# REGO-FIX HK clamping nut?



## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

I'm a newbie to machining but after about a year of fooling around I now can confidently place an *ER 32 collet* into the clamping nut and screw it into the collet chuck on my 7X12. And I've made some nice small diameter things of 304 SS.

BUT: all of a sudden I got a severe attack of *tool envy*


	

		
			
		

		
	
  and bought a Swiss made *REGO-FIX clamping nut* really cheap at a garage sale.
*PROBLEM*: unlike mt humble Chinese made collet nut, the REGO has no eccentric ridge that allows me to wiggle the collet into the clamp before setting it into the collet chuck.
*HOW DOES THE REGO-FIX CLAMP WORK?*
In the first pic below, you can see the familiar eccentric ring in my usual clamping nut. No problem.
In the second pic, the Rego-fix, there is no such ring. The only way I figure to insert the collet is to insert the collet into the chuck first and then tighten down the nut over it. That is a really (really, really!) tight fit, so I haven't done it. I don't want to apply full force cause I'm afraid that this is not the right way. Then again, the REGO-FIX may work in an entirely different way. The models currently available are "Hi-Q", but mine is an "HK".
*
ANY SUGGESTIONS?*


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## Mitch Alsup (Feb 22, 2018)

From the interior nut machining--it is clear that the new nut is designed just to clamp the collet and not to hold the collet as it is being inserted or removed from the collet chuck.

The front taper will push and align the collet on the axis of the chuck.
The only issue I see is that the collet may become bound in the chuck itself whereas the std nut would <help> pull the collet off the back taper as it is unscrewed.

I, myself, would give it a try. IF it works great, if not, you probably did not spend too much on it anyway.


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## mikey (Feb 22, 2018)

Your new nut is apparently not an ER nut. HK collets are an entirely different collet system but I don't know much about them. All Rego-fix er nuts have the eccentric that allow you to snap in an er collet.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 22, 2018)

Interesting.
Based on this video, some collet nuts are designed without the eccentric ring and instead they use an E-clip to hold the nut,the two Rego-Fix collet nuts that I have both have the eccentric ring:


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## woodchucker (Feb 22, 2018)

Does yours have the dimple? Does it just hold by friction? Or  is a highspeed nut.


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

mikey said:


> Your new nut is apparently not an ER nut. HK collets are an entirely different collet system but I don't know much about them. All Rego-fix er nuts have the eccentric that allow you to snap in an er collet.



Many thanks to Mitch and to Mike.
Mike: Clearly printed on the front of the nut: "HK/ ER 32"


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

woodchucker said:


> Does yours have the dimple? Does it just hold by friction? Or  is a highspeed nut.


It does not have a dimple anywhere. It is not a high speed. It is the "friction bearing style" indicated above in Ken's video.


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## mikey (Feb 22, 2018)

jouesdeveaux said:


> Many thanks to Mitch and to Mike.
> Mike: Clearly printed on the front of the nut: "HK/ ER 32"



I confess that I have no idea how that nut works. Sorry to be useless here.


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

Ken from ontario said:


> Interesting.
> Based on this video, some collet nuts are designed without the eccentric ring and instead they use an E-clip to hold the nut,the two Rego-Fix collet nuts that I have both have the eccentric ring:



Many thanks for this video. It gets me closer to a solution, but no brass ring just yet.
My REGO is clearly labeled "HK/ER 32". It is just like the one he shows in the first series of nuts. It has a "friction bearing", but UNLIKE THE ONE HE SHOWS, MY ER 32 COLLETS DON'T "SNAP IN". They are a tad too large. I can't get the collet to "snap in" by hand.  I would have to tighten the nut down over the collet chuck, forcing the head of the collet to contract enough to snap past the ridge of the friction bearing.  If I did that (without breaking something), I've no idea how I'd retract the collet from the clamping nut.


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## markba633csi (Feb 22, 2018)

I've an idea: call Rego


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

Mitch Alsup said:


> From the interior nut machining--it is clear that the new nut is designed just to clamp the collet and not to hold the collet as it is being inserted or removed from the collet chuck.
> 
> The front taper will push and align the collet on the axis of the chuck.
> The only issue I see is that the collet may become bound in the chuck itself whereas the std nut would <help> pull the collet off the back taper as it is unscrewed.
> ...



I might try tightening down the clamping nut onto the collet chuck. I can imagine the collet, which is tapered,  compressing enough to snap past the ridge that runs around the friction bearing inside the nut. To remove,  I can even imagine unscrewing the clamping nut from the collet chuck. What I can't imagine is how I would get the collet out of the nut since the collet  would be held tightly in by the friction bearing's ridge.


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

markba633csi said:


> I've an idea: call Rego



I e-mailed them. I'll let you know what I hear.


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## markba633csi (Feb 22, 2018)

I was kind of teasing you but who better would know? I think we are all stumped
Mark


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 22, 2018)

markba633csi said:


> I was kind of teasing you but who better would know? I think we are all stumped
> Mark


A good idea nevertheless!


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## kd4gij (Feb 22, 2018)

jouesdeveaux said:


> Many thanks for this video. It gets me closer to a solution, but no brass ring just yet.
> My REGO is clearly labeled "HK/ER 32". It is just like the one he shows in the first series of nuts. It has a "friction bearing", but UNLIKE THE ONE HE SHOWS, MY ER 32 COLLETS DON'T "SNAP IN". They are a tad too large. I can't get the collet to "snap in" by hand.  I would have to tighten the nut down over the collet chuck, forcing the head of the collet to contract enough to snap past the ridge of the friction bearing.  If I did that (without breaking something), I've no idea how I'd retract the collet from the clamping nut.




 What brand collets do you have.  You should be able to stick one side in and pull it straight.   Some imports may be a little  over size on the od.


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 23, 2018)

Mark suggested I contact REGO, and I took his advice. Here is the very classy response from Jon Harvey of REGO:
Gerry

_Good morning,

The HK/ER series of nuts is pretty old, we are thinking they came out in the late 90s or so. It is entirely possible that the design didn’t quite hold up over the years to match what we are not producing as far as collets go. Unfortunately we can’t really help as far as that specific nut goes since we really have no way to check and see the issue ourselves.

That being said, could you give me your shipping address? We’ll ship you our current friction bearing nut free of charge. It’ll have the same internal coarse threads and all that, however it would be the most current product and we would be able to guarantee it working with your collet. Hell, you’ll likely see an increase in clamping force with the newer design as well!

Let me know and we’ll get a nut shipped out asap.
* 
Jon Harvey I *Technical Support
REGO-FIX Tool Corp._


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 23, 2018)

kd4gij said:


> What brand collets do you have.  You should be able to stick one side in and pull it straight.   Some imports may be a little  over size on the od.


Thanks, KD. My collets are by Maritool. They fit into clamping nuts with an eccentric ring but not into clamping nuts WITHOUT an eccentric ring.


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## mikey (Feb 23, 2018)

That is how a good company should respond. Sadly, it is an uncommon thing nowadays but its nice to see. Thanks for sharing.


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## Bob Korves (Feb 23, 2018)

I am sure that the posting of the kind act by Rego-Fix here on H-M will be returned many times over by new customers looking for that kind of customer service.  You reap what you sow...


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 27, 2018)

Today I received the new Clamping nut from REGO-FIX. It is their latest: Hi-Q ERB32 for ER 32 collets. Just like the one that did NOT work for me, the new one has a friction bearing ring. UNLIKE the one that didn't work for me, the the lip of the friction bearing ring is ECCENTRIC and is marked with a dimple where you insert the tilted collet. Then the collet just snaps in.  Then is closes down onto the threaded collet chuck. To get maximum gripping, REGO suggests using a torque wrench. For my LMS collet chuck hitched to a Grizzly 7X12, my pin-spanner works fine by hand. I tried it on some of the small diameters (like 0.083"), and I could not make the rod budge in the collet no matter how hard I tried. 

Happy ending. My tool envy syndrome now has acquired a top-of-the-drawer swiss-made clamping nut.


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## mikey (Feb 28, 2018)

jouesdeveaux said:


> My tool envy syndrome now has acquired a top-of-the-drawer swiss-made clamping nut.



Who woulda' thunk that a nut could inspire such happiness and confidence! Rego-Fix - really, really good stuff.

Congrats!


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## Cadillac STS (Feb 28, 2018)

jouesdeveaux said:


> Today I received the new Clamping nut from REGO-FIX. It is their latest: Hi-Q ERB32 for ER 32 collets. Just like the one that did NOT work for me, the new one has a friction bearing ring. UNLIKE the one that didn't work for me, the the lip of the friction bearing ring is ECCENTRIC and is marked with a dimple where you insert the tilted collet. Then the collet just snaps in.  Then is closes down onto the threaded collet chuck. *To get maximum gripping, REGO suggests using a torque wrench.* For my LMS collet chuck hitched to a Grizzly 7X12, my pin-spanner works fine by hand. I tried it on some of the small diameters (like 0.083"), and I could not make the rod budge in the collet no matter how hard I tried.
> 
> Happy ending. My tool envy syndrome now has acquired a top-of-the-drawer swiss-made clamping nut.



Would someone describe how to use a torque wrench on the collet?  Is there a special torque wrench for it?  How to set up a standard one wo work?

I thought about making a deep socket adapter with a 1/2 inch square on the bottom for a torque wrench.  Is this tool available?  Needs to be deep enough for the stick out of the tool.


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## jouesdeveaux (Feb 28, 2018)

Cadillac STS said:


> Would someone describe how to use a torque wrench on the collet?  Is there a special torque wrench for it?  How to set up a standard one wo work?
> 
> I thought about making a deep socket adapter with a 1/2 inch square on the bottom for a torque wrench.  Is this tool available?  Needs to be deep enough for the stick out of the tool.


REGO has some info on it on their web site.


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## Ken from ontario (Feb 28, 2018)

I just tighten it well enough so when I go to loosen it I'd need to exert some force to  release the nut. practice makes perfect.


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## mikey (Feb 28, 2018)

Cadillac STS said:


> Would someone describe how to use a torque wrench on the collet?  Is there a special torque wrench for it?  How to set up a standard one wo work?
> 
> I thought about making a deep socket adapter with a 1/2 inch square on the bottom for a torque wrench.  Is this tool available?  Needs to be deep enough for the stick out of the tool.



It appears that the torque wrench adapters are made to fit a specific type of torque wrench. The one that Techniks uses is made by Norbar and most adapters made by Parlec, Rego-Fix, Techniks and others all fit this type of wrench. It just happens to not fit the ones most of us already own. I have Sturtevant-Richmont and Precision Instruments torque wrenches; they are an industry standard that are used in many factories and the auto repair industry but none of the torque adapters for ER collets fit them.

I have not been able to find an adapter that will work with a standard 3/8 or 1/2" drive torque wrench. They do make some with a square drive hole broached into a spanner but I'm not sure how accurate they are. 

The bottom line is that if you want to accurately torque an ER nut then you have to buy a Norbar torque wrench and the adapter to fit your nut. Stupid, yes, but that is the reality. Now someone will come along and tell us that you can make one and do this or that calculation but let's see the verified confirmation of torque values before we all jump, okay?

To torque an ER nut properly, you should use a fixture to hold the chuck and then torque the nut with a torque wrench with the proper adapter. Trying to do this with the chuck in the milling or lathe spindle is difficult and probably inaccurate. However, that is how most of us do it, sans the torque wrench.


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## Buffalo21 (Feb 28, 2018)

I drilled a 3/16” hole in the side of the R8 x ER32 collet chuck, so I could use a pin wrench (swing type) to tighten/loosen the retaining nut. I found this to be the easiest and most convenient method, for me to get the end mill tight in the ER collet.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 1, 2018)

Ken from ontario said:


> I just tighten it well enough so when I go to loosen it I'd need to exert some force to  release the nut. practice makes perfect.


Ken, you might be surprised at the torque specs for ER collets.  The larger ER collet sizes call for some hefty pulls to be at the recommended torque.


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## Ken from ontario (Mar 2, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> Ken, you might be surprised at the torque specs for ER collets.  *The larger ER collet sizes call for some hefty pulls to be at the recommended torque*.


I don't doubt that Bob , if the proper torque wrench wasn't so out of reach for us hobbyists I wouldn't hesitate to get one, I happen to have a strong grip in my left hand lol.
I do admit when I first got the ER chuck I underestimated the necessary clamping force but I blame some of it on the cheap  ER nut that came with it.


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## Cadillac STS (Mar 2, 2018)

I got an ER 25 ball bearing collet nut. Nice to see it work with the tightening pulling the collet directly down as the bearing turns instead of tightening while rotating directly on the collet. 

Probably imperceptible difference in performance in my hobby use situation but seems like a nice way to go.


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## Bob Korves (Mar 2, 2018)

Ken from ontario said:


> I don't doubt that Bob , if the proper torque wrench wasn't so out of reach for us hobbyists I wouldn't hesitate to get one, I happen to have a strong grip in my left hand lol.
> I do admit when I first got the ER chuck I underestimated the necessary clamping force but I blame some of it on the cheap  ER nut that came with it.


Torque is a pretty simple thing to test roughly, without specialized torque wrenches, to get in the ball park.  Torque is measured in foot/pounds, or in newton/meters.  Using the imperial system, if you are pulling from one foot distance from the spindle center line, with one pound of force, then you are placing one foot pound of torque on the nut.  40 pounds of pull at one foot is 40 foot pounds.  80 pounds at 6 inches is 40 foot pounds.  Simple arithmetic.  So, take the wrench you are using for tightening your collets and drill a hole in it near the end of the handle.  Measure how far that is from the spindle center line.  Get something simple like a spring fish scale, hook it in the new wrench hole and pull on the handle hard enough to reach the torque you are looking for, using math to find the needed pull.  You would not need to do this every time, just do it to get a good feel for the actual recommended tightening force.  You could also put a square hole in the handle and use an actual square drive torque wrench to tighten the collet, and that works.  Kind of awkward, and requires doing the math for the compound torque of the compounded wrenches.  I'm sure there are other ideas.  I do not use ER collets, so far, but I know for sure that I would not buy a dedicated torque wrench for them if I did have them.


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## mikey (Mar 2, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> ... I do not use ER collets, so far...



Yeah, but we're working on your mind, Bob!


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## Bob Korves (Mar 2, 2018)

mikey said:


> Yeah, but we're working on your mind, Bob!


I am learning about them.  They do have some advantages (as well as disadvantages) over the more traditional 5C and R8 collets I use now.  The biggest advantage is the larger range of holding size for a given collet.  I don't have a real need or want for the ER collets right now, but that might change...


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## Ken from ontario (Mar 2, 2018)

Luckily I'm not having problems with the ER nut loosening up on me lately but your method sounds easy enough to follow if I needed to.
As you guessed, I don't think I would ever buy a dedicated torque wrench myself either .
Great post BTW.


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## Ken from ontario (Mar 2, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> I am learning about them.  They do have some advantages (as well as disadvantages) over the more traditional 5C and R8 collets I use now.  The biggest advantage is the larger range of holding size for a given collet. * I don't have a real need or want for the ER collets right now*, but that might change...


But it sounds like you're warming up to it.maybe a Xmas gift?


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