# Lathe spindle ER Collet adapter build



## master53yoda (Jan 13, 2015)

I was looking at this site http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/atlas/ER25/ER25.html where he put a ER collet head on his lathe,  I'm planning on doing similiar to my 12 x 36 craftsman with the ER40 collets.I have 3 of the nuts coming,  The ER40 goes to 1" and that is about what the bore on the spindle is.    Has anyone done similiar with their lathe and is this description a good method to get the angles right for the collets.   It looks like i can get all the collets that i want and not have anymore then about 100.00 involved.    It looks to me like it is the best way  to get quick acurate sets on shaft work.  My son also said that one of the advantages to the collets is that they will not leave any clamping marks on the pieces.    

As one of my ways of funding mys shop i do metal casting,  I have had a number of request for different size hand wheels.   I pour the hand wheels with a ZA27 alloy  and that part is easy but  getting little hand crank to put on them has been an issue for me because of the hastle of multiple setting of the shafting and the collets would really speed that up.

Art B


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## aametalmaster (Jan 22, 2015)

I made the first ER-40 collet chuck for a lathe. Pretty simple to make. I made my own nut minus the ring. I do use an alum knock out bar through the spindle to loosen the collet. Bob 
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/album.php?albumid=317


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## kd4gij (Jan 22, 2015)

I made an er40 collet chuck for my 12x36 craftsman.
setting the compound


boaring the chuck


The finished chuck


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## master53yoda (Jan 25, 2015)

today i got the ER40 collet set and unboxed it    I ordered a MT2 to 3 adapter for the spindle and a MT2 collet chuck.   MY thoughts were that i could use the adapter in the spindle until I got the ER40 collet chuck made and then the MT2 could be used in the tale stock or in my tool post.   It would also allow me to put my surfacing tooling in the lathe if i wanted it for something.

I'm making a draw bar for it designed to knock out the MT2 as well as the MT3 adapter separately.   I'm planning on Casting a handwheel with a nut and washer  cast in for alignment and hand-tightening of the draw bar with the ability to put a wrench on the nut for final torque of the drawbar.

I am looking at 12L14 for the collet chuck,  I'm wondering if there is any reason to heat treat the collet chuck ,  I have an electic kiln that I can use for heat treating.


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## kd4gij (Jan 25, 2015)

nice set of collets.


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## aametalmaster (Jan 25, 2015)

master53yoda said:


> I am looking at 12L14 for the collet chuck,  I'm wondering if there is any reason to heat treat the collet chuck ,  I have an electic kiln that I can use for heat treating.



I don't know about heat treating 12L14 didn't think you could do that with that flavor of metal because of the sulfur content. I would make a spindle protector nut to remove (pull) the MT free from the spindle. I have some other MT items that i use in the spindle and once i smacked the end of the drawbar and moved my headstock down the ways. Just my thought. I have 2 lengths of spindle nuts to fit the large gap between the spindle and the part in the spindle because there is such a large gap with #3 MT tooling...Bob


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## aametalmaster (Jan 25, 2015)

The first pic is a MT #3 end mill holder and a std length thread protector.
The second pic is the same #3 MT end mill holder used with a thicker thread protector.
Third and fourth pic is my boring head since you had one in your kit. I made my own arbor and threaded it to match the head. Fifth is my drawbar on my boring head...Bob


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## randyc (Feb 6, 2015)

I made an ER-40 collet system for a small Emco Compact 8 about five or six years ago.  It's still on the machine and has given excellent service.  You can find a complete build description at the following:

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/threads/45707-ER-40-Collet-For-Emco-quot-Compact-Eight-quot


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## randyc (Feb 6, 2015)

This is a fine expedient, however.  Dial in the work in the collet in the 4-jaw and have at it.





I keep one lathe (the Emco) set up with collets always and the Sheldon always set up with the 4-jaw.  But if I don't want to disturb the setup on the small machine and have need of collets, this works great.


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## Billh50 (Feb 6, 2015)

I just finished drawing up an ER32 collet chuck for my mini-lathe.


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## metalman133 (Feb 19, 2015)

Hi Randyc,
I have just posted a question about holding an er40 chuck in a lathe chuck but I am using a 3 jaw chuck. I do have a 4 jaw independent chuck though. Do you think using the er40 in a 3 jaw is a sensible idea, provided I don't remove the er40  from it until work is complete? Or should I use the 4 jaw like you have done?


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## darkzero (Feb 19, 2015)

metalman133 said:


> Do you think using the er40 in a 3 jaw is a sensible idea, provided I don't remove the er40  from it until work is complete? Or should I use the 4 jaw like you have done?



Of course you may but the point of using a collet system is for the low runout. Any runout in your 3-jaw chuck will be added to the ER chuck. It's best to use the 4-jaw to dial in the ER chuck but if runout is not the main concern in your case then it would work fine.


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## kd4gij (Feb 19, 2015)

I agree with Darkzero. But if you have 2 pice jaws on your 3 jaw, You gould make soft jaw and bore them for the collet chuck then it would run true.


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## Renderbrandt (May 19, 2015)

Billh50 said:


> I just finished drawing up an ER32 collet chuck for my mini-lathe.



Which one do you have?


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