Just summarizing and providing some answers:
I have an Alexander 2CGD (D for inferial measurements) which uses E355/U2 collets. It is of superb quality, on par with Deckel.
-Deckel produced E355 collets (known as U2 now) in .5mm increments, possibly even less for their lines of pantographs. These collets, like 5C/3C, have a very limited clamping range. I think Schaublin might also have made same/similar collets.
- You should consider what you are trying to accomplish. If regrinding end mills, there are only 3 or 4 shank sizes to consider. If grinding drills then ER adapter is the solution. For end mills, get the appropriate R8 collets, and grind the slot deeper and get on with using the machine as is. For drills, get an R8-ER16/ER20 adapter with a set of collets.
- For grinding wierd stuff, like lathe tools, inserts etc. I built an add on from an article in Model Engineers Workshop title "Taming the 'Universal' Tool & Cutter Grinder. That same add-on is used for grinding my shop-made gear cutters and cutters for my Atlas MF.
- The same article has a dedicated 4 facet jig that mounts on the same add-on.
- For 4 facet drill grinding I designed and made a 'microscope' to view the grind progress without removing the drill from grinder.
- I made 10 or so hubs to mount wheels on, including a few that extend the wheel much farther out from the spindle. This lets me grind on the reverse side of a wheel (which is mount reversed on a hub). Hubs for the oldeer Deckel and Alexander are NLA.
Shipping is expensive for heavy objects, from China as should reasonably be expected. Shipping from US to Canada is generally extorionist level. Given that most of that product is from China in the first place I order direct from China. Quality will be similar at lower total cost to me. As an example, a PCB from Mesa was US$48 to ship to me, slowly. UPS/Fedex are even worse.