collets...

[joebiplane]

I need to have a way to hold things in the spindle like cutter or drills, etc.
i see r8 ' Holders' and i see collets that must have to go into a special holder
i must admit i'm confused ( not unusual) My old mill 25 years ago ( Like a Rong fu as I recall) took a collet and was drawn into the spindle with a Bar threaded to the collett from up near the drive belts.
How will the SX3 seig handle this department ????
Thanks and i'm sorry for asking such a basic question
joe

 

[Amigo]

Joe, if it were me, I would go with the R-8 option in the Seig 3. After checking Dave's link, I see that that machine is offered in both MT3 &/or R8. MT3 would be ok if all you are going to use in it would be a drill chuck, but drill chucks do not tolerate end mills well.
Since you already have a Rong Fu, which are usually R8 spindled, I'd stick with R8 for cross-machine compatibility.

Another thing, there are R8 collets which have a MT2 internal taper for mounting a drill chuck. Yes, a MT2 drill chuck is usually limited to a 1/2" to 17/32" capacity, but the Seig 2 or 3 probably does not have the power to pull much more than that. However, if occasion did arise where a bigger dia. drill was needed, a Deming drill could be used. And, if that were the case you might be able to pull up to an inch dia. drill by series step drilling so that each drill did not have to remove much metal.