Re: Stuck collet

Buck,

You can use a piano tuners "trick" with the long wrench. Hold it
loosely in the hand and apply pressure with only one or two fingers.
Use your weaker fingers and you won't be able to apply as much force.
Also adjust your hand position on the wrench. (There's no reason to
use/make a short wrench if you are only applying force near
the 'turning' point)
In fact, you can probably do a better job of lightly closing the
collet , with the longer wrench! (long wrench, LIGHT force EQUALS
short wrench, heavy force.)

The spindle should not be scoring the collet! I have heard that the
taig collets are not always deburred well (don't want to single out
Taig, this is true of MANY tools purchased nowadays)
Have you checked the collets to see if THEY are smoothly finished and
deburred. Break any sharp corners, and have an experienced machinist
have a look, if you are new to this stuff. (It might even make for a
good friendship, if you remember he is probably busy, and show
respect for his time.)

You asked about "migrating" lubrication:

The lubrication you put on the OUTSIDE of the collet/inside of the
spindle/ threads of the nut does NOT often stay there! It moves, due
to vibration, the action of your fingers, or while you think you
are "cleaning" the assembly or parts...

Silicone is especially BAD, and I was surprised to hear Jan R (Troll)
recommending it!

Once it gets to the inside of the collet, tools start to slip...
So you tighten down harder to compensate... Cycle continues, and it's
not a good thing!

Lubing the threads of the nut will also allow you to turn the nut
more easily, and therefore achieve more than the designed/desired
holding force. Again, NOT a good thing! (This is the same as re-
building an engine in an automobile or aircraft. We are warned NOT to
lube the studs or nuts, because the torque values will be incorrect.)

Nearly every machine tool manufacturer WILL request that you CLEAN
the spindle bore, and collet surface(s)(at every tool change), but
will NOT recommend lubrication. Some old timers do use "hair oil"
(run your fingers through your hair, then on the threads), but you
can gather that this is a minimal application of oil, hopefully :-)

Hope this helps.

Ballendo

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., yahoo@a... wrote:
> Hello Ballendo,
>
> Interesting opinion you have.
<snip>
> I should probably mill a 1/8 thick inch, steel stubby wrench

> Next, the spindle scores the collet, since the collet is such a
> sharp angle.

> Last can you explain the lubrication problem? And what does this
mean
> ... "lube "migrates" to the tool holding surface"?
>
> Thanks,
> Buck