An extra deep socket isn't that big a deal, however that was my second thought. How about simple straight bars and a series of holes drilled around the nut?
If it uses a standard spanner like my ER 25 collet holder maybe a specialty extra deep socket that engages the slots you normally engage with the spanner? Yeah, if you are using a 12" aircraft bit it might not be real easy, but for jobber bits, and standard endmills it should not be that big of a deal.
Or maybe instead of using a collet holder use tool holders that fit the spindle with a draw bar.
There is not really enough information for me to tackle this problem, but there are a few ideas maybe make you think of something else.
If the socket will work why use a non standard part for the machine making replacements difficult. Just make up a couple of these sockets for the customer, and if they lose it they can easily call you for another or have one made themselves. Obviously I took liberties with the slot count for easy of sketching.
That's along the lines of what we are thinking. The challenge is that we sell these devices quite regularly. ...In fact, I've got a four spindle
2.500" version in the works now as I came in this morning to find a PO from a customer on my chair. I take a few hours off and see what happens?
Because I run into this problem on a relatively regular basis, I'm trying to find a long term solution that does not require a custom built wrench every time. ...Sure, I could ave them mass produced somewhere, but if someone already makes a mini-style nut some place like they do for ER25 and smaller, it would greatly simplify my life.
We offer both already. I'm just much more comfortable with a shank that is going to stick around for a while with numerous suppliers.
The MT0, MT1, MT2, etc. female shafts all use an ASA or automotive shank to make it happen reliably because the length of the tooling is non-adjustable with a simple female MT spindle - and everyone in the high end drilling business wants to be able to adjust the length of the tool to compensate for re-sharpening, depth control, etc. I'm also not too comfortable with ASA spindles because there are very few suppliers left. ER is everywhere globally. ASA seems to have a metric and inch size issue as some European countries use metric-sized tool holders that do not work with the standard inch size I've run across most often.
The threaded spindle is also available, but we run into the same issue of non-adjustable lengths, etc. Plus, there are at least two different standard threaded sizes I've run across. 7/16-18 and another I forget... I've never seen larger except for on custom jobs.
I don't know if this will work or not but... Here are some photos of MT shank and threaded shank heads with the ASA adapter installed in the spindle at the bottom left of the photo:
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This page shows threaded spindles as well as two different quick-change options:
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This shows a typical wood application (it's worth seeing even for metalheads) with ER32 spindles:
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Someone want to let me know if these links work for non-Facebook users?
Nice looking units. Good to see that we have some tooling capability left in the US.
-- Unka George (George McDuffee) .............................. The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there. L. P. Hartley (1895-1972), British author. The Go-Between, Prologue (1953).
Thanks, and no, not a clean room, a very dirty room with some auxiliary pieces of pure white styrofoam to use for photos. When we need to photoshop the image, it makes the job much easier later on if there is a solid color behind the piece. We used to use bright yellow, but found that it reflected off parts and even if we replaced the color, the reflections were affected.
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