On-Topic But Potentially Questionable Content?

Forgive me if this is inappropriate... I don't think it is, but some folks are sensitive to anything that looks like a sales pitch and rightfully so... Most folks here have been watching as I learn about and design around information I receive from the "experts" here and in two other forums this is being posted to.

I've got my first real fruit from those efforts now. Sort of...

We are in the process of making and thus offering much heaver designs of our multiple spindle heads... ER32+ spindles for 20mm (.787") or smaller tool shanks. Maybe even for ER40 for 26mm (1.024"). I'm even playing with an ER50 design but I'm not sure if I want to cross that bridge just yet... All I've learned about these larger collets has come from usenet forums and web sites I was sent to, etc.

So... the pseudo-sales pitch: If someone has an application for multiple holes with a spacing that allows us to use ER32 or larger spindles and would like a shot at sorta beta testing one of these new devices, I'm willing to part with one at a greatly reduced price simply to get one in the field and running under load, etc. By greatly reduced I mean same price as our smaller heads which is probably 50-85% lower than what we will eventually charge for these.

This all comes out of me having a very simple problem... We make the devices. However, we don't do any heavy duty or production drilling ourselves. We only sell the tools to do so. Thus, we can build 'em and spin 'em and basically test 'em but nobody has ever run one of these new ones drilling a bunch of real heavy holes under lots of thrust at RPM, etc. I really don't feel like setting up a drilling station and paying an employee to run tens of thousands of holes in my shop so...

Maybe you need to drill two or more "big" holes in a repeatable pattern but couldn't afford a heavy enough multiple spindle head before? Let's talk and see if we can make a deal... I'm only going to sell to one customer like this and then wait for it to be field tested for a while before releasing them in the wild to everyone else.

For those in the wood or crossover industries, I'm guessing that the largest tooling you use is morse taper based or specialized. I can't accommodate everything, but we can talk and see what can be done. Special spindles can be made within reason and wood processes can go larger than the actual tool shank sizes.

Give me a call. E-mail me direct. Reply here. Whatever works best for you.

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

01.908.542.0244 Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
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Joe AutoDrill
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Joe,

You might consider pitching this on the Practicalmachinist site. If you are at all worried about stepping on toes, you could clear it with the site owner, first. He posts there as Milacron.

There are a lot of pro's hanging out over there, and more exposure cannot hurt.

Best of luck with the new product line!

Cheers Trevor Jones

Reply to
Trevor Jones

(CLIP ALL MY INFO)

I'll check that out. I figured I'd share it within the "famiglia" first. :)

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

01.908.542.0244 Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
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Joe AutoDrill

Reply to
woodworker88

Thanks. So far, not a single flame which is what I worried most about...

I like wild ideas... They usually distill into good ones. :)

Can you give me an example of a specific product already on the market? Someone's part #, etc?

Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

According to Joe AutoDrill :

[ ... ]

Go to the MSC site and search for this string:

ETM collet chuck

and quite a few of the hits will be examples. It looks like the illustrations are scrambled, because the one for MT-3 shank actually shows what looks like 30-taper and 40-taper shanks instead.

I've seen a set (from an eBay auction) with a MT-3 shank, a full set of collets, and the fancy wrench for opening and closing the collets in a fitted wood case.

I've not been tempted for my lathe because it will handle 5C collets with a lever style closer. But I *might* be tempted by a NTMB 40 taper for my Nichols mill, or NTMB 30 taper for my Bridgeport's quick-change spindle. I've got some of the smaller ones which handle the DA series collets.

And what I *don't* see anywhere are ER collet chucks with a threaded back to fit on common lathe spindles directly. Perhaps a Morse Taper for centering and a collar which matches the threaded spindle for pulling it in without fitting a drawbar to the lathe.

I don't need it -- but others might. Let them speak here.

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

Been there done that, i settled on TG collet chucks and collets. Bargians found on ebay allowed me to fit my logan lathe with a TG-200 collet chuck which has a 2" capacity. The chuck started life as a CAT50 taper and was ground down to fit the taper on the logan. I also have a a flat back TG-100 collet chuck that is handy, they do show up on occasion on ebay along with collets.

Best Regards Tom.

Reply to
azotic

Yeah, us with our lowly Atlas machines can't take a 5C through the headstock, and Bison 5C collet chuck has so much overhang you might as well use a regular, properly adjusted 3-jaw chuck (not to offend anybody who owns one of them, but they're not exactly what I'd call convenient compared to an ER collet chuck) One problem in particular is that most of the ETM style collet chucks use a drawbar mount system, which means that you lose your thru- spindle capability. This can be a real drag on anything other than small work. I just noticed that Beall Tool came out with a system that's threaded for several sizes of lathe spindle noses, but this is a relatively new product.

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're primarily designed for woodworking, so I'd be tempted to go over one real well with a dial indicator before using it for any precision work, but they use standard ER collets, and I'd bet they make them to a reasonable TIR anyways, since it's easier. The other thing that I'd really like to see, which I've never seen, is a system that's designed to work really well with multiple arbors. Yeah, they are "interchangeable", but I want to change them about as much as I'd want to change my drill chuck arbor. I'd really like to be able to buy one collet chuck which I could easily mate to a R8 arbor for use in my Bridgeport, quickly swap for a 1 1/2"-8 threaded back for my lathe, and back again. One last application would be some sort of collet block/indexer that is designed for ER collets. In tool catalogs I see all sorts of 5C spin indexers, but it would be nice to be able to use a single set of ER collets in every tool in the shop. Even better would be a collet chuck that could be transplanted directly from the lathe to the indexer, to maintain concentricity. I think that you have the opportunity to start building tools that the people here on RCM really need, as well as your multispindle drill business (BTW, if you ever decide that you need to "dispose" of one of your units, count me first in line :-) ) ww88

Reply to
woodworker88

Might not help you directly, but got to:-

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and search for Stevenson.

It should lead you to John Stevenson's modification to a 5C indexer to take ER32 collets.

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

Reply to
woodworker88

And as one of my friends, an Atlas 618 owner reminded me, his machine has a 1"-10 spindle, which isn't offered by Beall Tool. And they weren't willing to make one on request... Michael

Reply to
woodworker88

When I got my ER collets I did it for my mill. Then I ordered a holder for my lathe.

One set - two holders.

Martin

Mart> Yeah, us with our lowly Atlas machines can't take a 5C through the

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They're primarily designed for woodworking, so I'd be tempted to go

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

If someone needs something like that, I can make it... Probably. :)

Just spec the device as best as you can and I'll work up a rough drawing and get a quote off to whomever wants one.

Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

Part of the challenge for us is that we really haven't done much outside the box thinking as far as the ER-style collet chucks go... So any new device I could come up with would be beta tested on the first few customers, etc. I'm willing to look at any opportunity someone wants to try out. A no obligation "beta test" quote is a phone call away... Ask for Joe Jr.

As for the free device that I'm disposing of... You wouldn't want the stuff we give away for free... It's sometimes turned down by the guy next door with the scrap bins. :)

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

01.908.542.0244 Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
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Spindle Drills:
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Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

I may give you a call in a few days. Do you have access to Autodesk (AutoCAD, Inventor) software if I work up a drawing? ww88

Reply to
woodworker88

AutoCAD... Yes. I think engineering also uses an older version of SolidWorks, but 2D would be preferable for me and this type of project for now.

Regards, Joe Agro, Jr. (800) 871-5022

01.908.542.0244 Automatic / Pneumatic Drills:
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Spindle Drills:
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Reply to
Joe AutoDrill

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These are just a few of the ER collet, lathe chucks I found in a few minutes searching.

Now, I dunno what the saturation point is for tooling like that, but I'd have to say it would be tough to compete with the import stuff on price, and I figure if there were enough guys out there willing to put up there money for quality, the likes of Schaublin, would still be selling a fair number of tools.

Not trying to be a wet blanket, but I dunno what features might be offered that would make a new chuck into an outstanding reason to buy it, rather than one of the others available.

Could, maybe, be a time filler, kinda project, though, to build just the basic chuck body to fit the various common smaller lathes. Tough to guess what the market potential is, though.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Reply to
Trevor Jones

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