# Loop 5C Collet Chuck Build



## Ecosta777 (Jan 31, 2019)

Hello everyone,
I've been on this site for a little bit but this is my first 'real' post on here. I'll start out by saying I am a machinist by trade- I started in the tech program in high school and have been doing it for about 8 years now, but I also have machines in my basement and love to do machining as a hobby. I really enjoy making my own tools, so when I stumbled upon the Loop collet chuck I had to get it. I've seen some posts about it on here and know some members have built this, but I didn't see any threads about it. It is available from Metal Lathe Accessories if anyone is interested here's the link - Metal Lathe Accessories I mostly had tracked my progress on Instagram, but compiled everything onto one video and put it on YouTube. Sorry for the lack of 'action' shots, but the video gives you a great video of what goes into building one of these. I have a  few photos of the finished chuck I attached as well.

Here's the video link, Making The Loop Collet Chuck
and if you don't want to watch it the steps I took to make it are as follows:

I did a little research and knew I had to make some special tools like the trepanning, and radius grooving tool. I first made these, then went on to the castings. I roughed the castings in on the large lathe we have at work, since it would have been very time consuming on my small South Bend. I started with the back plates, and made an extra for my dividing head just in case I ever decide to use it on it. I figure I never will but on the off chance I do swap it, I'd like to have it made already! I machined the locacting boss for the dividing head plate, and then threaded the 2 1/4" - 10 thread. The lathe plate has a 1 1/2"-8 thread, which I did after finishing the backside of the plate. When the thread was done I threaded it onto the spindle to machine the rest of the features in place so everything will be as concentric as possible to the thread. After all the turning was done I did the bolt holes and lock bar holes on the rotary table and dividing head.

After the back plates were machined, I moved onto the lock ring. Its made from stress proof steel - I started by facing and boring out the backside, as well as threading the  1 1/4"-20 hole for the 5C collet. After that was done I flipped it around and turned the OD and faced off the back. Next it was time to work on the body of the chuck. I bored / trepanned the inside diameters, and faced off the back and the boss to be square to the bore. I then set up the radius grooving tool for the ball bearings. After I had machined the groove in the body, I left the tool set where it was and set up the rest of the parts requiring the groove one by one in the four jaw chuck. This way the groove came out exactly the same in all of the parts.

After this the back plate was fitted to the chuck and put on the lathe for finish machining. I bored the hole for the 5C collet, and then once the straight bore was done I stuck a collet in to indicate the cross slide to match for boring the tapered section. Once the collet bore was complete I turned the outside features of the body (the tapered nose, and face) After all machining was done the surfaces that were going to remain exposed metal were sanded up to 400 grit and polished with Simichrome. Then they were masked and the chuck was painted. While the paint was drying I machined the lock bar holes and finger grooves in the locking ring. Once the paint set for a few days I assembled it and tested it out! Using a 1/2" dowel pin I only got about .0002" of runout!

I really enjoyed making this collet chuck, and have already ordered another kit from MLA - the boring and facing head. Here are some finished photos of the chuck.
Eric


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## COMachinist (Jan 31, 2019)

Very nice, I liked the video also, well done.
CH


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## macardoso (Jan 31, 2019)

Beautiful Work


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## Fitter Bill (Feb 3, 2019)

Great job, I really enjoyed the video.


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## wachuko (Jul 31, 2022)

Great video.

Too bad Andy no longer has the castings for sale,  he only shows drawings available.

He had to change companies and a few kits are unavailable for now.

I sent him an email and will give him a call during the week.  I hope he is doing well, have not heard from him for a few months now…


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