This is just a FYI but I was browsing at K Surplus in San Diego (a great source for fasteners and some suplus tooling as well) and they have a huge mess of odd-size collets which people with older machines might be interrested in. No R8 or 5C or Morse taper but lots of 2H and
3C (I think) and other odd sizes. Must be at least 10 different sizes, none of which I'd heard of before but many marked Hardinge or other major maker. All old stock, some look great, some are a little rusty, some in complete sets and some just loose. This is just a FYI, don't contact me, I have no connection to them and have no desire to start dealing in odd collets. They're located at 1403 Cleveland Ave in National City, 619 474 6177 and I'm not sure if they do mail order. Oh yeah and it's all marked $3/lb.Matt