[mactec54]

The spindle we are about to build was machined mostly with a manual lathe

It started buy getting/buying ER16 straight shank collet chuck

(2) precision angluar contact bearings & (1) ABEC5 ball-bearing

Material
303ss Body 1.750" x5.1" long
303ss End caps 1.375" round
303ss spacers 1" round
6061 Aluminum 2" round

A drawing was made around these parts & then machining started

The bore of the main body was rough machined, leaving .020 in the bearing bores for finish maching & a 30deg chamfer was put in each end, this is the most inportant part at this stage

The body was then placed in the lathe between centres to machine the outside, Just .008 was removed from the out side to get it true & parallel

The body needs to be parallel .0001 or better,you need to achieve this before you move on to the next step

[wantacnc]

Mactech, I look foward to your making of the spindle and the results at testing. How will you drive the spindle?
Joe

[mactec54]

The Spindle Housing was then set up & a 1" clearence hole was bored right through

The front Bearing bore was then rough machined some more

Next the Thread was then cut in the front end 32TPI or if you want Metric .8mm pitch which is almost the same

The Bearing Bore was then finished to size, turned around & the rear was done almost the same way, The rear/top of the Spindle Housing was bored out larger for a floating sleeve, The floating sleeve is spring loaded, to allow for expansion for when the spindle & front bearing warm up

[mactec54]

wantacnc

The spindle build is for a customer, He has his own drive motor, I think it is around 1KW

[mactec54]

The next parts made were the front Bearing retaining Nut with Labyrinth seal & a spacer

[RomanLini]

Very cool! I have seen those ER16 chuck+shank on Ebay a few times and wondered about making a spindle.

It looks like a 200mm long shank by 12mm diameter?

[mactec54]

RomanLini

Thanks for your comment

Yes the ER collet holders are on Ebay,No matter were you Buy them you have to be Careful with the Quality, most of them need work to make them usable, the one I'm using was not my choice, As some of the parts/material were supplied by the customer, It's 150mm long x 12mm & has no through hole, so makes the small 12mm diameter stronger than one with the through hole

[mactec54]

The Top Spindle Rear Bearing Housing/Retainer & End Cap

[Khalid]

Very nice work..will you share the drawings with us

[mactec54]

Khalid

Thanks for yor comments, Yes this spindle build will have basic drawings

[mactec54]

The Bearing Spacers were made next, The long Spacer has a relief in the bore, mostly for ease of assembly

The Bore of these Spacers has to be a Just sliding fit on the Spindle Shaft, This can not be a loose fit,as this will affect the balance of the Spindle

The trick to making the long Spacer with a small ID, is to do it in 2 parts, then it is easy to do the relief/undercut inside the Spacer

You Bore out one end of the Spacer for a Bush, Push the Bush in & finish machine

The first photo shows the Spacer machined with the end Bush, the next photo shows the (2) Spacers complete

[mactec54]

Some changes have been made to the ER16 Collet Chuck, which are needed before assembly

The shoulder behind the head of the ER16 Chuck, needs to be machined true to the shaft & Head, most are not machined/ground when manufactured, They are rough machined & then heat treated, After heat treating most parts of the ER Collets are Ground but not many manufactures do that face

You put the ER Collet Chuck between Centres, see that it is running true, & a light cut on that face to clean it up is all that is needed

The next part to the mod is to put (2) more flats on the head, to match the (2) that are already there

Putting (2) more flats on the head will give it better balance

[mactec54]

The Spindle Housing mounting blocks were made next,They are a little thicker than needed for this size spindle

The material used for these mounts,was made from 1"x3"x4" 6061 aluminum

This photo shows the mounting blocks finished & most of the spindle parts compleated

[RTP_Burnsville]

Nice work thus far.... It will be interesting watching the spindle come together.

Robert

[CarveOne]

Very nice workmanship mactec54. Pieces of machining art, they are.

CarveOne

[Drools]

Great work!
A few of questions, what RPM are you targeting for?
What will you be driving the spindle with motor and belt type?
Will you be cutting wood/plastic/Ali or all 3?

[RomanLini]

And another question... Are you going to make any for sale??

[Drools]

Roman don't spoil it. I was going to PM that question

[mactec54]

Thank you for your support & comments
RTP_Burnsville
CarveOne
Drools

I hope I never missed anyone

RomanLini
Yes at some stage they will be for sale,This will take some time, as I'm overloaded right now

Drools
For speed it depends on what bearings are being used, the Bearings in this spindle are good for 40,000RPM

Will it be doing that, no the customer will mostly run around 10,000/12,000RPM He cuts metal mostly, With a spindle like this you can cut all (3) & more, It again depends on how ridgid the machine is built, as to how well & what you can cut with a spindle built like this

For a belt the best for a spindle if you are not doing ridgid tapping, is the poly-Vee belt, My choice

The customer is using (2) 3/16 Orings for his belt, 1KW DC brushless motor

[skray775]

Beautiful work !