# Non-Standard 3C Collet



## Robert LaLonde (Jan 18, 2018)

Other than making one is there any way to get a 3C collet in 5/8?  I know I could have one custom made, but that's silly.  It would be handy for a repetitive job I am working on to do the heavy operations on the big lathe and some lighter operations on the smaller lathe.  The problem is I have it setup with 3C collets and a closer and I absolutely hate bolting on and unbolting a chuck on the small lathe or the mini lathe. Its just a big pain.

Anyway, Is there any chance 5/8 is one of those out of spec sizes that just happens to exist anyway.  Like 7/16 for ER16 or 5/16 for ER11. They are outside the spec, but they are commonly enough made that you can hunt around and buy them for about the same price as spec size collets.  There is a enough meat on a 3C for it.  It wouldn't go all the way through, but my 1/2 inch 3C collets don't go all the way through either.


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## kd4gij (Jan 18, 2018)

Here you go. Just bore to size.
https://www.amazon.com/TTC-3C-STEEL-Emergency-Collet/dp/B006UHAVDS


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## owl (Jan 19, 2018)

The body of a 3C collet is only .650".  To take out .625 inside won't leave much.  You will certainly cut into the index groove.


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## chips&more (Jan 19, 2018)

You would have a very shallow 5/8” hole, but doable. If it were me, I would just make the collet, easy enough...Dave


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 19, 2018)

It doesn't have to be very deep for this job, and its a job I might have to do again if I decided to offer the product for general sale on my website.  I might not since its a manual part.  That takes time away from design work.  I threw an outrageous price (I thought) at a customer, and he said, "Great.  Send me 25 of them."  That's always tempting.  

I think that emergency collet should just do the trick.  I might just buy a couple of them.


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## westsailpat (Jan 19, 2018)

This might work for you . This seller is always way over priced , he is taking a offer on this though . What is your website ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MACHINIST-TOOLS-LATHE-MILL-Machinist-Lot-of-2-8-MM-Collets-3C-/401264485843


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 19, 2018)

westsailpat said:


> This might work for you . This seller is always way over priced , he is taking a offer on this though . What is your website ?
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/MACHINIST-TOOLS-LATHE-MILL-Machinist-Lot-of-2-8-MM-Collets-3C-/401264485843



I'll have to go look at my collets, but either he has goliath sized hands or those look awfully small to be 3C collets.  

cncmolds.com


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## woodchucker (Jan 19, 2018)

Bob La Londe said:


> I'll have to go look at my collets, but either he has goliath sized hands or those look awfully small to be 3C collets.
> 
> cncmolds.com


Don't ever buy from gigigirl111 , he rips you off on shipping, and he will not respond if you have a problem. He is a POS.


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 19, 2018)

woodchucker said:


> Don't ever buy from gigigirl111 , he rips you off on shipping, and he will not respond if you have a problem. He is a POS.



Did you take the time to wait out the mandatory cooling off period and leave negative feedback?


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 19, 2018)

Looking at pictures side by side... I DON'T THINK SO.


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## Silverbullet (Jan 19, 2018)

There are more then one size 3 series collets. Or close to them , some older cutter grinders and watch maker LATHES have there own type but are classed in the 3c because of the sb lathe uses them as many others made there own . The luck is finding the ones you need. Think I remember 3at or 3y were also being sold. Not sure so it's not gospel .


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 19, 2018)

Well, that might be, but I've picked up 3C hardware from a number of different sources, and except for that image never seen anything that didn't work with my 3C spindle adapter.


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## 4GSR (Jan 19, 2018)

For reference, 3C and 1A will fully interchange with other.  The 1A collet is a 1/8" shorter on the over all length.  I've only seen a 9/16 collet that was only bored back about 1/2 to 5/8 back.  The used to make a step collets that had a head on the collet of about 1" OD x about 1" long that was for boring out to a particular size by about 3/4" deep. SBL also made "pot" collets, I think they can still be purchased from Harlinge for a big price.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, the 3AT collet will not interchange with the 3C collet.  They are way different from each other.
If anyone has a 15th edition or earlier edition of the MAchinery's Handbook, there is basic dimensional data shown for the many different collets out there at the time.


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## Bob Korves (Jan 19, 2018)

4gsr said:


> EDIT: Forgot to mention, the 3AT collet will not interchange with the 3C collet. They are way different from each other.


From 10 feet away they look about the same.  Different length, different taper angle.


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## westsailpat (Jan 20, 2018)

I never really cared for gigigirl's auctions , always over priced and a lousy description . And now I look stupid for passing it along . My apologies .


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## 4GSR (Jan 20, 2018)

Im sorry, those are not 3C collets, period!  

And I agree, I refuse to do business with him ever again, with the few things I've bought from him too.


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## The_Apprentice (Jan 22, 2018)

Woah, thanks for the buyer-beware on that. Though I am a little puzzled still:
99.9% Positive feedback


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 22, 2018)

The_Apprentice said:


> Woah, thanks for the buyer-beware on that. Though I am a little puzzled still:
> 99.9% Positive feedback



Ebay makes it difficult to leave negative or even neutral feedback anymore.  Their objective is to complete as many sales as possible so that they can make as much money on their commission as possible.  If somebody is totally lying you still have to wait seven (7) days before you can leave a negative, but you can leave a positive right away.  There is a low chance of being ripped off totally on Ebay anymore, but you can have your money tied up and your time wasted.  I guess Ebay only cares about sellers time and money.

Some Ebay sellers deliberately and knowingly sell products that are inaccurate in order to take advantage of the situation.  There was one recently selling old Russian cast iron anvils recently and listing them as forged steel with a specific Rockwelll hardness.  They simply refunded the money and let the buyer keep the anvil shaped object when a buyer called them out on it.  They were priced at what would be a decent price for a forged steel anvil, but about 6 times what a cast iron anvil shaped object sells for.  I expect they made enough on the ones sold to buyers that didn't know any better to not care about the ones they refunded.  They were still making money.  I expect most folks were happy to get their money back and get to keep the chuck of cast iron.  The few who felt it necessary to leave negative feedback probably didn't think it was worth the effort to come back after their mandatory cooling off period to leave negative feedback.

The whole thing perverts the feedback system and weights feedback towards the positive.  Add on that feedback over a certain time period doesn't count against you and it gets even further weighted.  I have 100% positive feedback, but several years back I received a negative from a customer who didn't see that I only accepted PayPal on Ebay and he didn't like PayPal.  It happens.  While my feedback shows 100% I technically should have 99.999% positive or something like that.


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