Making a collet closer

[wallyw]

years ago I saw a homemade collet closer. Just insert workpiece and collet into MT-5 spindle and screw on cap to close.

Anyone know about this?

Wally

[FLPR@juno.com]

See Chips & Sparks, The Home Shop Machinist, Jan./Feb. 2002.

[Thrud]

Wally

If you go to all the trouble to make a MT5 - 5C spindle bushing go the extra mile and build a tube type closer for your machine to enable full use of the 5C system. A thin tube screws onto the external threads of the 5C collet and is tightened at the outward end of your spindle with a wheel or lever attached to the tube. This will allow the headstock to feed long bars. Not always usefull, but well worth considering.



[This message has been edited by Thrud (edited 03-29-2002).]

[wallyw]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Thrud:
Wally

If you go to all the trouble to make a MT5 - 5C spindle bushing go the extra mile and build a tube type closer for your machine to enable full use of the 5C system. A thin tube screws onto the external threads of the 5C collet and is tightened at the outward end of your spindle with a wheel or lever attached to the tube. This will allow the headstock to feed long bars. Not always usefull, but well worth considering.

[This message has been edited by Thrud (edited 03-29-2002).]</font>

Thanks Thrud,

I'm trying to avoid giving up too much of my spindle thru capacity - 1.4375". Also need a spider on outboard end of spindle.

I thread and chamber rifle barrels thru the spindle. My spindle has a D4 camlock, MT5. Typical barrel shank runs 1.000 to 1.200".

3 or 4 jaw will often mar a barrel. Also with 16" length of spindle these chucks won't allow me to do a barrel much shorter than 24".

Wally

[JimH]

Check the article index on the home page of HSM (IIRC). Several years back, there was a multi-part article about building a collet closer for a lathe. Included trueing the inside of the spindle.
Jim

[docn8as]

Wally ..do the short ones between centers ...use a stdy to chamber
best wishes '
docn8as

[FLPR@juno.com]

Cut some pieces of sheet copper to fit the jaws of yuour chucks. This will keep the jaws from marring yuor barrels.

[Thrud]

Wally
Maximum through capacity of 5C is 1-1/16" anyways. If you have a chuck with removable hard top jaws you can buy (or make) softjaws that can be bored precisely to fit the barrel. Some chucks also can use collet pads to do the same thing.

Dave