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TTS Tool Holders- Collets
- Thread starter rwm
- Start date
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- Mar 25, 2013
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This is brilliant!
Not sure yet... actual blanks are only available from Tormach at $30 a shot.
However I do see a bunch of TTS set screw holders on eBay for $20 each which as long as the tool end has enough meat would be super easy to modify into whatever feature internal or external. Almost makes it not worth the time to make.
Finished ER20 holders are everywhere for $10 can't buy the material for what they cost but they're hard to modify into something else.
That's pretty decent runout you got.
If you need better alignment you could spend the time and work out a method to final turn and/or grind the holder in the mill itself if you need holders dead true to the machine.
However I do see a bunch of TTS set screw holders on eBay for $20 each which as long as the tool end has enough meat would be super easy to modify into whatever feature internal or external. Almost makes it not worth the time to make.
Finished ER20 holders are everywhere for $10 can't buy the material for what they cost but they're hard to modify into something else.
That's pretty decent runout you got.
If you need better alignment you could spend the time and work out a method to final turn and/or grind the holder in the mill itself if you need holders dead true to the machine.
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- Feb 1, 2015
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- 9,937
There is no reason why a TTS tap follower has to follow the convention regarding shaft length. A longer shaft permits a longer compression spring which provides more travel on the follower. Also, a tap follower doesn't need the seating surface or the ATC groove as it will necessarily be followed by a hand operation.
My complaint about my commercial tap follower is the travel is only about 1/2" and I usually have to reposition the follower in order to tap holes.I made mine with a straight 3/4" x 3" shank. The travel is just shy of 1.5". I also made interchangeable tip with the standard cone and an inverted cone. The 3/8" o.d. inverted cone also fits the 3/8" drive socket on my Irwin tap wrenches.
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- Mar 25, 2013
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^ I like this. I may just use a .750" straight shaft to make the follower. I could then set the height in the TTS collet. As you say, it's a manual operation after all.
My TTS collet has an internal rim that bottoms out at about 1.5" So a longer tap follower will take up some of the Z if that is an issue. Still much better than holding the follower in the drill chuck.
My TTS collet has an internal rim that bottoms out at about 1.5" So a longer tap follower will take up some of the Z if that is an issue. Still much better than holding the follower in the drill chuck.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2013
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- 5,095
I decided I needed some type of collar to prevent the tap follower from dropping too far into the spindle. So I shrink fit one.
And you may notice I am using my shop-built dividing head!
This has about 1+" of travel so it is greater than my most commonly used taps and certainly enough to get a larger tap started straight.
I really like the TTS system so far! It's way faster than changing collets every time. Even without a PDB it is worth the change.
And you may notice I am using my shop-built dividing head!
This has about 1+" of travel so it is greater than my most commonly used taps and certainly enough to get a larger tap started straight.
I really like the TTS system so far! It's way faster than changing collets every time. Even without a PDB it is worth the change.