OT- World’s Most Expensive R8 Collets?

rpseguin · Sep 28, 2019

LOL!
Cam across this when looking for a quick change tooling system to use with an R8 spindle.

They must have some significant percentage of gold in their composition...
They are used and don’t look great, but apparently they are “quick change” :-)

TeachMePlease · Sep 28, 2019

Well, they retail for $1500 so...

R8 Quick Change Tooling System Two Axis Complete kit

And more info on the system itself: R8 Quick Change Tooling System for Milling Machines

Ries · Sep 28, 2019

Although as far as I know, Hardinge doesnt make R8 quick change collets, the lathe collets they make are well over $150 apiece- and even a fair amount of their non-round R8's are well over $100. So this is actually probably a mid range price for something like this. I am guessing there are euro collets of similar size and complexity which retail for more like $250 apiece.
In our modern world, things are expensive, especially quality stuff.

Scottl · Sep 28, 2019

That's even more funny than the guy on the local craigslist who thought his ratty old 4 inch Cr*****an jointer was worth $350.

rpseguin · Sep 28, 2019

TeachMePlease said:
Well, they retail for $1500 so...

R8 Quick Change Tooling System Two Axis Complete kit

And more info on the system itself: R8 Quick Change Tooling System for Milling Machines

Interesting!
From the eBay picture, it looks like just regular R8 collets, so I thought maybe they were just putting some ridiculous price on them.

I’m looking for something more like R8/NMTB30 with endmill holders so I can do tool length offsets/diameters.

jims · Sep 28, 2019

I just went to shop Hardinge and found the brand new 12 piece set for $550. When you buy the set that’s less then $ 46 each.

rpseguin · Sep 28, 2019

Ries said:
Although as far as I know, Hardinge doesnt make R8 quick change collets, the lathe collets they make are well over $150 apiece- and even a fair amount of their non-round R8's are well over $100. So this is actually probably a mid range price for something like this. I am guessing there are euro collets of similar size and complexity which retail for more like $250 apiece.
In our modern world, things are expensive, especially quality stuff.

I buy brand new Hardinge 5C collets from the local tooling place for $35 each.
Brand new Lyndex are $26 or $28 each.

rpseguin · Sep 28, 2019

car2 said:
New R8 (solid) collets from Hardinge are $50 each, and worth the money for the relatively few sizes needed; most all the rest are mystery-Chinese origin, materials and tolerances. New Hardinge collets almost never come up for sale.

I buy brand new Hardinge for $35-ish at the local tooling shop and brand new Lyndex for $26? $28?

car2 said:
A basic r8 collet won't hold the tool in any z position, so don't see the value over a power drawbar. The other add-on adapter quick-change systems add length and tolerance accumulation.

Right.
My other option being R8 endmill holders.
I have some NMTB 30 holders already and can easily get more.

car2 said:
Bridgeport made Kwik-Switch 200 spindles on manual mills and fixed-head CNC knee-mills (I have an Interact that has Quick-Swithch 200, works well and would be handy on the manual BP). The spindles for Bridgeports come up occasionally for sale on Fleabay, and might be possible to find one somewhere. Regardless, if it's a Bridgeport "duty" spindle, IMO the best results are usually whatever keeps the tool stickout to a minimum.

The 200 series holders seem to be the most expensive on feebay, since they were used on quite a few bridgeports, so I suppose most in demand. The holder has a spring mechanism, where the holder is inserted vertically and it actuates a pin which rotates the collar to retain the tool. To remove, usually the collar can be rotated by hand, or has slots for a spanner.

(there is one on fleabay, not very good condition): Universal Engineering, Kwik-Switch 200 Splined Shaft, Master Spindle, 805043 Nut | eBay )

New ones are pricey: ($2400) Universal Devlieg - Kwik-Switch Spindle for Bridgeport 2hp CNC Mill

Yeah, my manual/CNC knee mill is a Sharp HCV with a brand new Gromax 3HP variable speed head (nice and quiet!). It’s R8, but I wish it were 40 taper (I have CT40/BT40 for my other mill) or 30 taper.

I actually have a new/never used Kwik Switch 200 spindle with master holder for a Bridgeport Series II that I’d like to sell or trade for a spindle that I could mount in this Gromax head or an entire NMTB 30 or 40 taper head.

EPAIII · Sep 28, 2019

If you look carefully at the picture, you can see a projection on the rear of the collets. I suspect this is the quick change feature that is grabbed by their drawbar.

They may very well be the world's most expensive R8 collets.

rpseguin · Sep 28, 2019

Thanks. Yeah, I saw that after someone pointed out they were not just regular R8..
Still just collets though with regard to setting TLO, so not really of too much interest to me.

EPAIII said:
If you look carefully at the picture, you can see a projection on the rear of the collets. I suspect this is the quick change feature that is grabbed by their drawbar.

metlcutr55 · Sep 28, 2019

if you want the easiest solution for fixed length Bridgeport tooling look at Tormach's TTS system and a good quality power drawbar. you will have one 3/4 collet that remains in the machine, multiple types of toolholders with 3/4 shanks and a fixed z length that sets by butting up against the spindle nose. have heard some bitching about pull out, hit the "in" lever a couple more times or replace the 90 ft lbs air wrench with a 135. if that makes you worry about the drawbar threads, keep them lubed and replace it once a year for small bux. plan your cuts with common sense, r8 is not cat50.

I have never used this but have used the Snap Change system which can be found on the web for 10+ years. parts and holders expensive but worked a treat for all that time. went thru (2) $250 drawbars. period.

worth weight in gold? being able to change tools on a "Bridgeport" in 3 seconds and hold z length on each every day worth at least as much as gold. on a cnc or even a dro machine. manual, I dunno. I bought my cnc "Bridgeport" with handwheels special to have them, but once I learned cnc and mdi I never touched them again. I bet you could get into a power drawbar and the special TTS collet (just flat nosed to be inside the taper .020 or so) and 12 holders inc drill chuck, em, and collet holders for less than $1500. jmho, ymmv.

Bill D · Sep 28, 2019

Last week I was looking on ebay for a 1/2 inch collet. I do not remember if it was mt3 or er25. Some one had a new collet for $32,000 I am not sure if that included shipping.
Bill D

wheels17 · Sep 28, 2019

Hardinge has some crazy prices. I work at a charity used tool store, and we received a Hardinge G1 drive dog as a donation. It was in excellent condition, with a pretty color case hardened finish. We usually price things like this at half of retail, so I looked it up on the shophardinge site. Anybody interested at half price??? Or best offer....

Bobw · Sep 29, 2019

(there is one on fleabay, not very good condition): Universal Engineering, Kwik-Switch 200 Splined Shaft, Master Spindle, 805043 Nut | eBay )

In case some of you guys are out searching and didn't yet know. The Collis Rapid-Switch is
identical to the UE Kwik-Switch.

And the 200 series are so damn expensive.. Though it seems people would actually
pay you to take away 300 series holders.

PmGRacer · Sep 29, 2019

YouTube

A little expensive compared to a power draw bar. I do like the collet clamp which will lock tool into collet without being on quill.

rpseguin · Sep 29, 2019

Bill D said:
Last week I was looking on ebay for a 1/2 inch collet. I do not remember if it was mt3 or er25. Some one had a new collet for $32,000 I am not sure if that included shipping.
Bill D

You didn’t jump on that bargain?!?? :-)
You could have offered $31000.00

projectnut · Sep 29, 2019

Ries said:
Although as far as I know, Hardinge doesnt make R8 quick change collets, the lathe collets they make are well over $150 apiece- and even a fair amount of their non-round R8's are well over $100. So this is actually probably a mid range price for something like this. I am guessing there are euro collets of similar size and complexity which retail for more like $250 apiece.
In our modern world, things are expensive, especially quality stuff.

They certainly aren't worth $150.00 a piece on the used market. Last year I bought a set of Hardinge 5C collets by 1/32nds to 1 1/8". I paid $7.00 per collet. I also bought a set of R8 collets 1/16'-3/4" for $3.00 per collet. There are currently several lots of Hardinge 5C listed on eBay for as little as $6.00 per unit. The only R8 (non-quick change) collets listed have an asking price of $14.50 each.

CalG · Sep 29, 2019

For someone who just purchased a second hand mill with the Mach-1 draw bar fitted, These collets would get them going in short order.

A Hardinge 5C collet given to him would be of no value at all.

Remember. What is wanted, When it's wanted, where it's wanted , determines the value of anything.

I have no need of those collets at any price. I have a short set of R8 and don't keep a machine that uses them.

EmGo · Sep 30, 2019

Ries said:
In our modern world, things are expensive, especially quality stuff.

How did you get R8 and 'quality' into the same sentence ?

solidworkscadman · Sep 30, 2019

new collets from R-8 Collets 1/8" - 3/4" - Mach-1 Systems are 79.00 each

the complete system including the drawbar and tooling is 1495.00

We have 5 of these system and they work great

OT- World’s Most Expensive R8 Collets?

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