Do I Need A Collet Chuck?

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I'm a novice hobby machinist and love the idea of using 5c collets for work holding, especially since most of my machining is on smaller aluminum parts. I have a 12x36 lathe (g4003g).

I recently bought a unreviewed collet chuck on eBay but returned it as runout was at about .002, run out on my 3jaw is less than .001, my spindle runout is .0001 or less.

My question is- should I reorder a collet chuck (but better quality) or can I get away with a using a 5c collet block in a 4 jaw chuck? I would love a collet closer but I don't think they're available for the g4003g and I don't think I can machine one having never used one before.

Any advise is much appreciated.
 
Depends heavily on what you are doing. One of the biggest advantages with collets is rapid changes for production work (even if it's just a matter of making six matching screws), for instance. They also provide even pressure all the way around the part, which is very helpful for minimizing flex and thereby inaccuracies in your workpieces. And, probably their best-known advantage is a high degree of repeatable placement, assuming you're using a quality set. But many people do just fine without them. It comes down to how you want to work. A collet block in a 4-jaw has the potential to be as accurate as a collet chuck, but it will be FAR more time consuming if you're trying to use it often. If you need it 3x per year it will work great.
 
This thread should be in the Grizzly sub-forum. I wouldn't go with the block in a chuck. I've not seen a collet closer for the G4003G yet. You could make a drawbar and closer, get a Bison collet chuck or a Jacobs collet chuck for their rubber flex type of collets. Actually, I now remember saving a thread from another forum about a collet drawtube for the G4003, which has the same spindle as the G4003G, only the G4003G is drilled and tapped for a spider at the outboard side. You can get the needed parts for the G4003 collet closer from Grizzly and make your own setup. You'd need these parts from Grizzly: P4026001 collet adapter and P4026004 draw tube. The collet pin (G4026047) should be part of the x001 part so you don't need to buy that separately. To keep the tube centered in the spindle get the P4026005 hub adapter or you'd need to turn your own sleeves. Oh, John/JGedde had posted on H-M here about his closer for his G4003.
 
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Ask yourself what advantages a collet chuck has over a 3 jaw scroll chuck.

Accuracy, yes
Speed, yes with a closer, if you make hundreds of the same part per day, they are intended for production work
Do you need to hold finished parts say for a second operation without leaving jaw marks on them, yes
Versatility, no a scroll or 4 jaw chuck will hold a vastly larger range of shapes and sizes, however hex, square and machinable 5C collets are available (emergency collet).
As a hobbyist do you want to buy another collet every time you need to turn a different sized material

The best compromise for low production work that I know of is an adjustable 3 jaw and a supply of soft jaws.
For example
Pocketed soft jaws for holding thin parts for facing
finishface_zpsu4lhqtlb.jpg

Pocketed pie jaws for holding large very thin parts that are prone to chatter, these are 12" in diameter on an 8" chuck
allpiejaws_zpssfgli5lu.jpg
 
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if you are machining all around the part it doesn't matter how off it is
 
If you look at factory specifications on different chucks, they usually give you the run out (TIR) specifications. I have tried multiple 5C non adjustable chucks, most of them had pretty bad TIR, this is an issue if you are holding a part that needs to be turned true relative to the held end of the part. So it is hit or miss if you get one that is in the range of 0.002-0.004 TIR. I also tried a D1-4 ER collet that had about a 0.002 TIR. The only way you will be able to do any better is to get a Set-Tru (Tue-Set) type of chuck, and even with this the reproducability with different size collets will probably be around 0.001". There have been a number of posts regarding the pros and cons of the 5C and ER collet systems. You can also make a speed handle for the key which speeds things up. I use the 5C for holding small work, works very well, but it has a very narrow clamping range and the collets can get very costly. I do use the ER collets on my mill, I plan on making a set-tru type of ER collet for the lathe, this allows for a wider clamping range for odd size stock.
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/5c-collet-sets-budget-sizes.48281/#post-407561
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/thre...-for-bison-5c-collet-chuck.44488/#post-385580

This is a reasonable priced one that I have used before, the price has gone up about 20% in the last year.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5C-TRU-SET-LATHE-COLLET-CHUCK-D1-4-MOUNT-FREE-SHIPPING-IN-US/381723613881
 
I'm with Wreck. I have been at this 40+ years......I don't feel a need for a collet system. But it depends on exactly what type work you want to do. I wouldn't want the hassle of changing back and forth. I have a lathe with a 4 jaw, and 2 with 3 jaw chucks.....never thought about buying a collet system.

I vote no, in general you don't NEED one. They are nice for some things, but not many things you can't do another way.
 
I bought a 5c collet setup not a bison, i turned the back plate -.005 under so i could indicate the 5c chuck in. I used a harding collet with a plain Gage that ran tir .000020. I now because i made it when i worked for Besly gage. The chuck indicated in to tir .0002.
 
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