RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Router collets.

Hi Dave

Industrial routers often use standard collets like ER-25 etc.

Their price puts them pretty much out of the hobby market though.

I had problems running routers like Porter Cable on cnc machines
related to their proprietary collets.

With many cutters the shank pretty much has to float in
the chuck...you often can't bottom them all the way to get
a consistent tool height during changes. That meant using
gages and such to slide them in a particular amount. It was
a pain.

So I developed a solution to this, as much of my work requires
multiple tool changes in a program. I created a 1/2" shank set
of tool holders that are bored out to 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, etc.
Each holder has a different length stop machined in the body
for the standard cutters I use. The cutters are then mounted
with set screws in these holders such that the distance from
the tool end to the machined stop is the same.

So now when I change to a different cutter I simply put the
holder in, push it home until the stop contacts the router
collet face, and tighten. Every cutter is then the same height!
If find this saves me a great deal of time.

I am negotiating with some folks to sell these things and I am
trying to get production quotes for making them economically.
We are holding the inside bore to -0.0000 +0.0005 with 0.001
or better concentricity to maintain balance and even
cutting edge load. I make them from 1144 stressproof pre-hardened
steel.

There are some pictures of them on this link:
http://www.lmwatts.com/forsale.html


Les

Leslie M.Watts
L M Watts Furniture
Tiger Georgia USA
(706) 212-0242
http://www.lmwatts.com
Engineering page:
http://www.lmwatts.com/shop.html
CNC surplus for sale:
http://www.lmwatts.com/forsale.html
CNC carved signs:
http://www.lmwatts.com/signwp.html




-----Original Message-----
From: David A. Frantz [mailto:wizard@...]
Sent: Saturday, October 11, 2003 12:11 AM
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Router collets.


Hi Gang;


All of this talk about Routers brings a question to my mind.

Do any of the router manufactures us standard collets. That is ER or
similar. The thought suddenly came to mind that if I build a CNC
router / mill / whatever that ideally it should have a collet that
accepts a wide range of tool sizes.

So do Bosch, Porter Cable or any of the others use collets that are
interchangeable with standardized hardware. It would be nice if one
of these guys did.

Thanks
Dave