5c or er40 collets?

[knifemaker3]

I’m trying to decide if I want to go er40 collets for both my lathe and mill or gear up for 5c on the lathe. I already use r8 and 5c on my mill but like the idea of one collet set for both.

Thoughts?

[tornitore45]

If you work both in metric and imperial and then some dimension that is neither You need a huge number of 5C collets.
I love my ER set. Use it with drill bits too, my Jacob chuck is gathering dust.

[RSG]

I use 5C! I like the flexibility of that format. It's quick to swap out the collet from the lathe to the mill for collet blocks, indexers and so on and I find it holds it's accuracy. For what I do I wouldn't be without it.

[GlennW]

I'm a 5C user in the lathe, indexing head, spindex, and collet block.

But, I also use one of these ER16 shanks in all of the above if needed for smaller work or if I'm just too lazy to switch the lathe from the chuck to the collet closer.

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[Bill Shields]

I have a cheapie 3" 5C mount chuck that I use in the lathe and spindex.

Surprised I got along for 40 years without it

So I am a 5C fan.

[knifemaker3]

I’m already using 5c in some of my fixtures for the mill. But I’m looking at the er collets for quicker setup. Time is money and I’m constantly taking time to screw in a new collet with my r8 spindle and my 4 jaw in the lathe. Thought maybe the collets would speed things up a bit?

Would changing to collets be quicker? I’m a gunsmith by trade which is why time is money for me. This was a hobby I wouldn’t be interested in changing.

[Bill Shields]

Are you asking about 5c for the mill spindle?

[GlennW]

Changing ER collets certainly isn't any quicker than changing R-8 or 5C collets.

[tornitore45]

One thing about changing ER collet is that usually it takes less Z axis movement.

[knifemaker3]

Are you asking about 5c for the mill spindle?

No I’m not aware of any way to adapt 5c to an r8 spindle. I’m just trying to decide if going to the er collets would be better than what I’m using now. Specifically in the lathe. Right now I’m using 3&4 jaw chucks. If I switch to er40 collet chucks I can adapt them to my mill as well

[Bill Shields]

AH...ok...got it.
stay with 5C in the lathe

get a little 5C 3 Jaw chuck

[Wolfgang]

I’m already using 5c in some of my fixtures for the mill. But I’m looking at the er collets for quicker setup. Time is money and I’m constantly taking time to screw in a new collet with my r8 spindle and my 4 jaw in the lathe. Thought maybe the collets would speed things up a bit?

Would changing to collets be quicker? I’m a gunsmith by trade which is why time is money for me. This was a hobby I wouldn’t be interested in changing.

I'm retired and only play in my work shop. Further, I don't have any ER collets, either.

However, if time is money, I'd use ER collets and have a bunch of collet nose nuts. The ball bearing type. Have enough of these nuts so that you can keep your working collets engaged in the nut and ready to screw into the collet chuck.

Additionally, I'd have a variable speed spindle drive and have the spindle turn very slowly, forward or reverse, to change collets.

When time is money and work must go out the door, some work flow planning can be money in the bank.

Another opinion: I'd use R8 and 5C collets for work holding only. I know I know that Hardinge and Rockwell used them for tool holding. The taper on these is too steep for really good tool holding.