[Chrisjh]

Hi,

I have an ER32 Collet set to suit my Syil CNC X3 Mill (R8 Spindle) but found it a pain to tighten the collet in the machine. I had seen professional "toolsetters" but they cost far more than I was willing to spend.

Generally they consisted of a "C" section of steel bored to suit the collet holder and were able to be bolted to a bench (tool side up) so tools could be easily secured in the holder with the collet spanner.

I needed to find some "C" section steel with a 120mm wide dimension. I was dreaming. No one in Australia seems to manufacture a cross section that I needed.

I came up with a design that uses 2" ID steel pipe that negated the need for the "C" section and most of the parts can be made on a lathe and a mill with an indexing setup. The 61mm hole in the clamp was machined in the CNC mill.

The photo shows the finished product held in my bench vice and is self explanatory. I have attached a zip file of all of the drawings that I generated so that others can make a similar setup if they choose.

Regards

Chrisjh

[SyilAmerica]

By far the best system I have seen to date is the Royal tool system for fixed tooling. I haven't seen too many tool setting setups myself. Maybe you could educate us on the use of your tool setting device with a few more pictures?

Royal R8 Quick Change

We will be carrying this line shortly.

[keen]

Have you seen the TTS system? http://www.tormach.com/Product_TTS.html
this would be more ridgid and I imagine cheaper than the Royal system.

[MichaelHenry]

Have you seen the TTS system?

I believe that this system relies in part on the spindle nose being ground flat and parallel to the table. Would a Syil mill have that feature?

I also believe that you will need the TTS 3/4" R-8 collet, are a standard collet that has had it's nose ground down a bit.

Mike

[snowshovelbmx]

The TTS system does look much more rigid though! and seems like it would be easier for a powerdrawbar and tool changer if needed

[tobyaxis]

Take a Piece of Rectangular Stock and a Ball End Mill and make your own. Actually I used a Lathe to make mine, but I don't know if you have a Lathe.

I Made 4 of these.

R8, CAT 35, CAT 40, and CAT 50 all with the keys. It was a Lot of fun and i never have to wait for a fellow coworker to finish working with his tool. I just use the ones bolted to my tool box LOL.

[keen]

Mike you are right about the spindle nose - you could check it with a dial indicater and if needed take a skim with a carbide lathe tool held in the vise. - then it is perfect.

[MichaelHenry]

you could check it with a dial indicater and if needed take a skim with a carbide lathe tool held in the vise

I wonder if a similar approach could be used for the 3/4" R-8 collet - stick a bit of 3/4" stock into the so that the end is recessed slightly below the nose and use the same carbide tool to turn the end of the collet flat.

Mike

[snowshovelbmx]

thats not a bad idea, and Im sure that it would work fine. in fact if you went through all this trouble why not make your own tool holders too?

chris.

[tobyaxis]

thats not a bad idea, and Im sure that it would work fine. in fact if you went through all this trouble why not make your own tool holders too?

chris.

A quick solution to using a piece of stock laying around the shop is in no way trouble. If you order one, the best delivery will be next day excluding Sunday. So if you need one now you make one, not wait till Monday Morning to Order one and not get it until Tuesday at best.

BTW: 99.99% of Machinists make their own tools for various tasks when the shop doesn't have it. Personally I have at least a dozen personal tools for specific applications that can't be bought in any catalog. Most of them for setting up and the rest to make life a little easier.

I guess this is how we separate the Machinists from the other types in this trade.

Cheers!!!!!!

[snowshovelbmx]

Yes I agree, making tools that cannot be bought is a great way to usually make things faster and/or easier. Although it could be considered trouble when the tooling can be bought for a small cost. If you have the time than go for it but sometimes the tools can be bought for less than it would cost to make your own. The tool holders that you buy are hardened and ground so I think I would rather buy say a solid collet or collet holder from them but maybe a fly cutter or drill chuck arbor could be made easily. This is where you have to use your own judgment.

chris.

[tobyaxis]

Yes I agree, making tools that cannot be bought is a great way to usually make things faster and/or easier. Although it could be considered trouble when the tooling can be bought for a small cost. If you have the time than go for it but sometimes the tools can be bought for less than it would cost to make your own. The tool holders that you buy are hardened and ground so I think I would rather buy say a solid collet or collet holder from them but maybe a fly cutter or drill chuck arbor could be made easily. This is where you have to use your own judgment.

chris.

If you read the original Post you will see that this is for Tool Holder Set Up, not the Tool Holder itself.

I would never make a Tool Holder to place in any Machine Taper that wasn't Ground to spec.

Expandable Arbors, Tap Extensions, Silting Saw Arbors and Hand tools only, Not Tool Holders LOL


Cheers!!!!!:cheers:

[Chrisjh]

My apologies for causing confusion regarding my R8 Collet Tool Setter. It seems that the reference to "Tool Setter" was the catalyst for the confusion.

I did not intend to accurately set the "tool height" as I am a novice still learning. I am still at the stage of setting the tip of the tool as zero against the surface of the job I intend to mill.

The problem that I wanted to solve was simply to be able to tighten the ER32collets outside of the machine. The problem with the Syil CMC Mill is that it does not appear to have a spindle lock making it difficult to tighten the collets with a tool inserted. You need three hands, one to hold the spinde spanner, one to operate the collet spanner and one to hold the tool from falling out of the collet.

My simple design is intended to able me to hold the R8 collet rigidly in my bench vice so I can use two hands. one to hold the inserted tool in the ER32 collet and one to operate the R8 Collet spanner.

Another problem that the Syil supplied spindle spanner has is that it will not fit around the R8 to ER32 Collet Holder. I had to machine a small amount off the inside edges (equal amount off each inside edge) to enable it to fit. (See Photo)

Happy Milling

Chrisjh