Sherline Tool Holding

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BinaryAndy

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How are you guys holding odd-size tools in your 3/4-16 Sherline spindles? So far all I can find is solid end mill holders and MT1 collets, neither of which have any clamping size range to speak of.

I have found Chinese MT1 shank ER collet chucks, which would have a few advantages: collets I can share with the manual mill, no size gaps, and repeatable tool lengths (it's a CNC). Has anybody used these? Are there any terrible rigidity issues?

I'm quite surprised I haven't found any ER chucks for the Sherline 3/4-16 thread.
 
There are aftermarket spindle assemblies that take the ER collet series instead of the MT1.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Headstock-E...200?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d8d66628

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Headstock-E...397?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d8f4aced

They're a bit pricey for my budget. I plan to make tool holders for the 3/4-16 spindle thread and abandon the little MT taper. Right now I'm still using the Sherline collets. Here's my butcher job: http://www.weaponsguild.com/forum/index.php?topic=37770.0
 
I have seen those ER spindles. As you said, that's a bit too much money, plus then I could never use tool offsets properly as lengths are not repeatable.

My leading thought at the moment is to pick up some MT1 ER20 chucks, turn the back of the chuck part of it into a true shoulder, and single-point thread and face a 3/4-16 nut. Then I can thread the nut onto the spindle, put the chuck in the spindle, tighten up the drawbar, and snug the nut up against that shoulder. I would think that should give it adequate rigidity. Thoughts?
 
Beall tools makes an ER-32 chuck that fits the Sherline headstock well. I've been using one for years now and find it indispensable on the lathe and mill.
 
I saw those Beall chucks a while back, they look pretty nice. I don't think I'll go that route though, for two reasons: price (I couldn't really justify buying more than one), and ER32 is rather more massive than I'd like for the Sherline.
 
Actually, an ER-25 set up would be ideal for the Sherline. The problem is that you have to build it since nobody I know of sells one. ER chucks aren't that hard to build and you can buy the nut. Its on my list of stuff to do.

For work holding, the ER-32 is great. I love it when using gravers right up close to the chuck since i don't have to worry about chuck jaws taking a knuckle off.
 
If you're looking for repeatability I still think the individual tool holders are the way to go I wish I could find the thread on making those. You simply bore and thread the stock for 3/4-16 and thread it on the mill spindle. Then let the CNC program turn the holder down to size on the OD and bore the ID for the tool. Then drill and tap for the set screw and you have a tool holder that will return to zero every time.
 
mikey said:
Actually, an ER-25 set up would be ideal for the Sherline. The problem is that you have to build it since nobody I know of sells one. ER chucks aren't that hard to build and you can buy the nut. Its on my list of stuff to do.
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Wouldn't it though? I'd rather go with ER-20 simply because it's smaller and I can't think of any tools I would put in the Sherline (or my Linley jig borer for that matter) that must have a shank bigger than 1/2". As far as making them, I can't really do metric threads or internal grinding, so that seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Rick, if I were to make solid holders, I'd start with A2Z's $5 blank ones. I probably will do that, but I'd still like to have collets for things like drills and oddly-sized reamer shafts.
 
BinaryAndy said:
Wouldn't it though? I'd rather go with ER-20 simply because it's smaller and I can't think of any tools I would put in the Sherline (or my Linley jig borer for that matter) that must have a shank bigger than 1/2". As far as making them, I can't really do metric threads or internal grinding, so that seems like more trouble than it's worth.
Click to expand...

Understood. However, an ER-20 or ER-25 holder would only allow the use of single-sided end mills, while the Beall ER-32 holder will allow the use of double-end mills.

End mill holders work fine and are simple to make. They aren't as accurate as a collet, though. The problem with them is that occasionally the set screw can slip and allow the end mill to corkscrew into the work, ruining the work piece. I've had this happen several times and no longer use end mill holders.
 
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