Like Big Mac to McDonald's; the R8 collet is to Bridgeport.
Bridgeport set the standard for milling machines and was one of the industry leaders when it came to equipment for CNC milling. Their invention of the R8 collet represented a true revolution in milling. It also caused the need for R8 tool holders to hold those R8 collets.
R8 Tools Allowed Rapid Tool Changing
R8 collets made for a giant leap forward in machining. They allowed rapid tool changing and actually paved the way for automated tool changing. Little did they know!
With R8 collets, the collet fits into the taper itself. This requires an exact match between the collet and the tool shank. In the R8 design, the collet is compressed by a drawbar from behind. R8 collets have no separate chuck. They are self-releasing. These two characteristics led to the transformation of tool changing and gave birth to automated tool changes.
Also, because the tool is firmly in the taper, you get more rigidity from the end mill. This results in more efficient work on a reliable basis and that is better. More than better, it is the R8 tool advantage.
R8 Tools for Quick Change
Faster than the transformation of Clark Kent into Superman, R8 collets are the quick change artists of the CNC shop. Just as important as the machine and the software running it, the R8 collets facilitate rapid tool-changing. Rapid tool changing is another way to increase productivity in the shop. Just do any simple Google search of the term R8 collets and you'll find pages with headlines like
The search will also show you that R8 collets aren't cheap. As any CNC'er knows the tooling can be as expensive as the mill itself. Tooling is an investment that you must protect. But those R8 collets are at risk every time they are transported to and from storage. If they aren't stored in a tool crib, they are at risk during storage as well. That's where
special R8 tool holders come in handy.
R8 Tool Holders Provide Protection
R8 tool holders are special trays designed to safely store and transport your R8 collets. There are some pretty cheap, foreign made R8 tool holders on the market; but The Tool Company only sells quality R8 tool holders. We think that the best quality and best performance can be found in the Sierra American R8 tool holder. Here's why.
Strong. The
Sierra American Multi-Systems R8 tool holder is engineered from a sturdy impact-resistant material. The result is a light-weight storage tray that doesn't sacrifice strength or stability.
Full Storage. The R8 tool holder can accommodate up to 52 collets, including oversized tooling and boring heads. That's means you don't need to keep up with two trays. One tray has enough room for a full set of collets plus emergency back-up supplies.
Quality. Don't trust your expensive tooling to cheap tool holders made in China with inferior materials. Every product sold by The Tool Company is proudly made in the USA by American craftsman. Support craftsman just like you and order your
R8 tool holders today.
