Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Collet Chuck Selection

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Haubstadt (Evansville), Indiana
    Posts
    1,294

    Collet Chuck Selection

    I'm thinking of getting a collet chuck. i've come up with three options. Beall spindle chuck with 5 collets, Craft Supply Apprentice spindle chuck with 5 collets, and no name ebay MT2 chuck with 11 adapters. All use ER32 collets. As expected the Beall is the most expensive, Craft Supply is next and ebay no name is cheapest. What experience do you have with any of these? I am leaning toward the no name as it is a MT 2 (with draw bar capability) so I can sand in reverse without the chuck loosing. My second choice would be the CS mainly because of price.

    Thanks
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  2. #2
    I have the Beall and although it is pricy it is top quality. I love it but only use it seldom. It would be very easy to drill and tap a set screw to prevent it from spinning off in reverse. I have heard some horror stories of less expensive chucks where the machining is so poor they do not hold properly. Mostly though these were related to Metal Lathes where tolerances may be required to be a little tighter?
    Pete


    * It's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep for life - Sister Elizabeth Kenny *
    I think this equates nicely to wood turning as well . . . . .

  3. #3
    I use the turners select draw bar collets for making small things like bottle stoppers. Works good for me.

  4. #4
    I have the cs set with an additional collet set from amazon. The metric collet set will cover any size. The big plus for the cs is you can get one with 1-1/4 8 threads and an adapter for 1-8 threads. I like being able to put put a full length dowel through the collet and spindle. Mt2 won't let that happen.

    The 19 piece collet set is perfect and cost less than $30. I can't imagine being more pleased.

    Clint

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    TX, NM or on the road
    Posts
    845
    Before the days of Beall, I had a MT2 collet chuck, they are good, but not being able to go through the spindle hole was it's shortcoming. Now I have
    both the PSI and Beall collet chucks, along with a set of metric collets from eBay. The Beall is as good as PSI and PSI is as good as Beall. The Beall smooth exterior doesn't play havoc on my knuckles, but with PSI's chuck I don't waste time looking for the wrench. For the dollar savings I went with PSI when I bought my third collet chuck. Mind you this was back when I was in production mode, turning out thousands of game calls per season, going from 1/2 inch mandrel to 5/8 or 3/4 was easy, I changed chucks, not collets, because it was faster.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Haubstadt (Evansville), Indiana
    Posts
    1,294
    I hadn't considered using a dowel through, but can see the advantage. A member in my club is going to let me use his CS set. He didn't like them claiming that they didn't hold all that well and bought a set of pin jaws for his nova chuck that he prefers. I'll get to make up my own mind about them.

    Marvin, the PSI set looks very much like the CS set, but the PSI set does not have 1-1/4" x 8 tpi, only 1" x 8tpi.
    When working I had more money than time. In retirement I have more time than money. Love the time, miss the money.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, ON Canada
    Posts
    1,468
    I have the Beall set and added a set of metric colletts from Ebay. I have had no issue with either of them.
    Grant
    Ottawa ON

  8. #8
    I have one of the eBay MT2 / ER-32 sets and am satisfied with it - no quality issues whatsoever. No experience with the other brands.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •