# Morse taper collets



## Goldigger (Jul 15, 2011)

Does anyone use Morse taper collets for holding end mills?
I'm looking at using 3MT collects to hold end mills on my mini mill, what's the verdict on this?
I need to increase the amount of head room for use with a rotary table and 4 jaw chuck.


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## Florian (Jul 15, 2011)

Another advantage is increased rigidy; there will be less chatter marks because the endmill is hold directly in the spindle.

You will have to pay attention not to tighten the drawbar too much. If you do so, you will have to use a heavy hammer to loosen the collet. (But thats the same as with the other equipment with morse taper...)

Florian


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## Lakc (Jul 15, 2011)

Unless you cant avoid it, its always best to use endmill holders rather then collets. Drawbar 3MT collets are not the easiest to find, but have become more popular in catalogs lately. 
When you need that extra room, go ahead, but try and keep to light cuts, as the helix of the endmill tends to pull itself out of collets. This is especially true when milling with the side of the cutter. Watch for long cuts going deeper because of this.


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## Stan (Jul 15, 2011)

I used MT3 collets in a Benchmaster mill for about fifteen years without any problem. I did all my roughing cuts with a 3/4" end mill and hogged off as much as the lathe could handle.

I made a compound screw drawbar by putting a fine thread in the top of the spindle and on the top end of the drawbar. That eliminated any hammering to loosen the collet. The fine thread give you a lot of pull with little torque on the wrench to tighten and just reverse the wrench to push the collet out.


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## Andrew_D (Jul 15, 2011)

I have a set of MT3 collets for my mini-mill as well as a ER-25 chuck. I'm missing a couple of ER collets and occasionally need the head room, as you mention.

I find that I really have to torque the collets down quite a bit to avoid the end mills pulling out, whereas the collet chuck and drill chuck only need a slight tightening to seat the MT taper in the spindle. It is a bugger to loosen though! 

I bought a set of 1/8" - 3/4" x 1/16" from LMS. Actually, I think I bought the 1/8" increment set first, then found I needed a couple of the 1/16" ones later, so ordered their 1/16" set that fills in the gaps.

Andrew


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## Goldigger (Jul 16, 2011)

Getting 3MT collects in the UK, doesn't seem to be problem.
RDG tools, Arceuro Trade, chronos and rotagrip all sell them.
Here's rotagrips ebay store where ill get mine from, http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Rotagrip-L...d=106928419&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1581&_pgn=1

I'm only looking at using the collects when I'm using the rotary table with chuck mounted when I don't have enough head room, ill revert back to my posilock mill holder when its not an issue.

Thanks


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## tel (Jul 16, 2011)

I rarely use anything other than MT collets for holding end mills - 3MT in the mills and 2MT in the Myford - they've never given me any trouble.

I do have one of those posi-lok thingies, but it doesn't often come out of the box - uses up too much space.


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## Stan (Jul 16, 2011)

I should add a disclaimer to my previous post. All my experience with MT3 collets and end mills is on a small mill where it takes a long time to fill a garbage can with chips. I am not suggesting that anyone use this setup on a mill where you have a conveyor belt to move the chips away, but the original question was for a mini mill.


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## Dan Rowe (Jul 16, 2011)

I used my mill with only R8 collets to hold the milling cutters for years untill I had a job that needed cutter changes. As I had several to make I bought milling holders so I had a repeatable Z setting for the whole run of parts.

I still mostly use collets to hold the milling cutters and I have never had any problems.

A Z axis indicator for setting the cutter would have also worked with a bit more trouble.

Dan


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## Goldigger (Jul 19, 2011)

Are the MT collets like using the ER collets, will say a 12mm collet accept a 11mm and 12mm cutter? Or does a 12mm collet only work with a 12mm shanked cutter?

TIA


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## Maryak (Jul 19, 2011)

GD

Morse taper collets only work with morse tapers, e.g. the MT1 collet works with a male MT1 taper on the end of the drill, mill, reamer, etc. Same for MT2 and on.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Goldigger (Jul 19, 2011)

Maryak  said:
			
		

> GD
> 
> Morse taper collets only work with morse tapers, e.g. the MT1 collet works with a male MT1 taper on the end of the drill, mill, reamer, etc. Same for MT2 and on.
> 
> ...



I thought you could put a straight shanked end mill in the morse taper collet?? so if its a 12mm collet i can put a 12mm straight shanked end mill in it?

I understand that i need a MT3 for my MT3 spindle on my SX2


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## tel (Jul 19, 2011)

> I thought you could put a straight shanked end mill in the morse taper collet?



That is correct Gold (or do we call you Mr Digger?). To answer your previous question, NO, there is no 'range' to speak of with Morse collets - they hold the stated size and that's about it.

And yes - the taper goes in the socket in your spindle and is tightened up with the drawbar.


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## Goldigger (Jul 19, 2011)

tel  said:
			
		

> That is correct Gold (or do we call you Mr Digger?). To answer your previous question, NO, there is no 'range' to speak of with Morse collets - they hold the stated size and that's about it.
> 
> And yes - the taper goes in the socket in your spindle and is tightened up with the drawbar.



Thanks Tel, thats what i thought... 

Jay


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## Maryak (Jul 19, 2011)

GD,

My apologies for leading you astray  I don't know what I was thinking and I put it down to another senior moment. :

Note to self..........Please ensure brain is fully engaged before typing. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	










Best Regards
Bob


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## tel (Jul 19, 2011)

> I put it down to another senior moment. Roll Eyes



...either that or too much issue rum!


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## bezalel2000 (Jul 19, 2011)

Maryak  said:
			
		

> GD,
> 
> My apologies for leading you astray  I don't know what I was thinking and I put it down to another senior moment. :



Its a sad thing that senior moments never come as compensating pairs 

like - you never forget where the keyboard is when you need to  i.e when you need time for brain to engage. :


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## steamer (Jul 19, 2011)

I'm betting on the rum too Tel.... ;D

Dave


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## Chazz (Jul 19, 2011)

Due to budget constraints when starting this hobby, :-[ I started with set of affordable MT3 collets (3\8" x 16 TPI draw bar style). Since then, I have acquired MT3 'Endmill' holders that have a set screw.

Case in point (for me) ;D, I got the Hemmingway retracting tool holder 'kit' requiring 2 dovetails, (modified to directly mount to my AXA QCTP) and the dovetail cutter, try as I might  didn't seem to be doing much,  then I realised, the cutter was slipping out of the collet! ???

Since then I have donated my collets more so to my lathe (MT3 spindle as well) to hold drill rod (silver steel?) stock for machining where I want to get "Close and Personal" with the work.

The only time I use collets in my Mill\Drill now, is when 'Jobber' drill bit with drill chuck won't clear the work piece to allow me to insert the drill bit.

So, I guess to answer the original post, yes, I use MT3 collets, 90% to hold stock in my lathe, 10% to hold drills\mills in the mill due to clearance issues.

That's Life 
Chazz


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## Maryak (Jul 20, 2011)

steamer  said:
			
		

> I'm betting on the rum too Tel.... ;D
> Dave



Thanks Guys :bow: :bow:

There's an old Navy saying along the lines of :

I joined the Navy for Wine Women and Song

All I got was Rum Bum and Bull$h1t

Obviously the last line works for me 

Best Regards
Bob


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## steamer (Jul 20, 2011)

Maryak  said:
			
		

> Thanks Guys :bow: :bow:
> 
> There's an old Navy saying along the lines of :
> 
> ...



 ;D


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## Goldigger (Jul 20, 2011)

Dam....I recieved my MT3 collets today with M12 thread..
I thought my drawbars were 3/8ths M10 and M12....looks like the M12 is 1/2 inch :wall:

Does anyone know where i can get a M12 drawbar for a Sieg SX2 mini mill in the UK?
If it helps the drawbar measures 104mm form the bottom of the thread to the bottom of the head..


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## tel (Jul 20, 2011)

Buy a hunk of M12 all thread and make one from that - run two nuts on the upper end and lock 'em together, cross pin one if you want to really secure it! The all thread will be/is plenty strong enough for drawbar purposes.


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## steamer (Jul 20, 2011)

+1 for Tel's suggestion

That'll work!

Dave


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## Omnimill (Jul 21, 2011)

I've only ever used MT3 Collets in my two mills - currently using a VMC - and never had any issues. And yes to the above, I made a draw bar from M12 threaded rod. For ejecting the collets a copper & hide hammer comes in handy ... ;D A while back I started collecting ER32 collets for use in the lathe so I will get round to buying a MT3 ER32 chuck for the mill at some point!

Vic.


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## ELM6061 (Feb 17, 2013)

G'day all
Thought I would bump this thread to ask if anyone has used or tried to run, No3 Morse taper collets, with the aid of an adaptive arbor, in an NT30 spindle?

When I bought both the mill & lathe, the mill came with a collet chuck & 6 collets, but when I tried to purchase more collets, could not find any that fit and so I have to buy a new collet chuck and collets.
I have both a HM50 mill with NT30 spindle and a AL960B lathe with No4 Morse tapered bore.The lathe also came with an No4 to No3 Morse adapter and my hope was to kill two bird with one stone. While it is not perfect, I would like to try and get away with, only having to buy one set of collets for both machines.

What is your thoughts?
Does anyone run MT3 in NT30?
Does anyone run MT3 collets with a sleeve in their lathe?

Eddie


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## chipenter (Feb 18, 2013)

Arc do a draw bar for the X3 but not for the X2 , try downloading the specs for the X3 to see if it can be modified .http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Milling-Machines/Model-Super-X3-Mill , they also have setting up how toes .


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