Range of ER32 collets?

ER 32 collets were designed to have a range of .032". 1mm is kinda pushing it. Eric

If I were to buy one of these sets of Chinese made ER32 collets on e-bay

...what is the range of each collet? With increments of 1/16" can I hold any size rod?

If I have 3/16" and 1/4" for example, do I need 7/32"?

I see that the 20 piece set that I linked, has incrememts of 1mm.

1/16" is 1.6mm so it seems to me I would have gaps if I only got 1/16" increments.

Right now I am using a MT3 collet set, but I am finding it pretty limited. It holds nominal stock sizes just fine, but if I take a few mils off to clean up the OD before chucking it, the rod slips.

Thanks for the advice!

Dan

p.s. Intended use is on a 1952 Logan 10" (Wards) lathe. MT3 taper in the head, MT2 in the tailstock.

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In general I've found that only precision ground drill rod that fits my 5C collets deserves them, a chuck is fine for rougher stock.

If the piece will need to be removed to check fit and replaced on the lathe it's easy enough to turn a stub on one end to collet size.

-jsw

Some say otherwise

. Rego-fix are Swiss so I would have expected a 1mm range would make more sense than 0.032", see .

Well, if Rego-Fix says it's so then it must be seeing as how it's their invention. I stand corrected. Nevertheless I'll stick with .032 for ER32 collets 'cause tha's how I bought them. Eric

I guess maybe they make them in 1/32" increments for the US market for those that aren't comfortable with mm as it makes a collet size pick easier. Me I've grown up with inch in the US and metric in the UK and some sizes seem more natural in one system and others in the other system although these days I do more and more in metric.

...the problem comes when it's time to remove that stub and face the end. T hen I have no place to hold the piece without marring it. If I use one of my MT3 collet chucks, then if the piece is as little as ~10 mils less than the nominal diameter of the chuck, it spins. The MT3 chucks I am using hav e very little range. And the other concern is I am tightening them up agai nst the inside of my lathe spindle directly. I am concerned that over time I may wear it down. So I think I will keep those for holding end mills a nd get an E32 system for holding parts. Thanks folks!

Dan

c100005.m1851)

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One problem I've encountered with ER collets is gripping short lengths which they don't seem to like, I presume due to the internal collet diameter being partly unsupported by the part. By short lengths I'm referring to items maybe less than half the collet length. I've dealt with it recently by adding a suitably size plug in the rear of the collet and that seemed to sort the problem.