5C Precision Spin Index Fixture

[outlawspeeder]

I have a Shars 5C Precision Spin Index Fixture that the tube with integral threads are screwed. It will not pull on the collect. Is there a place I can get a replacement or should I just remake it.

I don't know what thread these are?

[macona]

Contact shars, they might be able to help

[djc]

There's lots of places say that the external thread on a 5C collet is 1.238" - 20 tpi.

Is it worth looking at premade 5C drawbar tubes/closers in any flavour at all and joining part of one of them to part of what you already have?

[outlawspeeder]

I looked at the shars site, no joy
Any pointers for a premade 5C drawbar tubes/closer?

Looking at the threads, they look good. They are there. Thought about heating and cooling it to shrink it? Doubt it would stay round.

[mikey553]

I looked at the shars site, no joy
Any pointers for a premade 5C drawbar tubes/closer?

Looking at the threads, they look good. They are there. Thought about heating and cooling it to shrink it? Doubt it would stay round.

You did not say what is wrong with the tube. Is it too big on the threads, so it does not grab the collet? Heating and cooling would not change the tube size, but can make it out of round. Can you just make a new tube?

[DR]

"It will not pull on the collect. "

What does that mean? Does it screw onto a collet and just not pull the collet back enough to tighten the collet?

[Tim The Grim]

My threads were just too loose so I slotted the tube and pressed a thin wall bushing around it to squeeze them in.
Never had a problem since.

[outlawspeeder]

Tim I think that is the fix for me. As I tighten it, the threads pop and slip.

I have some shop time tomorrow and I'll give it a try.

[jimsehr]

I fixed my 5c collet tube by having a welder build up thread area with weld then I rebored and threaded it. That was 5 or 10 years ago. And that lever collet gets a lot more load than a spindex.

[BCRider]

Let me guess. You're using import collets.... Well, so am I. And I found when making my 5C chuck for my lathe and the threaded drawtube to hold them on the OD thread that there was a wide variation in thread sizes on my cheapies which came from three different sources to make up my full set. If you bought all from one line then it would not be out of the question that they are all too small of a thread for that particular brand. Or that the draw tube on your spindexer is over size and had chunky threads with not much of an internal thread peak to them.

So I'd look very closely with good magnification at the threads on the inside of your spindexer draw tube. If they are really horrid looking then it may be a case of replacing the part or repairing the draw tube threads. Now that repair might well be cutting away the old threads or even making up your own new draw tube. But Shars is likely better than most outfits and would send you a new tube or a new spindexer with a good tube.

On the other hand if it is the threads on the collets that are chunky looking and mishappen then perhaps you need to buy a slightly better set of collets. And from my own lower end options and how much runout some of them had this would not be an entirely bad idea. In addition to the threads fitting better you could easily end up with a much more accurately centered set of collets to boot.

The other option is to cut off the threaded part of the tube and turn the sleeve part way down for a half inch or so. Then turn a new sleeve and internally thread it to fit your collets. And finally turn the new match so there's a matching slip fit into or over the turned part of the sleeve. If I've learned anything about Loctite 680 it is that a half inch of a slip fit glued together with it will hold against a pretty good torque and tension. That same size joint is what is holding my own draw tube together. And I use it with a roughly 10 inch long "G" wrench to tighten the collets into my lathe adapter.

[EddyCurr]

I looked at the shars site, no joy

I'll propose that while replacement parts like drawtubes aren't likely to appear for sale on Shars website, it MIGHT be possible that Customer Service can bring them in or maybe even keep some on hand for addressing QC situations.

eMail them. Explain.

My approach would be to ask nicely whether a replacement can be obtained at a reasonable cost. Others go at this in a different manner. Suit yourself.

BCRider`s observations about third-party collet thread dimensions seems about right.

[Toolguy]

I have found that sometimes the threads on a collet need chasing, either from burrs (new collet), or damaged/dinged up (used). I got a 1-1/4 - 20 split die and tap from Victor.net. The split die can be squeezed down a bit to freshen the threads on the collet, and the tap can be used to freshen the threads on the draw tube. The draw tube can then be used as is (about .010 oversize), or reduced as in post 7. Either way, the threads will be clean and thread together smoothly.

[goose]

This makes about as much sense as fixing a broken soap dispenser. Spin indexers are like $80 or so. Just buy a new one.

[mickeyf]

This makes about as much sense as fixing a broken soap dispenser. Spin indexers are like $80 or so. Just buy a new one.

Some people, especially many of the sort of people here (he says, looking in the mirror), will fix ANYTHING that can be fixed, for the sake of the fixing, or to reduce the amount of junk cluttering up the world. "You do you" as Doozer says.

Also, $80 may have very different values to different people. I'm happy for you that in your case it's trivial.

[eKretz]

This makes about as much sense as fixing a broken soap dispenser. Spin indexers are like $80 or so. Just buy a new one.

I took a different approach. Bought a high quality version that was probably made 40 years ago but was still in mint condition. And I got it for pretty close to $50 IIRC. Every now and then eBay is useful.