I'm interested in one of the ER collet quick change handle options out there. Like the one Robust makes. My experience with collets in other apps is it takes one move to tighten, and 2 to loosen. On my mill's ER32 collets for example, I tighten with a spanner wrench. When you loosen you have to first loosen the collet ring with the spanner, then turn it about a half turn where it gets tight again, then the second wrench loosening releases the tool. (First is loosening the ring, second is the ring pulling the collet out of the taper). Regular routers use these kind of collets, too and behave the same.
Seems like the other ER collet-in-a-handle options would behave similarly. What's your experience with them as far as the ability to hand tighten and hand loosen while still holding the tool safely? I'm a little worried about tool rotation if it's not tight, and how hard it is to get loose if it's properly tight.
I've considered these:
Woodcut Twin Collet (ER20)
Axminster (ER20) - comes with a "optional" spanner
Simon Hope Quick release (Acetal collets that advertise no lockup)
Jimmy Clewes (Don't know what's inside his)
Robust (ER25 or ER32)
Carter products makes an R8 collet based handle as well, but it would behave different than an ER. And theirs are solid metal which I'm not a big fan of.
@Steve Chaplin ? I saw in an old post you had one of them.
I own both the Robust and the Jimmy Clews QR. I wasn't crazy about the Robuse because of the weight. sold them (multiple collets) to another club member who like it for the same reason. go figure. I love the Clews QR's I have two of them. one for 1/2" shafts and another for 3/4" shafts. They are lightweight and work great. love 'em