap a short bolt and post for you, have all the gear here to do so.

Thanks DJ, I'll see how I go first with the first method. Need to put the lathe back together first after my little "episode" with the stuck pulley. Got a new A22 belt yesterday as well as some replacement grub screws.

[eazis1]

where did you buy the collet set and chuck from

[Big Shed]

CTC Tools on Ebay.

Make sure you look closely at the different prices and shipping, they tend to vary enormously within his store.

I paid $A30 including shipping for the ER25 chuck and $A60 including shipping for the 15 collet set. They arrived within about 10 days.

Have now used the chuck/collet combo with both the A and B mandrel, works like a charm.

Am currently organising a couple of closed end pen mandrels from the US.