Medium Quality 5C Collet Set Recommendations

[erikmannie]

I am saving up for a 5C collet set. I will start with 1/64”, and maybe get metric in the distant future (or maybe never get metric).

Mainland Chinese is a no, Hardinge is out of reach financially. The Toolmex collets are about $16 each, and they are made in Italy (if they actually are!); I wonder if Toolmex 5C collets are a good value.

Used Hardinge on eBay is a lot of money for collet sets that are always missing a lot of sizes & often rusty & cut into.

Pratt Burnerd, Lyndex/Nikken are priced pretty darned steep, but I am willing to spend money on quality tooling if it is *actually* worth it. I wouldn’t spend more than what Pratt Burnerd & Lyndex go for. The Pratt Burnerds are $19 each in quantity.

Jet 5C collets are probably made in Taiwan, and they are priced accordingly (meaning a little expensive).

I would like the size (e.g. 3/64”) imprint (or etching) to last a lifetime.

I like to buy tooling with a tight tolerance because I often have a way of introducing error when I machine LOL. Seriously though, I don’t have the best eyesight or the most steady hands.

I know that this question has been posted on this and other forums, and I have read all those. I just wonder what you guys have to say about medium quality 5C collets.

Right now Toolmex is looking like the best choice, but maybe Taiwan has some good stuff out there.

 

[davidpbest]

You don't pay VAT, but you do pay shipping. Excellent service and pricing:

Rotagrip - Bison 5C Collet Set Metric Round 24 Collets

Rotagrip, Bison 5C Collet Set Metric Round 24 Collets

www.rotagriponline.com

 

[projectnut]

I don't think you're going to find many made outside of China in the price range you're looking for.
I started with a partial set of used Hardinge round collets by 1/64". They were purchased used from a local machine dealer. As time went on I found I needed sizes I didn't have. I decided to complete the set with some from Shars. They do make a "high precision" series with runout at .0005" I haven't used them all yet, but those I have used are within the stated spec.

The difference between the Hardinge and Shars is that Hardinge has a grip range of +/- .007" The Shars are +.000", -.015". Hardinge used to state their top of the line collets had a runout of .0002". That was 15 years ago. They currently don't publish a runout spec for any of their 5C collets.

 

[T Bredehoft]

I set up my lathe with ER40 collets, but encountered the same problem. I finally settled on ordering just the collets I needed for the specific jobs I had at that time. In the pst year, i've built nearly a complete 16th set, one or two at a time. No big outlay needed. There probably are some you'll never use it you buy a 'set'. I recently added a 14 mm collet, for a specific job, first metric one, I may need more in the future, but perhaps not.

 

[Winegrower]

I have had a full set of Lyndex 5C collets for maybe 15 years. Really, most are completely unused. If I had to just purchase the cardinal values for imperial, like 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, etc. that would cover 99% of my needs.

 

[mksj]

Having dealt with a lot of people buying 5C collets and having put together my own 5C set, last I recall the standard Hardinge 5C collet TIR was no better than any other 5C and where $80 a piece and their precision was 0.0002" at around $120 a piece, used ones are typically beat up. Vertex is a Taiwanese brand with a TIR of 0.0005", Lyndex are 0.0006 (and made in India these days), and most generic Chinese brands are 0.0005" or better. So you are not getting more for your value by spending a lot more. Quite often the tight tolerance 5C collets have a much smaller clamping range and there are some inherent issues with 5C type collets that limit both accuracy and skew because they clamp only at the tip. That being said, they work great for small, short size, and hex/square if you have these types of collets. Royal/Crawford collets are have very tight tolerances, as David mentioned they use to be available through Rotagrip, but they now carry Bison. Just not worth the money in my opinion.

I have an old Enco set which I believe was made by Vertex, with a few missing one from Shar's. Fit and finish is better on the Taiwanese with respect to the threads, and the sizes are engraved as opposed to printed on the collets, but otherwise accuracy I have not seen any difference. In general I can maintain around 0.0004" TIR between collets. I recommend a set from QMT, All Industrial or CDCO, I know quite a few people that have bought their 1/64th set and I have heard no complaints with regard to TIR (I have also used these at other peoples shops). You can also read the reviews posted on Amazon, but I would buy direct. If you need tighter TIR, you need to tweak the individual collet with a Set True type chuck.

57 Pc 5C Collet Set Fractional 1/8" to 1" High Precision Lathe 57 Piece - - Amazon.com

57 Pc 5C Collet Set Fractional 1/8" to 1" High Precision Lathe 57 Piece - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

23 Piece Metric 5C Collet Set 3mm - 25mm x 1mm High Precision 0.0005" Accuracy: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

23 Piece Metric 5C Collet Set 3mm - 25mm x 1mm High Precision 0.0005" Accuracy: Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/72-pc-precision-inch-5-c-collet-set-164-to-1-18/

 

[DavidR8]

I bought these and with .0003 TIR they ended being better than their advertised runout of .0005.

5C Precision Round Collets, Hardened & Ground

The 5c collet is typically for the following tools and solutions: 5c collet, 5c collet holder, 5c collet chuck, 5c holder, round 5c collet, 5c collet set, 5c collet block, 5c collet stop, 5c collet wrench, 5c collet rack, 5c collet block set, 5c collet fixture, 5c collet adapter, 5c collet block...

accusizetools.com

 

[Janderso]

I'm new to 5C. Since I bought the D1-6 - 5C collet chuck, I have used it almost exclusively.
I see what you mean about the limited size range. You almost need a 64th set.
I have Shars and I am happy. I don't build rockets-Yet.
I am really enjoying the collet method in the lathe!!

 

[pacifica]

I bought these and with .0003 TIR they ended being better than their advertised runout of .0005.

5C Precision Round Collets, Hardened & Ground

The 5c collet is typically for the following tools and solutions: 5c collet, 5c collet holder, 5c collet chuck, 5c holder, round 5c collet, 5c collet set, 5c collet block, 5c collet stop, 5c collet wrench, 5c collet rack, 5c collet block set, 5c collet fixture, 5c collet adapter, 5c collet block...

accusizetools.com

I bought several accusize 5c recently and find they are in spec or better.

 

[erikmannie]

Thank you to everybody for all the helpful responses. I pulled the trigger today on 114 standard & metric Crawford collets from Pratt Burnerd. I paid $21.10/collet.

I made sure to buy from a vendor (Small Tools) that offers a drop ship *directly* from Pratt Burnerd. I wanted to make sure that no shady character pulled a switcherooni on me. I’m sure I am being overly paranoid, but these collects cost about 4 times as much as many others.

I also read that some of the European brands of 5C collets may actually come from mainland China. Bill at Small Tools called Pratt Burnerd to ask exactly where these Crawford collets were manufactured. He got back to me and said that they are made in India to Crawford's specs & “they have never had a problem with any of them”.

Lyndex 5C collets are also made in India nowadays.

I’m sure that any 5C collets would have been fine for what I do, but I didn’t want to have to spend too much time deburring.