School me on collets for the Atlas lathe, 3c, 3at,or both?

Here are a couple of pics of a ER32 collet chuck that I made. I used 2" hex stock to make it. Yes you can purchase the collet nut, it will be a metric thread. I purchased the collets and nut from Amazon.

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Rob said:
Here are a couple of pics of a ER32 collet chuck that I made. I used 2" hex stock to make it. Yes you can purchase the collet nut, it will be a metric thread. I purchased the collets and nut from Amazon.
Click to expand...
Rob, was there any particular reason you went with the hex stock instead of round? Or was it "available material?"

Looks nice - considering ER40 right now.

Jim Korman
 
It can be used for a 6 sided dividing head for cutting a hex on round stock. I also used a piece of 2" square stock to make one for my Atlas Mill. Again another dividing head. Also you can use a wrench to take it off instead of spanner pins.
 
The idea of making my own ER32 collet chuck to fit the spindle of my lathe is intriguing. I thought the tapered bore that accepts the collet was super critical and had to be ground at a precise angle. Can I get away with setting up the angle on my compound and using a boring bar?
 
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larry4406 said:
What is the deciding factor between ER32, ER40 , and others?
Click to expand...

Size and cost. I choose ER32 because it went to 3/4" which is the size of the headstock on my Atlas lathe and also the nut was smaller than the 2" hex stock that I used.
 
JPMacG said:
The idea of making my own ER32 collet chuck to fit the spindle of my lathe is intriguing. I thought the tapered bore that accepts the collet was super critical and had to be ground at a precise angle. Can I get away with setting up the angle on my compound and using a boring bar?
Click to expand...

While the angle is important I do not think that it is super critical. I did not grind mine and do not seem to have any problem.

I purchased my collets before making the chuck. I placed a piece of 5/8" drill rod (what I had) in my 3 jaw chuck and placed the 5/8" collet on that to set the angle. I then used a boring bar to cut the internal taper.

One thing about making it on the lathe that you will be using it on there will be very little run out.
 
Rob said:
Size and cost. I choose ER32 because it went to 3/4" which is the size of the headstock on my Atlas lathe and also the nut was smaller than the 2" hex stock that I used.
Click to expand...

Rob,

Thanks for posting the photos. I still hadn't managed to find a photo that I have somewhere.

Larry,

By "Size", he means several things. Physical size (both length and outside diameter of the collets themselves), Maximum diameter that the family will hold, and Minimum diameter that it will hold..
 
Newby here. If you use the 3AT collets, do they just fit into the spindle or is there a piece that fits into the spindle opening first?
 
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