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Any interest in new Van Norman C collets or arbors?

Glenn Brooks

Aluminum
Joined
Nov 16, 2014
Location
Woodinville, Wa
Hello All,

Iam thinking about ordering a production run of new VN C collets and maybe arbors for the VN 12. Does anyone need collets or arbors? If so,please let me know what sizes are the most important. You could reply here or via PM. These will be aerospace precision and likely made with 4140, so as to have a reasonable degree of hardness.

Working on minimum production numbers and cost now. Should have some idea of costs and delivery time by next week.

Thanks
Glenn
 
Let us know if you stretch into the larger VN "2" (aka Hardinge 50V) collets. I've finally accumulated a used set from various sources, but there are a couple that could use replacement.

As to VN "C" (aka Hardinge 5V), not personally in the market, but there's a steady, if slow, stream of inquiries here on PM forums. The previous commercial source stopped carrying new ones, so the market is probably marginal given the (varying) availability of used collets. It's a worthy thing to do, though.
 
I too would be interested in the larger "2" or Hardinge 50V size. Some of mine are quite worn. Would be great if we could get them up to 1 inch or more.
 
I too would be interested in the larger "2" or Hardinge 50V size. Some of mine are quite worn. Would be great if we could get them up to 1 inch or more.
The factory only offered them up to 7/8". A quick mic check on one I had nearby shows a 0.936" ID and a 1.120" major diameter at the threaded end, which does not leave a whole lot of meat when bored out for 1". On the other hand, you could probably counterbore 1" for a depth of 1.25" easily or 2.5" if you were aggressive. The front end is only 1.2865" OD (uncompressed on my sample), so you certainly shouldn't attempt 1.25"!
 
Thanks all, I’ll look into the possibility of having some VN “2” collets made up.

What VN machine sizes are these suitable for? Also do they cross over to any other machines, or were they proprietary to VN?

Thanks
Glenn
 
I'm sure both the VN 2 and VN C collets are proprietary, although they are/were second-sourced from Hardinge as the 50V and 5V, respectively.

As far as I know, the VN 2 is used mostly in accessories for the larger 2X and 3X series mills (e.g., #28). Things like the universal subhead, highspeed subhead, the dividing heads, etc. It's possible they were also used in some of VN's grinders, but I don't have any catalogs for those machines. The larger 2X and 3X machines usually had an NMTB 50 spindle taper, which is massively larger than the VN 2 collet, and also common as white gym socks. The accessory spindles were much smaller, and not real common.

BTW, in addition to the ordinary VN 2 collets for holding straight shank tools (1/16 to 7/8, by 1/32 increments), there were also VN 2 taper collets for B&S 5 and 7 and Morse 1 and 2 taper shank tools, shell mill arbors (1/2 to 1-1/2, standard sizes) and even some almost-standard (odd pilot diameter) type A milling arbors (7/8 by 7, 1 by 3.5, 8 and 12).

VN also made taper adapters from NMTB50 and B&S13 to VN 2, although I don't really see the point. NMTB50 and even B&S13 (in its day) tooling had to have been more common than VN2 tooling.
 
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I was just reading about the VN-MT#2 collet adapters. Noticed them listed in a couple of old VN accessory catalogs.

It wouldn’t be hard to turn out a few MT adopters if there is a need. Seems like they could be useful for mounting MT drill bits??

Anybody know What else would have been a common usage?

Thanks
Glenn
 
That's one way to mount a drill chuck on a Van Norman, using a chuck with a MT to JT arbor. 'C'-shank, Jacobs taper arbors would also be very cool to have.

Cal
 
If there were a way to make a fitting with the back end matching the VN "C" collet pattern, and the front end having the nose of an ER collet chuck, of as large a size as is practicable in relation to the scale of an ER collet (ER32 would be great, ER25 would be OK) that would be the bee's knees as far as I am concerned.

Lacking that, I'd be interested in a VN-C (smaller) to MT2 as long as the price is somewhere lower than the stratosphere.

Thanks for doing/ offering this
 
yes, I have a 16 and use the "c" size collets looking for arbors. 1" for sure

Iam thinking about ordering a production run of new VN C collets and maybe arbors for the VN 12. Does anyone need collets or arbors? If so,please let me know what sizes are the most important. You could reply here or via PM. These will be aerospace precision and likely made with 4140, so as to have a reasonable degree of hardness.

Working on minimum production numbers and cost now. Should have some idea of costs and delivery time by next week.

Thanks
Glenn


I am definitely interested in a 1" arbor. I believe that is as big as a 12 will handle. Larger if available. Length to 12"
hope you did get a run done
RP
 
I am definitely interested in a 1" arbor. I believe that is as big as a 12 will handle. Larger if available. Length to 12"
hope you did get a run done
RP


Thread necro- I don't think this ever flew-

VN C tooling is not too difficult to make if you have a lathe, and a VN 12 or the like. While making an actual C collet could be tough, making an ER collet holder to fit the VN C spindle is much simpler, as it is not a thin walled construction that has to be slotted and hardened. Make it just like a end mill holder, turn the shank and VN taper and threads on the lathe, and bore the ER taper on the mill with the mill head set at 8 degrees and with a fixed tool in the vise, feeding on the Y axis.
 
I know it's been a while since this post however, did you ever have any van Norman C collets made? I have recently purchased a Van Norman 1/2 and I'm in the market for collets and cutter arbors. If you didnt have any made maybe you could send me in the direction of the person that was going to do them for you.Thank you and i look forward to hearing from you.
 
I have picked up a Van Norman 16 with the universal head and quill (from what I can tell that means it is a 16s?) anyhow as far as I can tell the spindle is set for the VN C collets (4NS are extremely close but the thread is off for the draw bar). I am looking to either get VN C collets or have the spindle re-ground to an R8...it would be nice to get my hands on just 1 VN C or 5V collet so I can confirm what it is I have since I currently have no collets to fit the machine.
 
I have picked up a Van Norman 16 with the universal head and quill (from what I can tell that means it is a 16s?) anyhow as far as I can tell the spindle is set for the VN C collets (4NS are extremely close but the thread is off for the draw bar). I am looking to either get VN C collets or have the spindle re-ground to an R8...it would be nice to get my hands on just 1 VN C or 5V collet so I can confirm what it is I have since I currently have no collets to fit the machine.
PM me- I can set you up with a collet to check it.
I would not think a regrind to R8 would work.
The solution I use is to make VN end mill holders and a VN to ER25 collet holders.
I used 1144, did not harden but they will likely last the rest of my life in non production use. I put up a post not too long ago here about a DRO and ER collet holder for the VN12. (link)
 
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