Anyone using smaller AF collets?

Milland · Jun 23, 2020

I bought a set of AF 38's from JohnEvans back in 2017: https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...le-or-wanted/universal-eng-af-collets-335266/

and I'm just getting round to using them. I'm probably just going to buy an extension or two: AF-Style Collet Holder / Extension - Part # S-A38R07-40H-R – Exact Tooling

and use them for drills and the like.

Anyone out there using AF's on a regular basis, or have ER's killed them off? Any tips if a collet gets stuck or pulls out of the nut?

Dan from Oakland · Jun 23, 2020

The AF collets snap into the collet nut and that's what extracts them when the nut gets loosened. If you tighten the nut without snapping the collet in place before hand you will have to press the tool out from the back side. Never had one pull out of the nut. Probably not used much for new tooling applications but our old Hurcos use them so. . .

Milland · Jun 23, 2020

Thanks for that, Dan - pretty much what I expected...

Bobw · Jun 23, 2020

I saw a bunch of AF's the other day. They were outside in a milk crate. Still in original boxes, the sets with the clear covers. 90% sure they were AF's, this was an Acroloc guy, and it seems thats all they used.

I've got a bunch too, haven't used them in a decade.

Delw · Jun 23, 2020

Bobw said:
I saw a bunch of AF's the other day. They were outside in a milk crate. Still in original boxes, the sets with the clear covers. 90% sure they were AF's, this was an Acroloc guy, and it seems thats all they used.

I've got a bunch too, haven't used them in a decade.

Acroloc used them I used to have tons of them, gave them all away. then a decade or so later I bought older miyano with live tooling had a box of almost every size included of af collets. there used on the live tool holders in the older machines

Milland · Jun 23, 2020

Bobw said:
I saw a bunch of AF's the other day. They were outside in a milk crate. Still in original boxes, the sets with the clear covers. 90% sure they were AF's, this was an Acroloc guy, and it seems thats all they used.

I've got a bunch too, haven't used them in a decade.

Outside as it getting tossed? Well, I guess that shows how valuable they are now...

I like the "potential" for tighter holding in a narrower package with these, but whether reality aligns with that hope is TBD.

Delw · Jun 23, 2020

Milland said:
Outside as it getting tossed? Well, I guess that shows how valuable they are now...

I like the "potential" for tighter holding in a narrower package with these, but whether reality aligns with that hope is TBD.

They were hard to get back in the mid 90's I always had to special order them for my acrolocs as no one in the valley carried them we had good suppliers back then too.
I gave all mine away with the acrolccs. about 10years ago bought a Miyano with live tooling(older one) they used the same collets fortunately I got a huge box of them with the machine.

I always liked them better than er collets I felt they held better. we made straight shanked holder for them so they would work on our lathes. it was a win win.
the nuts were a pain in the ass to get off the collet especially the 1/8 and unders

exkenna · Jun 24, 2020

Acura-Flex collet, still popular in Asia. Similar to SK collet in that it had 8 degree of taper and about .015 range of collapsibility. I wasn't fond of them because like TG, they were prone to seizing in the taper after heat cycling a few times.

I believe Centaur still stocks the collets and holders:
AF COLLETS | Centaur Precision Tools

exkenna · Jun 24, 2020

But to answer your question about removing stuck collets:

Coat the collet with a WS2 Tungsten Disulfide dry film before assembly.
You'll wonder why you didn't know about this sooner :eek:

https://www.amazon.com/LOWER-FRICTION-MK-WS2-SP-Disulfide-Lubricant/dp/B019ZJBDYS

Dan from Oakland · Jun 24, 2020

Bob W- go get those collets! Nuttin wrong with them if you have holders, and a few of us do. Suppose if you let a gorilla use them and over tighten the nuts, you could stick a collet, but in using them since 1986, I've never had an issue unless someone did not snap the collet into the nut before tightening it. Suppose if you were accustomed to using the old DA style collets it would be an easy mistake to make.

Milland · Jun 24, 2020

Dan from Oakland said:
Suppose if you were accustomed to using the old DA style collets it would be an easy mistake to make.

DA collets - ugh, I have some (don't remember where I got them) but never use them. IMHO, not suitable for "real" toolholding, except perhaps on-size drills.

Milland · Jun 24, 2020

exkenna said:
But to answer your question about removing stuck collets:

Coat the collet with a WS2 Tungsten Disulfide dry film before assembly.
You'll wonder why you didn't know about this sooner

https://www.amazon.com/LOWER-FRICTION-MK-WS2-SP-Disulfide-Lubricant/dp/B019ZJBDYS

Thanks for that tip, I'll check it out.

Rob L · Jun 24, 2020

Milland said:
DA collets - ugh, I have some (don't remember where I got them) but never use them. IMHO, not suitable for "real" toolholding, except perhaps on-size drills.

Never used them myself but from my understanding (what I've read) DA collets are just for holding drills really and then ER collets for milling, they seemed to be really common with Bridgeport Interact users with a mix of DA and ER.

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