shrink or collets

[DavidB]

Shrink fit

Er collet

Big collet

Hydro grip collet

 

For holding carbide endmills and ballnose cutters for cutting S.S which do you prefer and why?

 

Thx

[Rick Henrickson 65]

no er,

nikken em holders, strong and reduce chatter

shrinkfit, great reach, use heavy wall for SS or heavy hogging of al.

hydraulic collets generally dont clamp to the very end.

[Rick Henrickson 65]

oh nikken MMC are the best for small endmills

low collet angle, better grip force and runout

[Guest]

Lyndex Milling Collet Chucks and ER for smaller endmills

[Rick Henrickson 65]

john no ER's

 

nikken mmc are the cats meow

[Guest]

I use a lot of small endmills, under 3/32" and I need the small nose on the holders. I use a lot of extensions as well.

 

ER's, it's what we have

[camgeneration]

I HATE er collets.

Shrink fit are a real good choice-low runnout, solid grip, (except for time to change/hassel changing tools). good for hard to reach areas. To use them correctly they normally use an induction unit to heat up-real expensive. although iscar has just a normal heating coil unit for 2000-3000. I just use a mapp torch rotating the tool in the flame. and an air hose (still rotating tool to ensure even cooling)to cool down.

For quick changing and still low runnout and rigidity I use a near solid collet in hydraulic holder. only draw back is clearance if you need to go deep. I have been personally impressed with schunk in both hydraulic and shrink fit.

I love hydraulic, extreamly rigid. Main drawback other than the price, you need to keep the tool almost all the way in the holder, and there is no extra depth (at least in the schunk)-This is more of a cost issue-need more insert holder in varying lengths instead of have a long tool and only sticking out as much as you need for the cut.

[Rick Henrickson 65]

hey john I am just having fun with you , but if you get a chance try nikken SK6 collet or the MMC the nose dia is only .768 smaller for the MMC and you can get great lengths.

 

I do not like using em in collets but for small em's seems ok

[DavidB]

I have an Iscar induction system here for trail. It's fantastic 3 seconds to change a tool in Shrink fit and it's mobile.Yes its pricey $18,000 - $22,000.

 

Trying to justify the cost over collet system.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Shrink kicks arse on collets. Yeah, it's a PITA to change tools but tool life, runout, tool performance, rigidity are FAR superior with shrink. We use 'em where I work and I never knew how good they were unti I was somewhere that used them every day.

 

JM2C

[HevyMetl]

I would prefer to rough with a collet set-up to help mimize vibration translation into the spindle. I finish with shrink-fit due to run-out and finish.

[SLJ]

Just ordered the Iscar shrink unit and holders, some cat40, some er32 shrink holders. Sorry DavidB but got it way cheaper than that. We'll see how it works.

[Fig sign]

We'll see how it works.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It works great

[cqualls]

We used OSG Shrink fit and Er collets at my previous place of employment. Shrink fit gives a lot better tool life and much better finishes. We built our own shrink fit changer. $100 dollars for industrial heat gun from Grainger. Rest of it was built from stuff laying around the shop.

Took about 2 minutes to heat the holder up enough to change tools.

[DavidB]

quote:

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Took about 2 minutes to heat the holder up enough to change tools.

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Thats way to long in my book I'd say the heat was getting to the tool as much as the holder?

 

The induction system does a tool change in 3 seconds.

 

SLJ

I got a demo Iscar induction system here now it has the induction heating system that works on a liner slide over 3 work stations and a liquid cooling system.It's all mobile on wheels

[camgeneration]

There is no question that the induction unit is the best way, including in the life of the shrink fit holder, but 15,000+ could buy a lot of replacements. My mapp technique takes around 10 seconds and is under 100 with extra bottles. I don't recomend to the uncoridinated or serve burns will result.

I have seen a heat gun specifically designes to heat evenly around the toolholders(can't remember the name).

[DavidB]

We have an old heat shrink unit here that uses hot air and it takes minutes to do it's job and then more minutes for it to cool.

 

We have some holders with cutting tools in them that we can not get out because I believe that the tool is getting heated as well as the holder from the hot air.

 

I put some of these holders that had cutting tools stuck in them into the Iscar induction system and it got the tool out in 3 seconds.

 

I agree its pricey the demo is going for $18000 usually its $22000.

 

I have to be able to justify that cost.

[camgeneration]

I had used some of the iscar heat shrink at the last place i worked, the 1/8" holders were a bear to let go of the tool, the other sizes wern't too bad. I don't have that problem with the schunk. If your at a very large shop, and change a large number of tools a day, It will eventually pay for itself in time saved.

[camgeneration]

also keep everything clean before changing tools. dirt slid in with the tool into a heated shrink fit is bad news. you have to add a lot of heat to get it out, and if you get them too hot their toast. Every so many tool changes i just get the tool out and let it cool down and clean the inside of the toolholder with a pipe cleaner with solvent.

[SLJ]

Not sure of the model # of the unit we ordered. Has 3 stations up to 1.25" with cooling units and is mobile. Listed for $14,5 here.