# 13 Piece R8 Collet Set Is It Enough? ??



## umahunter (Apr 23, 2016)

I have a jet mill drill up until now I've just been using the couple collet that came with it 1/4 3/8 1/2 I would like to get a complete set and I'm trying to figure if a13 piece 1/8-7/8  by sixteenth would  cover most of what a person would need what say yee of more knowledge  ???


----------



## Jason Annen (Apr 23, 2016)

The 13 piece set would be more than enough.  You will notice that you can generally cover everything you need with 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4".  A 3/8" end mill can be bought down to a 1/8" (or smaller), so it's unlikely you will use a 1/8" collet for an 1/8" end mill.  However there will be times when you need the off size collets.

R8s are cheap, so I would get the 13 piece set.

Jason


----------



## BGHansen (Apr 23, 2016)

I agree with Jason.  I wouldn't bother with a 1" R8 as the tool is clamped in the collet outside the spindle, really scary set up.  If you have something with a 1" or 1 1/4" shank I'd use and end mill holder.

Bruce


----------



## Bill W. (Apr 23, 2016)

I am what would be considered a newbie.  I have only been machining about a year and a member of the "club" 3-4 months.  I have the 13 piece set and so far it has covered everything I've needed.  Not to say that later on I may run into needing some metric collets, but for now the 13 piece set is a good place to start.
Bill


----------



## Whyemier (Apr 23, 2016)

I only have 11 and it covers all the needs I've had so far.

Just saying.


----------



## Country_Bubba (Apr 23, 2016)

I concur with the other posters, I got a set when I got my mill back around 2000 and there have been a very few rare times that I wish I had anything more.  Having said that, I have used my 1/8" collet many times as I do a lot of small work with 1/8" carbide cutters. 
Go for it and you should not be disappointed.


----------



## RJSakowski (Apr 23, 2016)

Since getting a set of R8 collets for the mill, I rarely use a chuck any more.  I have a 24 pc. set  x 1/32" which allows me to use any of the drills with a collet.  The advantage is by removing the chuck from the mix, the drill tip is closer to the spindle which gives you more vertical work space.  This can be an important factor on a small mill.  The collets also have better runout specs. than typical chucks.  

R8 collets will draw down 1/32" from nominal size.  This gives me the capability of mounting any diameter from 1/16" up to 3/4".   Depending upon the width of the slots in the collet, you could have a problem drawing down a 1/16".  Even if you could clamp an 1/16" undersized shank, the grip on the shank suffers and runout is increased.

If you elect to buy a set by 1/16", you could fill out the set later but it would most likely require you to buy individual collets as sets by odd multiples of 1/32" are rare, if they exist at all.  I made that mistake when I bought my 5C collet set.


----------



## Charles Spencer (Apr 23, 2016)

Don't forget to buy or make a collet rack for them.  It isn't strictly necessary but it looks cool.  Kind of official.


----------



## Bob Korves (Apr 23, 2016)

Aw, come on, guys!  We need to sell him on getting round collets in 1/64" increments, plus full sets of hex and square collets as well.  Every style of emergency collet, too.  8^)

Reality check:  I have a 13 pc. set of import collets by sixteenths, have only used about half of them.  I also have a few NOS Lyndex collets in perfect condition in sizes 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4" that I got cheap in a couple tool lots and keep rat holed for high precision work and where I am not likely to trash them.  I have only used the 1/2, 5/8, and 3/4" of those, and if you are careful with your tooling choices those three sizes plus a 1/4 and 3/8" are really about all you need...

However, I do have a bunch of older end mills in good to new condition and some of them have sixteenths shanks.  Haven't needed to use them yet...


----------



## Groundhog (Apr 23, 2016)

13 would be 6 more than I have had for the last 6 or 7 years! I just make sure the end mills (and other tools) I buy have shanks to fit the collets I have. Although I have been slowly upgrading to Tormach's tool system and ER collets to enable accurate tool length offsets.

Made a collet rack for the R8s by boring appropriate sized holes (1"?) in a piece of aluminum angle, powder coating and bolting it to a near by wall.


----------



## coolidge (Apr 24, 2016)

I have the 25 piece Lyndex set, about $350 on sale at Enco. With the Maxi Torque-Rite power drawbar I really don't need my drill chuck anymore.


----------



## ericc (Apr 24, 2016)

I found a 13/32 end mill in an assortment.  That said, at the Techshop, the three most used sizes are the most beat up.


----------



## umahunter (Apr 30, 2016)

Thanks guys


----------



## NCjeeper (May 3, 2016)

To answer your question, yes. Here is my set up.


----------



## TOOLMASTER (May 3, 2016)

RJSakowski said:


> Since getting a set of R8 collets for the mill, I rarely use a chuck any more.  I have a 24 pc. set  x 1/32" which allows me to use any of the drills with a collet.  The advantage is by removing the chuck from the mix, the drill tip is closer to the spindle which gives you more vertical work space.  This can be an important factor on a small mill.  The collets also have better runout specs. than typical chucks.
> 
> R8 collets will draw down 1/32" from nominal size.  This gives me the capability of mounting any diameter from 1/16" up to 3/4".   Depending upon the width of the slots in the collet, you could have a problem drawing down a 1/16".  Even if you could clamp an 1/16" undersized shank, the grip on the shank suffers and runout is increased.
> 
> If you elect to buy a set by 1/16", you could fill out the set later but it would most likely require you to buy individual collets as sets by odd multiples of 1/32" are rare, if they exist at all.  I made that mistake when I bought my 5C collet set.




x2....no more raising /lowering  for a drill chuck


----------



## Andre (May 9, 2016)

I rarely use anything other than 3/8" and 1/2" for normal use, but for small endmills (under 1/8") I need to go to a 3/16" collet.


----------



## Dan_S (May 9, 2016)

Good collets are better than more collets, so if cost is a concern just get a 1/8th set. I have a Crawford set, that's very nice, but pricey.


----------



## gheumann (May 21, 2016)

Milling machine collets are generally used for holding tools - which tend to have standard size shafts. You don't need that many sizes. Lathe collets, on the other hand, are used for holding work - then you need them by 1/64ths and that isn't always enough!


----------



## GAtkins (May 23, 2016)

BGHansen said:


> I agree with Jason.  I wouldn't bother with a 1" R8 as the tool is clamped in the collet outside the spindle, really scary set up.  If you have something with a 1" or 1 1/4" shank I'd use and end mill holder.
> 
> Bruce



@Bruce, Not to hijack the thread, but a dumb newb question.  Why is having a tool or collett outside the spindle bad?  Just trying to learn my friend.

Thanks

Glenn


----------



## Dan_S (May 23, 2016)

GAtkins said:


> @Bruce, Not to hijack the thread, but a dumb newb question.  Why is having a tool or collett outside the spindle bad?  Just trying to learn my friend.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Glenn



You are clamping on less of the tool, and thus don't have as good of a grip on it. Since the tool is sticking out further, it's also less rigid.


----------



## BGHansen (May 24, 2016)

What Dan_S said.  Here's a picture of a 1" R8 collet:



You probably wouldn't want to put your finger in there and tighten the collet/drawbar, but the clamping force on the end mill shank is really light as compared to an end mill holder (picture below).  You could probably get away with the 1" collet if you pecked away but I'd be really careful.  Otherwise you'll end up posting a catastrophe on the Safety Issues & Equipment forum.

Bruce


----------

