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Apprentice collet chuck.....yay, or nay?

Odie

Odie

Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
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odie, I have one and I am quite happy with it. I this it is very well made and the price is right.

Dale
 
Odie, Amazon has that collet set for 81.00 and free shipping and they show it is in stock there. I just ordered one Friday so can't comment on how it works. Derryl
 
Odie,

I have had mine for about a month and only used it twice, but it has performed flawlessly so far and seems to be very well made.

Be sure to check out Amazon as Derryl suggests for the best price, that is where I got mine.
 
Thanks for the replies, Bob, Darryl, and Dale......

Has anyone checked one of these for concentricity? If so, what was the run-out, if any?

That it runs true, would be my main concern. (w/all of the different collets)

Am I assuming correctly that you'd have to pretty much match the tenon to the collet size: 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4" . There is no overlap in collet capability.....Is that correct?

Although I haven't done many in the past, It's my intention to experiment with this chuck for making very small finials for lids on boxes.

I just checked with my receipt from CSUSA, and I had been thinking that I'd already been charged for the chuck, but was on back order......but, it looks like I haven't been charged yet. I will be checking on Amazon shortly.

Does Amazon take paypal?

ooc
 
Last edited:
Derryl Williams said:
Odie, Amazon has that collet set for 81.00 and free shipping and they show it is in stock there. I just ordered one Friday so can't comment on how it works. Derryl
Click to expand...

Derryl......

I guess this PSI collet chuck is the one you refer to:

http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-Products-LCDOWEL-Collet/dp/B004CVJBZS/ref=pd_cp_hi_1

If so, it doesn't look like it's offered with a 1 1/4 x 8tpi spindle adaptor.....and, that's what I'll need.

Looks like I might have to wait until the one at CSUSA is available.

thanks.......

ooc
 
odie, I have not put an indicator on the chuck to check for runout but I have not seen or experienced anything to give me any cause to check for run out.

You can get a good set of metric collets on ebay for a good price, that will give you the in between sizes for some overlap.

Dale
 
Dale Bright said:
odie, I have not put an indicator on the chuck to check for runout but I have not seen or experienced anything to give me any cause to check for run out.

You can get a good set of metric collets on ebay for a good price, that will give you the in between sizes for some overlap.

Dale
Click to expand...

OK, thanks Dale......

If it's close enough that you can't visually see any run-out, that's probably close enough. If there is run-out, it would probably mean that all work would have to be done on a single chucking.....that is, without insuring the piece were re-mounted with the same orientation.......

Doesn't really matter about the overlap of the collets. I was wondering if I could make a tenon any ol' size and find a collet to match.......but, it will be no problem to make a tenon of the correct size, as long as I'm aware of the size limitations.

thanks

ooc
 
Quality of the Apprentice Collet Chuck

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm tooting my own horn here but I am a turner who does get the importance of knowing the answers to these questions. Hopefully this info will help you out in your purchasing decisions. The collets supplied with the Apprentice collet chuck have about a 1/32" movement, meaning you're sitting roughly a 1/64" of either side of the size printed on the collet. You may be able to still clamp down on something slightly larger or smaller but you'll get your best results turning the tenon to size with calipers. The chucks we have tested at CSUSA have all ran very true. Now that I've said that it's sure to backfire on me. :rolleyes: If you get one with a runout issue, please contact us so we can get you a replacement. I haven't seen any of the apprentice collet chucks have any greater of a runout than .003" which is well within tolerances for woodturning. Let me know if you have any further questions.
 
Sam Gubler said:
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm tooting my own horn here but I am a turner who does get the importance of knowing the answers to these questions. Hopefully this info will help you out in your purchasing decisions. The collets supplied with the Apprentice collet chuck have about a 1/32" movement, meaning you're sitting roughly a 1/64" of either side of the size printed on the collet. You may be able to still clamp down on something slightly larger or smaller but you'll get your best results turning the tenon to size with calipers. The chucks we have tested at CSUSA have all ran very true. Now that I've said that it's sure to backfire on me. :rolleyes: If you get one with a runout issue, please contact us so we can get you a replacement. I haven't seen any of the apprentice collet chucks have any greater of a runout than .003" which is well within tolerances for woodturning. Let me know if you have any further questions.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Sam.......

Matter of fact, I do have a dial indicator w/magnetic base, and will check it. Yes......I agree that .003" would be within what I'd hope to find. I'll let you know if I find a tolerance problem.........

ooc
 
Sam G. or anyone else- What size collets does the Apprentice chuck take? Didn't find it on the CSUSA website. Curious as to the ability to add to the arsenal for odd sizes if the need would arise.

Hope I didn't hijack your thread Odie.

Thanks,
Glenn

AAW# 37539
 
I believe the collets used are ER-32. Same size as the Beall Collet chuck. The Axminster uses ER-20. Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
Glenn Barber said:
Hope I didn't hijack your thread Odie.

Thanks,
Glenn

AAW# 37539
Click to expand...

Absolutely not, Glenn...........

If I had thought of it, I may have asked the same question.:D


ooc
 
Sam Gubler said:
I hope this doesn't sound like I'm tooting my own horn here but I am a turner who does get the importance of knowing the answers to these questions. Hopefully this info will help you out in your purchasing decisions. The collets supplied with the Apprentice collet chuck have about a 1/32" movement, meaning you're sitting roughly a 1/64" of either side of the size printed on the collet. You may be able to still clamp down on something slightly larger or smaller but you'll get your best results turning the tenon to size with calipers. The chucks we have tested at CSUSA have all ran very true. Now that I've said that it's sure to backfire on me. :rolleyes: If you get one with a runout issue, please contact us so we can get you a replacement. I haven't seen any of the apprentice collet chucks have any greater of a runout than .003" which is well within tolerances for woodturning. Let me know if you have any further questions.
Click to expand...
odie said:
Thanks, Sam.......

Matter of fact, I do have a dial indicator w/magnetic base, and will check it. Yes......I agree that .003" would be within what I'd hope to find. I'll let you know if I find a tolerance problem.........

ooc
Click to expand...

I tested the Apprentice collet chuck runout today, and it looks like the maximum runout is going to be about .003".

My Woodfast lathe spindle has about .0009", or slightly less than one thousandth runout......so, that is a factor.

The Apprentice collet chuck body and inside the collet taper matches perfectly with a runout of about .00175", so I'm assuming there is a small deviation between the spindle thread cut, and the collet taper cut within the chuck itself........very much within what I'd consider acceptable tolerances.

Was only able to check for runout using the 1/4" and 3/8" collets with drill rod, but they were .003", and .002" respectively.

Was unable to fit a 1/2" drill shank into the 1/2" collet, so couldn't check it. Everything used in this collet will have to be sized slightly smaller to fit. Didn't have any drill rod sized for the 5/8" and 3/4" collets, so couldn't check those.

Overall impression is very good for machining and tolerances......I will be able to feel confident in this chuck.

ooc
 
I've used ER collets in precision holders for 30 some years. The accuracy varies directly with price, haven't bought any for a number of years, but I recall paying $25 and more for each collet.

ER collets originally were meant to be tool holding collets where accuracy could be a big issue. It's only recently that they've been offered for work holding, at lower prices and presumably are being manufactured to a lower tolerance that's acceptable for wood.

I dispute Sam Gruber's earlier contention the collets have a range of 1/64" above and below the nominal size marked on the collets. 1/32" below nominal maybe, but certainly not 1/64" above (at least with my sets).
 
I guess it depends on what you are using one for. I looked at collet chucks and borrowed that one from a turner. I ended up getting pin jaws for my chuck. This worked better for what i am doing as I can clamp square or round stock. I wanted something for finials and with the collet chuck I had to turn round first to use the collet chuck where as I can clamp square or round stock in the pin jaws.
 
Odie....i have the spigot jaws (#1) for my stronghold
 
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