Collets - Question
Posted by
Ian W. Wright
on 1999-05-24 01:35:34 UTC
Hi,
I'm working on the design of the cutter spindle for the machine I'm
making and cannot decide on the form the cutter holder should take. I
want to be able to hold cutters from the size of dental burrs up to
about 1/4" diameter - probably mostly home-made. I initially thought
that if I made it to take standard 8mm lathe collets it would cope with
most work but then realised that these would be a bit flimsy for holding
the larger cutters. I would also like to be able to use a 'free-sprung',
surface following, engraving point. I am not particularly constrained by
spindle diameter etc. as I have earmarked a pair of fairly large
bearings from the scrap box to use which have a bore of about 1".
Can anyone offer any inspiration - what cutter holder has your machine
got? Does it have any system for controlling the position of the cutter
within the collet so that a tool may be removed and replaced in exactly
the same position or does it perhaps use some form of depth stop on the
cutter - I was considering the possibility of equipping cutters with a
small screw - fixed collar so that any particular cutter would always
sit in the same position but then I realised that, with ordinary draw-in
collets this may not be practical as the collet nose moves in the
tightening process ( I am wanting to be able to work to close tolerances
of a realistic 0.01mm). Thanks,
Best wishes
Ian
--
Ian W. Wright LBHI
Sheffield Branch Chairman of the British Horological Institute.
Bandmaster and Euphonium player of the Hathersage Brass Band. UK.
See our homepage at:- http://www.iw63.demon.co.uk/ or
http://www.GeoCities.com/Hollywood/6067/index.html
'Music is the filling of regular time intervals with harmonious
oscillations.'
I'm working on the design of the cutter spindle for the machine I'm
making and cannot decide on the form the cutter holder should take. I
want to be able to hold cutters from the size of dental burrs up to
about 1/4" diameter - probably mostly home-made. I initially thought
that if I made it to take standard 8mm lathe collets it would cope with
most work but then realised that these would be a bit flimsy for holding
the larger cutters. I would also like to be able to use a 'free-sprung',
surface following, engraving point. I am not particularly constrained by
spindle diameter etc. as I have earmarked a pair of fairly large
bearings from the scrap box to use which have a bore of about 1".
Can anyone offer any inspiration - what cutter holder has your machine
got? Does it have any system for controlling the position of the cutter
within the collet so that a tool may be removed and replaced in exactly
the same position or does it perhaps use some form of depth stop on the
cutter - I was considering the possibility of equipping cutters with a
small screw - fixed collar so that any particular cutter would always
sit in the same position but then I realised that, with ordinary draw-in
collets this may not be practical as the collet nose moves in the
tightening process ( I am wanting to be able to work to close tolerances
of a realistic 0.01mm). Thanks,
Best wishes
Ian
--
Ian W. Wright LBHI
Sheffield Branch Chairman of the British Horological Institute.
Bandmaster and Euphonium player of the Hathersage Brass Band. UK.
See our homepage at:- http://www.iw63.demon.co.uk/ or
http://www.GeoCities.com/Hollywood/6067/index.html
'Music is the filling of regular time intervals with harmonious
oscillations.'