Where to get a custom collet edm cut.

plutoniumsalmon · Apr 11, 2017

Hello.

I was wondering where you guys go to get your collets custom cut for weird stock. Ideally this would be EDM. Is there a company out there or should I just go find a wire EDM shop.

Thank you.

Milland · Apr 11, 2017

If this is a relatively short term thing, could you make a milled insert from three pieces that would then be bonded into a larger round collet? I think using a toughened Loctite instant adhesive would allow it to not fracture at the bond for some time, and it could be removed when you're done after soaking in the right solvent.

If this is a large job, then getting a hardened blank wire EDM'd sounds like a good plan. If you want to spend some bucks Hardinge could likely do it. I'd at least ask them...

2outof3 · Apr 11, 2017

Hardinge makes them. So does Southwick and Meister.

RevetsP · Apr 11, 2017

plutoniumsalmon said:
Hello.

I was wondering where you guys go to get your collets custom cut for weird stock. Ideally this would be EDM. Is there a company out there or should I just go find a wire EDM shop.

Thank you.

What collet type? What kind of accuracy are you looking for?

Zahnrad Kopf · Apr 11, 2017

plutoniumsalmon said:
Hello.

I was wondering where you guys go to get your collets custom cut for weird stock. Ideally this would be EDM. Is there a company out there or should I just go find a wire EDM shop.

Thank you.

Shoot me an email and we can help.

tooldude328 · Apr 12, 2017

Find a mold shop in your area. most of them have wire edm capabilities as well as ram edms.

WILLEO6709 · Apr 12, 2017

I would call hardinge, send them a drawing, buy what you really want from them.

mountie · Apr 13, 2017

KEB Industries, Willoughby, OH (kebkollets.com)

They have that capability in-house and do it regularly.

Used to work there, otherwise no affiliation.

Good luck!

TeachMePlease · Apr 13, 2017

I'd send an RFQ to Southwick, KEB, and Hardinge, and buy from whoever can get you either the best price, or the best lead time, depending on what is more important to you.

triumph406 · Apr 13, 2017

plutoniumsalmon said:
Hello.

I was wondering where you guys go to get your collets custom cut for weird stock. Ideally this would be EDM. Is there a company out there or should I just go find a wire EDM shop.

Thank you.

There's plenty of wire shops in and around LA.

Zahnrad Kopf · May 27, 2017

plutoniumsalmon's collet is finally done. I have to admit that I completely missed the part about this being a 3J collet. For some reason I had "5C" locked in my head. And boy, oh boy, was that a mistake. There is a LOT of meat to remove in a 3J collet...

Dave K · May 27, 2017

Zahnrad Kopf said:
plutoniumsalmon's collet is finally done. I have to admit that I completely missed the part about this being a 3J collet. For some reason I had "5C" locked in my head. And boy, oh boy, was that a mistake. There is a LOT of meat to remove in a 3J collet...

Looks like some awesome work to me. I'll keep that in mind if I needs something like that. Can you do 16C?

Zahnrad Kopf · May 27, 2017

Dave K said:
Looks like some awesome work to me. I'll keep that in mind if I needs something like that. Can you do 16C?

Thanks, buddy. Yes, we can do 16C, too. :cool:

FredC · May 29, 2017

Curious, why was this done on an emergency collet? I would have started with a hard collet and used shims to space the slots when doing the edm work? Was it going to be used on a short run job?

Zahnrad Kopf · May 29, 2017

FredC said:
Curious, why was this done on an emergency collet? I would have started with a hard collet and used shims to space the slots when doing the edm work? Was it going to be used on a short run job?

Hi FredC,

It was done on an E-collet because that is what I recommended he purchase for a few reasons.

A. It's more expedient given that they come prepared for the operation, having pins in place for form retention. As I'm sure you are aware, the slots can be slightly irregular at times, and not having to dicker around with shims and such simply saves time and effort when one is paying for the pleasure.

B. This particular application is for holding Aluminum extrusion for bar fed ops in a turning center. These collets are far from "soft" and are plenty hard enough for that. My experience doing this** has left me with the impression that unless one is using the final product for very long runs of semi hard to hard/abrasive parts, e-collets are perfectly fine and suited to the task.

** - I have actually made quite a few custom collets over the years as they are very handy. I have only once had to be concerned with the hardness of the collet once that I can recall. Maybe twice.

implmex · May 29, 2017

Hi FredC:
Of course I can't speak for Zahnrad Kopf or for plutoniumsalmon. but I've cut quite a few collets too, and I've found that shimming the slots of a standard collet always leaves me with slightly worse runout than using the pins in a GOOD QUALITY emergency collet.
If the pins fit really well I can get the runout down to a tenth or two with care.
If they don't, it's a crap shoot because the collet compresses unevenly and of course, you have to cut it in the compressed state.
The same is true when a standard collet is shimmed; you need to get an excellent fit between slot and shim, and many collets have pretty rough sawn slots so shimming them accurately can be difficult.
So yeah, I always use emergency collets but never cheapo ones; Lyndex or better for me!!
Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
www.vancouverwireedm.com

Edit: You beat me to it Zahnrad Kopf, but it looks like we basically said the same thing!
Nice to know I'm not TOTALLY batshit crazy!!

litlerob1 · May 29, 2017

Thanks Marcus, I would not have thought of the condition of the actual collet slot.

Search

Largest Manufacturing Technology Community on the Web

Search

Where to get a custom collet edm cut.

plutoniumsalmon

Hot Rolled

Milland

Diamond

2outof3

Titanium

RevetsP

Cast Iron

Zahnrad Kopf

Diamond

tooldude328

Aluminum

WILLEO6709

Diamond

mountie

Aluminum

TeachMePlease

Diamond

triumph406

Diamond

Zahnrad Kopf

Diamond

Dave K

Diamond

Zahnrad Kopf

Diamond

FredC

Diamond

Zahnrad Kopf

Diamond

implmex

Diamond

litlerob1

Diamond

Similar threads