3hp spindle collet options?

[3imoh]

Howdy folks-

Does anyone know if you can get the 3HP Colombo spindle with a different collet setup? Does anyone else find the ER-25 collet setup a bit of a pain? The nut seems to be designed specifically to allow the wrench to slip off easily and allow the most efficient contact between my knuckles and the machine...

It would be really great if there was some sort of quick bit change option for this spindle...at a minimum, finding a collet nut that you could use a standard wrench on would be a big improvement.

Is there a reason this nut is designed this way? I notice some of the other ER sizes seem to use more traditional nuts on them.

thanks,
Howie

[Keith Blaine (Unregistered Guest)]

You can get them with pneumatic ISO-30 tapers, but they're pricey. Probably around $6-8K new. There's a 9hp one on ebay for 4200, but it probably weighs about 60 lbs... four times that of the 3hp colombo.

As for the collet/wrench design, that style is much less likely to wear out over time.

[kerrazy]

Jamey from ShopBOt showed me a knuckle saving way of dealing with this. Orient the wrenches so you are actually squeezing them to gether to either tighten or loosen rather then push away from each other. THis is a much better approach and oddly enough you get sufficient force even with this manner.

[Brady Watson]

See this (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/27/10113.html) thread. I am still amazed that nobody uses the search feature on this forum anymore...

It may be possible to use the 5HP collet nut, letting you use the larger 5HP bottom wrench as Geraldo points out. It should be the same external threads on the spindle shaft for both 3HP and 5HP models.

Yes...you are 100% correct that the 3HP models come with knuckle-busting wrenches.

-Brady

[3imoh]

Instead of replacing the nut, it looks like these there is at least one person making a better wrench for the er-25.

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-ER25-OR-ER32-Wrench-for-CNC-ER-Collet-Holder_W0QQitemZ7558304393QQcategoryZ31486QQssPage NameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Brady Watson]

That ER25 Wrench will not fit your 3HP castle nut. It is the same wrench that comes with the 5HP and requires a different nut like the 5HP uses.

-B

[olecrafty]

The nut on the 3hp is called an er25 mini-nut

[slendon]

Dale and Jamie ...the back of my knuckle thanks you...

Every time I use the squeeze and smile at what a top tip it is.

Steve