Custom Collet Source?

I had a customer request that I make a custom collet for them. It is a hairbrained, stupid, poor design. They cannot find anyone to make it.



No duh

After I called and left a message explaining that I was not interested in the job, and I was no quoting it, they called back and asked that I take a closer look at it. Cost is no object.

I really have NO desire to make this collet, but they are a repeat customer, and occasionally I get pretty good work from them. Problem is I can't find anyone that makes collets short of ordering 10,000 pcs. Apparently this is not a "standard" collet. Which is the stupid part of the poor design.

Any suggestions? Anyone have a source for custom made collets?

Have you talked to Dave Meyers at Hardinge?



---------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Fal Grunt said:

I had a customer request that I make a custom collet for them. It is a hairbrained, stupid, poor design. They cannot find anyone to make it.



No duh

After I called and left a message explaining that I was not interested in the job, and I was no quoting it, they called back and asked that I take a closer look at it. Cost is no object.

I really have NO desire to make this collet, but they are a repeat customer, and occasionally I get pretty good work from them. Problem is I can't find anyone that makes collets short of ordering 10,000 pcs. Apparently this is not a "standard" collet. Which is the stupid part of the poor design.

Any suggestions? Anyone have a source for custom made collets?

Click to expand...

A custom collet (as in not 5c or a J?)... so that means it fits into a custom holder? Can you make both pieces? Is there a repeatability tolerance they want to hold? Or does it use a "standard" collet taper with a funky interface?

Co-Op Tool
1517 Coining Drive
Toledo, OH 43612

Turning & Grinding Precision Chunks | Co-Op Tool Workholding Systems

We used these guys for one of our customers projects. Beautiful work.

Perhaps check with Powerhold. I believe they make collets to their own design.

CarbideBob said:

Colonial Bushings inc.

Click to expand...

Appreciate the link, will contact them.

Ox said:

Have you talked to Dave Meyers at Hardinge?

Click to expand...

I have not, do you have contact information for him? I found a custom quote request on shophardinge.com, but when you click on it, it goes nowhere.

Mike1974 said:

A custom collet (as in not 5c or a J?)... so that means it fits into a custom holder? Can you make both pieces? Is there a repeatability tolerance they want to hold? Or does it use a "standard" collet taper with a funky interface?

Click to expand...

This is a completely unique collet design, I have never seen before. It is not a modified standard.

Lynn R. said:

Co-Op Tool
1517 Coining Drive
Toledo, OH 43612

Turning & Grinding Precision Chunks | Co-Op Tool Workholding Systems

We used these guys for one of our customers projects. Beautiful work.

Click to expand...

Thanks I will contact them.

MCritchley said:

Perhaps check with Powerhold. I believe they make collets to their own design.

Click to expand...

I will look them up, thanks

If they're telling the truth when they say cost is no object, quote it for what you can make it for plus profit. Doesn't matter if it's stupid if you can do it and they'll pay for it.

KEBKollets.com

As to Dave Meyers at Hardinge, I don't know him, but if his email follows the same convention as everyone else, it'd be [email protected]

Give us some idea as to the dimensions of this collet.

Yeah, mohawk boy's got it figgered out.


Kind'a sounds like it might be just as cheap to scrap the current set-up and put sumpthing a bit more std in place.

???


------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

TeachMePlease said:

KEBKollets.com

As to Dave Meyers at Hardinge, I don't know him, but if his email follows the same convention as everyone else, it'd be [email protected]

Give us some idea as to the dimensions of this collet.

Click to expand...

+1 on dimensions (rough) and is the collet being used for "other" purposes ? Not necessarily straight up machining ?

Ox said:

Yeah, mohawk boy's got it figgered out.


Kind'a sounds like it might be just as cheap to scrap the current set-up and put sumpthing a bit more std in place.

???


------------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Click to expand...

I've been called worse

mhajicek said:

If they're telling the truth when they say cost is no object, quote it for what you can make it for plus profit. Doesn't matter if it's stupid if you can do it and they'll pay for it.

Click to expand...

People say a lot of things, and I have learned that when they say cost is no object, it is rarely true. Due to the way this collet is designed, and the requirements that they have on it, I would have 2-3 hours in just making a reasonable quote that I would feel safe with. I sincerely doubt that when they get my quote, that they will take it.

TeachMePlease said:

KEBKollets.com

As to Dave Meyers at Hardinge, I don't know him, but if his email follows the same convention as everyone else, it'd be [email protected]

Give us some idea as to the dimensions of this collet.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I didn't know that was a convention? I think Yamazen is the only company I have dealt with that has their emails setup like that.

Collet is a little over 3" in diameter, about 1.7" thick, straight walls no taper, ID has lugs, with several tapers and flats. .0004" on everything for size and location, including the clearance slots.

Ox said:

Yeah, mohawk boy's got it figgered out.

Kind'a sounds like it might be just as cheap to scrap the current set-up and put sumpthing a bit more std in place.

Click to expand...

I think it was a bad choice to begin with, but I really have no idea.

cameraman said:

+1 on dimensions (rough) and is the collet being used for "other" purposes ? Not necessarily straight up machining ?

Click to expand...

I don't have a clue what it is being used for.

I know it is in a Tier 1 Automotive production line, so they won't change it. They don't know what the workholding is, they think possibly the machine tool manufacturer made the setup. I told them to contact the machine tool manufacturer, and they did, nogo for whatever reason. I told them somewhere in their documentation they should have what the collet is. They don't know.

Material is some obscure DIN that I will have to cross reference to hopefully a close US steel. I will have to ask half a dozen clarification questions, because their prints show details that are not spelled out in the section view.

In summation, it is a pain in the ass, and a wonder that any automobiles actually roll down the road.

I didn't mean that was a universal convention, but it is definitely the Hardinge convention. I can give you the email for the Hardinge custom tooling inside sales person that I use, if you like.

Fal Grunt said:

....

I know it is in a Tier 1 Automotive production line, so they won't change it. They don't know what the workholding is, they think possibly the machine tool manufacturer made the setup. I told them to contact the machine tool manufacturer, and they did, nogo for whatever reason. I told them somewhere in their documentation they should have what the collet is. They don't know.
.

Click to expand...

Many strange tooling things in this tier 1 world. Sometimes the original machine builder is gone away but the machine lives on.
Custom designs are common.
I would spin weld the CV housing onto the end of axles. A slick process with a lot of force. Just spin that axle and then ram it into it's mate.
Very custom collets, no standard anything. Yet since perishable tooling my source would keep some blanks or finished on the shelf for when I got into the deep oh-shit.

Tier one is different and JIT, one or two days and somebody is not assembling cars. Money is no object when faced with that.
When behind, helicopter from your back parking lot to the line is a easy $20,000 when somewhat local. Mexico? 5-10 times that.

It is possible in this world that one special collet is worth $20,000 or more if done in 10-16 hours.
Sometimes this occurs with bad planning or you tear up tooling fast. You do not shut down an auto assembly plant... bad, bad, bad...
Bob