MeanMachine1980
Aluminum
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2017
Hello Im in the process of buying 2J collets and a collet chuck for my lathe. Does anyone know if a spin indexer or collet blocks exist for these hardinge 2J collets?
Thanks
Thanks
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2J collet spin indexer fixture or collet blocks
- Thread starter MeanMachine1980
- Start date
- Replies 13
- Views 3,413
thermite
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
They HAVE TO "exist". Or "some among us" would JF MAKE such. As you may, if it smokes yer swordfish.
At an affordable cost, new, or cheap, used on Ebay?
Not so much!
I have two 2J systems here, but it had never crossed my mind to even seek either of blocks or indexer. I have both of those in 5C. Also hex and square blocks in ER 40. Made by "one among us", BTW
Money ahead, I'm sure, as the flexibility and low cost of 5C and its hex, square, internal expanding, step, and pot chucks was wanted in any case. ER cover a total range, no gaps, (I have ER 20 as well..) and with very few collets.
2J are stronger and tighter gripping than 5C for turning, also LAST a great deal longer. That's all I ask of them. 'Big stuff", I have ER40, Rubberflex 9XX, and Burnerd Multisize anyway.
"One true collet system". Surely not here!
Few more not listed above, so I think I have six? Uh no.. more than that..
rklopp
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2001
- Location
- Redwood City, CA USA
In all my years of machining experience, I have never seen a commercial 2J spin indexer or collet block. I think it is a roll-your-own proposition. I suppose you could adapt a Hardinge Sjogren 2J chuck to a super-spacer and get something useful along those lines.
Zahnrad Kopf
Diamond
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2010
- Location
- Tropic of Milwaukee
Only aware of 5C, 16C, and 3J blocks and indexers. Not 2J. I know the people that make them will make specials, but they don't stock them in that size.
thermite
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
+1 Some also advertise adapters from the "big boys" down to 2J.
Not sure it would be any cheaper to adapt one for use as a block. Those are priced for power operation, usually CNC spindles, high volume production, budgeted accordingly.
DIY, small run (as for ER-40) can at least recover its costs for smaller spend by comparison.
Or so I hope you did!
morsetaper2
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2002
- Location
- Gaithersburg, MD USA
If you search this forum, about a year or year and a half ago, a member on this very forum made a run of 2J collet blocks. He was taking orders from the forum. Let me think a bit and I will recall his username.
thermite
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
ISTR those were "ER", and the maker "here, with us" already. I bought a set.
For 2J all I could find was where it was "considered" on PM:
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/2j-collet-blocks-314945-post2696054/#post2696054
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...collet-blocks-207534-post1386730/#post1386730
AFAIK, it "didn't happen" on PM, but did do on another forum that Google will find. April of 2015.
"In theory" my 5C indexer could handle at least the smaller of the step and pot chucks I have.
In practice, the need where a 2J might serve better than 5C, I'd probably be over onto the Ellis DH in a chuck or the 6" Yuasa rotab/DH. The Ellis is also a "super-spacer" style indexer with plates it can make for itself with its DH function. The Yuasa is degreed with vernier.
There are still BOUND to be places 2J would simply be "better". Maybe tool and cutter grinding or the like?
Even so, "niche market", 2J accessories. ISTR some uses just bypassed it for 3J?
Damned nice as straight-out spring collets, though.
morsetaper2
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2002
- Location
- Gaithersburg, MD USA
Ok, I got it wrong. There was discussion of possibly doing a run of 2J collet blocks. Don't see that it happened. Although he was selling ER collet blocks. Read for yourself, just a tad over a year ago...
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-wanted/new-made-usa-er-collet-blocks-338540/
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...-wanted/new-made-usa-er-collet-blocks-338540/
thermite
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
Thanks. My bad. It was the late Leo Williams, not Z-K.
There were then, and still are now, ER blocks offered from other commercial sources.
But there you have it.
Perhaps five people in three to five years actually LOOKING for 2J blocks. Fewer yet for 2J indexers.
That's DIY or use something else level.
I can appreciate trying to maximize utility, minimize investment by getting as much mileage as possible out of one collet "system", but..
If someone put a gun to my head and said I had to pick only ONE collet system or take a bullet to the brain?
Mark?
Can I count on you to help my Widow dispose of my Old Iron and tooling?
Some of us are serious stubborn..
MeanMachine1980
Aluminum
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2017
Thanks Everyone! I have found and read most of the related PM posts that everyone is listing. Sounds like Ill have to make something when I really need it, or invest in a 5c system...
Thanks again for all the advise.
Thanks again for all the advise.
thermite
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2011
5C is almost like deciding that Torx, Allen, Bristo, "straight" ....you'll need a damned Phillips screwdriver, after all.
Fortunately, it is the least-cost system because there are sooo many players and so many options beyond just ignorant round holes.
I don't LIKE 5C. I just respect that and use what I can use of it. Cheaper that way. Faster, too.
rimcanyon
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2002
- Location
- Salinas, CA USA
I missed this thread when it came up. Think I was building a new shop at the time. I have a 2J collet block that I use a lot. Bought it on Ebay probably 15 years ago. It is similar to a 5C block except it has 12 sides instead of 6. 12 sides is really sweet, you can use it to hold 2,3,4 and 6 flute tools for sharpening. For me it is more useful than the 5C collet blocks simply because I have a larger set of 2J collets, so sharpening metric or 64th tooling is well supported.
morsetaper2
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2002
- Location
- Gaithersburg, MD USA
I am retired now, but maybe 7 or 8 years ago, back when I was working I was a mech engr using Creo (formerly called Pro/E) day in and day out in the aerospace biz, I attempted to try and get a pair of 2J collet blocks made.
I contacted two US based well-known tooling manufacturers and I offered to do all the modeling, drawings, drawing revisions, to their specification, that it would take to get them to produce 4 & 6 sided 2J collet block pairs.
All I wanted was a set of the "final production version" blocks in exchange for my work & effort. So that would have reduced their "engineering time" spent on getting a new product to market. But both declined saying that once they hit the market, the chinese would soon be producing knock-offs.
I contacted two US based well-known tooling manufacturers and I offered to do all the modeling, drawings, drawing revisions, to their specification, that it would take to get them to produce 4 & 6 sided 2J collet block pairs.
All I wanted was a set of the "final production version" blocks in exchange for my work & effort. So that would have reduced their "engineering time" spent on getting a new product to market. But both declined saying that once they hit the market, the chinese would soon be producing knock-offs.
Last edited:
True North
Aluminum
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2024
- Location
- Canada
Perhaps Mari-tool would be interested in adding to his line?
