There are two choices for tool holding or work holding: chuck or collet. While collets may be chucks, they are still different. The collet wrench gets close and personal with your collets every day. So, let's see which the collet wrench thinks is better.
Collet Advantages vs The Chuck Advantage
The collet wrench assesses performance. It sees that chucks don't perform as well as collets. They are not as centered or balanced as a collet. If you use a collet over a chuck you will get less wobble and less run out. That's because collets use a design that is reliable, durable and versatile. Use collets to hold work or use them to hold tools. The collet wrench also knows the short-coming of collets. They can't handle a wide range of sizes. A chuck with a 3-jaw design can accommodate a wide range of sizes. But that is the only advantage of a chuck. Collets offer better speed and accuracy and that leads to more productivity. Advantage: collet!
Collets are Fast
The collet wrench knows physics as well. They always recommend collets for turning at high spindle rpm. A chuck takes longer to accelerate because its mass is greater. Longer acceleration times equals longer cycle time. Longer cycles time reduces productivity. Even collet wrenches know that less productivity is not a goal.
Sorry Chuck. You're too slow
Doubling the spindle speed quadruples the centrifugal force. That centrifugal force pulls the chuck jaws out. Now you've reduced the clamping force. Centrifugal force doesn't effect collets. You get the same tool holding or work holding force no matter the speed. That's because a collet applies force around the entire circumference area. A chuck just applies force at the contact areas. A collet wrench knows this, do you? Because the collet exerts force over the entire circumference area, it applies even holding force. Collets open and close fast too. Much faster than a chuck. You can change collets quick. Collets increase time spent machining and decrease time spent setting up. Increased productivity is the goal. Want to change even faster? Get the right collet wrench.
Quality Collet Wrench
A good
R8 or 5C collet wrench makes it easy to insert or remove collets from the spindle noses of CNC turning machines. A good, sturdy model has 3 metal prongs to grip your collet. It should also fit your hand.
The Tool Company sells quality, American-made collet wrenches. This wrench is made by
Sierra American Multi-Systems. It's a wrench that is:
- designed with a concave face for perfect alignment
- made from high impact plastic with a steel insert
- bright fluorescent orange
- tapered for comfort in the hand and ease of use
- affordable
- durable
Trust your collet wrench and use collets over chucks. Don't have a collet wrench?
Buy one today.
