# Speed Handle Chuck Key For Bison 5c Collet Chuck



## mksj (Mar 13, 2016)

I have had a few 5C collet chucks through the years, and the latest one by Bison takes 2-3X as many crank turns on the chuck key to get the collets seated.  With some arthritis in my hands, it wasn't much fun twirling the chuck key a zillion times to change collets. Ideally, maybe a 5C speed chuck or collet closer would have been better but more pricey. I had a spare vise speed handle that I wasn't using, so decided to modified for use on the 5C chuck. Using the center hole, a 3/4" rod fits perfectly in the hex. I used some 3/4" oil rod, machined flats for the key end and and then secured it to the speed handle handle with a 5/16" fine thread pointed set screw. Very rigid, and makes much quicker work of switching collets. The added benefit is that there is enough leverage using it like a T handle to lock the collet in securely and it is very comfortable to use. My hands are happier.


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## alloy (Mar 13, 2016)

Great idea.  I know what my next project will be now.


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## kd4gij (Mar 13, 2016)

I made an adaptor for a 3/8 air ratchet.


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## Ed ke6bnl (Mar 13, 2016)

very nice job, I finally made a through the spindle collet holder and is very useful at times.


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## ch2co (Mar 13, 2016)

Very nice.  I kludge it with an old battery powered hand drill with the clutch set to minimum. Forward and reverse and variable speed.
When I'm close to closing, I switch over to the hand key. Yours is far more elegant. 

CHuck the grumpy old guy


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## petertha (Mar 16, 2016)

I'm not familiar with the speed handle, but are you twisting it say a half-rotation, then e-engaging key, give another twist...? ie. I'm wondering if the handle can clear the top of the lathe headstock to tighten continuously? Ive been thinking about either a ratchet wrench or cordless driver solution myself. I don't think there is a lot of torque requirement just tightening until the collet is clamping. Maybe even one of those little hex drivers?  (but cheaper if they exist). Heck they even have torque-out limiters, you could tighten to precise grip settings 

https://www.zorocanada.com/i/G4934176/?gclid=CK7R8rzvxcsCFU6SfgodGvwGZg&gclsrc=aw.ds


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## kd4gij (Mar 30, 2016)

I use an air ratchet for speed.


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## mksj (Mar 31, 2016)

petertha said:


> I'm not familiar with the speed handle, but are you twisting it say a half-rotation, then e-engaging key, give another twist...? ie. I'm wondering if the handle can clear the top of the lathe headstock to tighten continuously? Ive been thinking about either a ratchet wrench or cordless driver solution myself. I don't think there is a lot of torque requirement just tightening until the collet is clamping. Maybe even one of those little hex drivers? (but cheaper if they exist).



The speed handle is the same width as the T chuck handle, it easily clears the headstock because the 5C chucks are fairly long so you spin the handle continuously until the collets seats. Then tighten like a T handle. It is very easy to get as much torque or more than a standard T handle to tighten,  the radius ends are much easier on the hand and you don't have the wobble of a taller T handle. I considered electric and air, but they are to bulky and one more thing to get in the way. Also would be concerned of cross threading and over tightening the collet which could easily happen. Some of my collets by Lyndex are very tight, I have to carefully wiggle them in and makes sure the thread is catching before spinning the handle.


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## bss1 (Dec 31, 2016)

I finally had a chance to use the MKSJ speed handle on my Bison collet chuck. It really works well. If you have one of these chucks, this speed handle is the ticket. I didn't even bother unwrapping the stock key after trying this handle


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## Ken226 (May 12, 2017)

Genius!!  I'll be making myself one ASAP.


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## darkzero (May 12, 2017)

Great idea!


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## ch2co (May 13, 2017)

OK, so its NOT elegant, but I was going to throw the cheap old hand drill in the trash when I got a new Bosch pair.
The batteries on this old thing aren't good enough to last through most of my normal jobs whereas the Bosch's will run for days 
of use without recharging. At first I was just going to try using it for my 5C chuck which takes forever to switch collets in by hand 
and was so impressed with how it worked that now it just permanently resides right next to (or on top of) my lathe. It works great 
for my 3-jaw and 4-jaw chucks as well. I have the clutch set for rather low torque so it only spins the chuck adjuster to very slightly 
snug where I finish of the job with the old T-handle. The variable speed trigger and reverse switch make it the cats meow to use.




	

		
			
		

		
	
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