ER25 collets for my mill

[GerryinBelleRiver]

Tired of playing wack-a-mole with the draw bar on my mill and am considering replacing my MT 2 collets with a Mt2 to ER25 holder and a set of ER25 collets. I expect I would lose some travel on the knee but not enough to hamper anything I do.

I could also use it on the tail stock of my lathe and possibly on one of my drill presses.

Prices vary anywhere from $40 for some of the offshore stuff to hundreds for American made. Any recommendations, things to watch out for.

 

[DavidR8]

I have an MT3-->ER32 collet chuck on my mill and it's pretty good.
Be mindful of the drawbar threads as most are metric.

 

[whydontu]

Like David_R8, I use an MT to ER32 chuck in my mill. Mine is MT2 to match my mill quill and lathe tailstock. No issues, holds cutters tightly and runs true within about a thou. I was able to find one with imperial drawbar threads from BB.

I looked at ER25, but it tops out at 5/8” diameter, and the ER32 goes to 3/4” without adding much extra body length. Little Machine Shop has a good range of sizes and qualities, and sells individual collets.

I’ve never used it in my lathe tailstock, I’d be afraid of a deep cut grabbing the cutter and spinning the taper. No drawbar on the tailstock.

 

[Tom Kitta]

I use ER32, ER20 and ER40 in both mill and tailstock. There is no need for imperial threads, just make M12 draw bar and you are set to go. All my draw bar stuff is M12.

I use them in the lathe as well but with the tang so it does not spin in the taper.

These things are cheap and plentiful from my #1 source for Chinese stuff - which is aliexpress. They soundly beat both Amazon and eBay. Except when Amazon has some crazy "dump this stuff" sale.

 

[combustable herbage]

I use ER32 collets in my r8 chuck for my mill and mt2 chuck on the lathe and square and hex collet holders, I bought a 10 piece set 2-20mm from banggood they have been good, similar runout to what the reviews said. This set will do me for now and I am learning the sizes I use most often and then will upgrade those ones to something for everyday use.

 

[GerryinBelleRiver]

This arrived today. MT2-ER32 3/8-16 Collet holder. I impressed with the fit and finish. After I get my mill back together I can assess the runout. Kit included holder, wrench and 11 collets . Bought off Amazon for $90 tax Inc.

 

[Susquatch]

This arrived today. MT2-ER32 3/8-16 Collet holder. I impressed with the fit and finish. After I get my mill back together I can assess the runout. Kit included holder, wrench and 11 collets . Bought off Amazon for $90 tax Inc.View attachment 21900

That's what I have too Gerry - except in R8. I prefer it to the R8 collets themselves.

I'd get an MT3 holder for my tailstock except I've never needed that. I'm totally happy with a C5 collet chuck. What would you be using a tailstock collet holder for?

I assume you are getting BNI amazon delivery too. I find them amazing. At first I wasn't too thrilled. But they usually deliver in the wee hours of the morning and they deliver on Saturday and Sunday too! No complaints anymore.

 

[GerryinBelleRiver]

As to the tail stock on my lathe; I find that when I use larger drill bits in my chuck they have a tendency to spin in the chuck . As a collet grips bettter then a chuck I was considering using one in lieu of a drill chuck in the tailstock. I do wonder if that may only transfer the spin to the shaft of the collet holder within the tailstock taper. I might get a collet holder with a tang and see if that works.

I would certainly like to hear some opinions on that.

 

[combustable herbage]

I have used it before just as you describe for larger bits, if I have a few to do I setup the larger bit in the collet and use the center and pilot with the drill chuck then swap out for the final drill a little faster, convenient. As for spinning the only times I have spun it was when I was still learning/pushing limits and I put the blame on myself, as I have become wiser with pressure and alignment I haven't had that happen in a long time.

 

[140mower]

A tip that I learned, if your tailstock won't eject the shorter taper as it doesn't have a tang, I install header bolts in the end, I have a few hanging around from my first childhood.

 

[Susquatch]

A tip that I learned, if your tailstock won't eject the shorter taper as it doesn't have a tang, I install header bolts in the end, I have a few hanging around from my first childhood.

Please explain that a bit more. I have no idea what you are talking about. But it sounds like something I should know.

 

[Susquatch]

As to the tail stock on my lathe; I find that when I use larger drill bits in my chuck they have a tendency to spin in the chuck . As a collet grips bettter then a chuck I was considering using one in lieu of a drill chuck in the tailstock. I do wonder if that may only transfer the spin to the shaft of the collet holder within the tailstock taper. I might get a collet holder with a tang and see if that works.

I would certainly like to hear some opinions on that.

I've never had that happen. Maybe I live a charmed life. Or maybe my South Bend Keyless Chuck is a good one.

Or maybe it's not as big as your needs. It's only 5/8.

But now I see what you are after and why. I only ever use small drills in my SB Chuck (up to 5 /8). For bigger sizes, I use a boring bar. I've never considered using a big huge drill bit held in anything in my tailstock. But maybe I should.....

 

[140mower]

Please explain that a bit more. I have no idea what you are talking about. But it sounds like something I should know.

My 10" South Bend won't eject a taper if it doesn't have a tang on it and I have to remove them by using a wedge. But if I put a header bolt in the threaded end it's head is small enough to allow full insertion and allows the tailstock to eject the taper. Assuming that the thread is imperial.....

 

[whydontu]

Changing bits? Pshaw…

From left to right:
live centre
live centre with 2” 3-jaw chuck for big stuff
live center with drill chuck for small stuff
keyless chuck
keyed chuck
keyless chuck
keyed chuck
keyless chuck in tailstock

one chuck has a semi-permanent centre drill

holder is a chunk of aluminum tubing with some 3/8” eyebolts. Eyebolt eyes are bored to a slip fit over the MT2 shanks so they fit flat against the back of the heads

Stand is 1/2” NPT floor flange, 1/2” x 18” pipe nipple, 1/2” NPT union, 1/2” brass fitting drilled for a slip fit on the shank of a tensor lamp (not shown). 1/2” NPT u-bolt connects the stand to the holder.

You can hardly tell I spent 43 years selling industrial piping

Set up all the bits at once, when I’m step drilling I just change complete chucks instead of opening and closing chucks,

3/8”-24 UNF x MT2 shank adapters cost about $15 off eBay or Amazon, and when I’m at the Value Village Boutique I can usually find dead cordless drills for $10.

Tangs for drilll chucks, drawbars for live centres. On the far left live centre if you look closely you can see a socket-head cap screw on the end so it will eject from the tail stock quill as per 140mower.

The live centre chucks are mounted on MT2 x M12 and MT2 x 3/8”-24 UNF shanks from eBay