Thread: need lever operated collet closer for 10ee

Hi guys,

I have a 54 MG 10ee that I've been doing a lot of repeat part work with. I've tried to get quotes to see if someone with a CNC machine can do the work for the same or less cost, but so far have had no luck - part prices are around 2X what I can do making $40/hr. It's understandable, being as the part is used in big enough quantities to make me tired, but not big enough to start making CNC lathe work affordable (part qty ~200 per cycle).

I've been chucking and unchucking the work in a 6-jaw, and my wrist is getting tired of that business. What would work well is a lever operated collet closer with a 5C step collet. My 10EE doesn't have a lever collet closer, and I'd like to get something like that for it. I don't necessarily need the factory one (though that would be ideal). Does anyone:

A) have a lever operated collet closer they would like to part with
B) have experience mounting an aftermarket closer such as a Royal?

Thanks for any input you fine folks have.

-Peter

I bought a Jarno to 5C adapter and an Enco tube/closer and it works well. Only mistake I made was bolting it to the rear cover, it moves and can drive you crazy, bolt it to the body of the lathe

Originally Posted by pbungum

Hi guys,

I have a 54 MG 10ee that I've been doing a lot of repeat part work with. I've tried to get quotes to see if someone with a CNC machine can do the work for the same or less cost, but so far have had no luck - part prices are around 2X what I can do making $40/hr. It's understandable, being as the part is used in big enough quantities to make me tired, but not big enough to start making CNC lathe work affordable (part qty ~200 per cycle).

I've been chucking and unchucking the work in a 6-jaw, and my wrist is getting tired of that business. What would work well is a lever operated collet closer with a 5C step collet. My 10EE doesn't have a lever collet closer, and I'd like to get something like that for it. I don't necessarily need the factory one (though that would be ideal). Does anyone:

A) have a lever operated collet closer they would like to part with
B) have experience mounting an aftermarket closer such as a Royal?

Thanks for any input you fine folks have.

-Peter

Timely... I have three collet closers looking for new homes (don't ask) that just yesterday I became tired of walking around...

If you are interested, I'll take some pics tomorrow. One is a Royal. All three need *something*. (* - minor repair or small part)

Hi Gustafson (scandanavian perhaps? - I'm a Norsky in heritage),

Thanks for the reply. That's interesting - I'm not sure I've ever come across a Jarno (number 12 is it?) to 5C adapter - mind sharing where you got yours? I could try and make one, but it would be nice to not have to do that if possible. Definitely an interesting idea.

Any recomendations for a mounting point for the collet closer? I should peek around back of the machine - I seem to recall some sort of an odd cast cover on the back side of the headstock.

Originally Posted by Zahnrad Kopf

Timely... I have three collet closers looking for new homes (don't ask) that just yesterday I became tired of walking around...

If you are interested, I'll take some pics tomorrow. One is a Royal. All three need *something*. (* - minor repair or small part)

Whoa whoa whoa - I was just about to shut the ol' internet off for the night! That was close. I'd love to see some photos. Feel free to send copies to my email if you like: peter at whipsmartfab dot com (does it help to spell it out?)

Okay, will do. Was going to post them in the For Sale section when I got around to it, so will post a link to them here, as well.

This may help.
Bells and Whistles
Harry

ALL of that stuff helps! I remember seeing that post you made now - I should have searched for that myself. Was there anything with that setup which you wished you had done differently?

Originally Posted by pbungum

I've been chucking and unchucking the work in a 6-jaw, and my wrist is getting tired of that business.

While awaiting the closer, then finding time to sort the mounting, may I suggest you fab an adapter from the socket of that six-jaw to an electric or air torque driver?

Should be able to preset it 'just so' and it should be more consistent thereafter over a 200 pc run than your arm and wrist.

Bill

The only thing I would change is the mounting bracket on the rear of the headstock. As it is now, the bracket has to come off to take the cover off, but that will be the new owner's problem. I used the lathe for 7 years, and had no problems with the system, other than the way I made the bracket. I was a little worried about the 4140 PH for the spindle nose, but I couldn't find anything wrong with it over the years.

BTW, that post is hard to find. Somebody posted the link a few years ago, and I had been looking for it, but couldn't find it. It's in Favorite places now.
Harry

The Monarch factory installed collet closer used a special, two-piece cover in place of the upper cover. Here's a couple of very early photos of mine:



Cal

Peter,

You have mail.
Let me know if you'd like it.

Best,

WJR

Originally Posted by thermite

While awaiting the closer, then finding time to sort the mounting, may I suggest you fab an adapter from the socket of that six-jaw to an electric or air torque driver?

Should be able to preset it 'just so' and it should be more consistent thereafter over a 200 pc run than your arm and wrist.

Bill

Meaning use the driver for opening and closing the chuck? Interesting. I have another part that requires opening the chuck up quite a bit to slide a long workpiece past the tailstock - that would be quite handy for that operation as well. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Zahnrad Kopf

Peter,

You have mail.
Let me know if you'd like it.

Best,

WJR

Hi WJR. I sent you a message - Thanks for the photos!

Originally Posted by pbungum

Meaning use the driver for opening and closing the chuck? Interesting. I have another part that requires opening the chuck up quite a bit to slide a long workpiece past the tailstock - that would be quite handy for that operation as well. Thanks!

Just don't use the 'impact' type. Well -- I wouldn't.

Bill

I will probably go the lever operated route - but I came across some Dunham air collet closers and collet chucks, that go up to 2J or 16C. Does anyone have any experience with these? The one attractive thing to me about the Dunham is that I already have a bunch of 2J collets for my Sjogren chuck, and I like the larger collet size. I have some 1.25" tube work which, if the tube would pass the collet chuck, would be quite handy, though thsi is not as intensive as the other part work. Anyhow, just soliciting some last minute opinions before deciding for sure on one system or another.

Originally Posted by pbungum

I've been chucking and unchucking the work in a 6-jaw, and my wrist is getting tired of that business. What would work well is a lever operated collet closer with a 5C step collet. My 10EE doesn't have a lever collet closer, and I'd like to get something like that for it. I don't necessarily need the factory one (though that would be ideal). Does anyone:

A) have a lever operated collet closer they would like to part with
B) have experience mounting an aftermarket closer such as a Royal?

I would recommend this ...

Step collet chuck

... approach.

If you are careful, you can make a step collet chuck which is compatible with step collets (your immediate need) and conventional and "emergency"collets (a possible future need).

Needless to say, your 10EE is fully of capable of making tooling for itself.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the suggestion. I was moving toward that direction, and I'm pretty well commited to something similar to that way now. The one thing that the step 5C collet can't do is work with long (12") 1.25" tubes I bore. That's where some kind of a 2J with a collet chuck of some kind could have been pretty cool.

I was contemplating whether I could adapt the Royal collet closer I'm buying from WJR and turn it into a 2J collet closer, by making a 2J nose cone and 2J collet tube adapter.

I would look for a Hardinge-Sjogren (now ATS Workholding) 2A-D3" .. those are the ones with the small handwheel and the integral D1-3" CamLock mount.

The leading 2 indicates it is a 2J collet chuck.

Also available, perhaps a little more readily is the 2, which has a large handwheel and a flat back mount.

Originally Posted by pbungum

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the suggestion. I was moving toward that direction, and I'm pretty well commited to something similar to that way now. The one thing that the step 5C collet can't do is work with long (12") 1.25" tubes I bore. That's where some kind of a 2J with a collet chuck of some kind could have been pretty cool.

I was contemplating whether I could adapt the Royal collet closer I'm buying from WJR and turn it into a 2J collet closer, by making a 2J nose cone and 2J collet tube adapter.

The bore of a 5C drawtube won't clear a 1.25 dia. workpiece. The male thread on a 5C collet has a major diameter a touch under 1.250, so the bore must be a fair amount under 1.250.