Acceptable Quality

Hi

I think I've narrowed down my first ME project to either Alan Timmins' Eight Day Longcase Clock or one of Peter Heimann's Regulators so I need to source the additional tooling I require.

Hopefully this will be the start of an ongoing interest in ME and as such I wish to purchase tooling of sufficient quality as to not require upgrading in the future but equally which will not break the bank.I currently have a Warco Mini Lathe and an Axminster CQ6230B to which I will probably add a Warco VMC mill in the near future.

One of the first purchases I need to make are collets and a chuck, (I have decided on an ER25 set), but I am concerned at the significant price difference between suppliers. How would you suggest I decide which to purchase? Are Soba / Vertex items of sufficient quality / tolerance or should I be considering more costly options? I will also be in the market for a rotary table quite soon, so would be interested in any similar advice with regard to this purchase.

Regards Mick

I've always found Vertex to be very good. Can't say the same for Soba. Had several duff items from them.

Hi Mick

I think either of your choices is a bit ambitious for a first clock project. Clockmakers tend to work a bit differently from engineers!

Before you spend lots of cash I suggest you get hold of one of John Wilding's books and see his approach. He is very practical and gives detailed advice on how to go about clock construction - even if you don't make one of his it will give good information of use on your chosen project. He also shows easily made tools (a depthing tool for example) which are quite adequate for non-professional use.

Whatever you decide though I think you will enjoy the process - there is something very satisfactory about working with brass.

(Set against that of course is the fact that you can get something far more accurate in your local £ shop! .)

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 30/12/2012 15:10:09

I bought a set of ER32 collets and an MT3 chuck to suit from CTC tools.....

Their quality is great as is their price. The standard of the workmanship is recognised by one of the usual DIN standards...

The adage 'you get what you pay for' and 'buy cheap buy twice' spring to mind but the collect set I have no issue with...

I also have Soba and Vertex tooling, again no issue with any of the items I have..

I guess it comes down to what you can afford....

I bought ER32 collets and chuck from ArcEuro Trade of this parish. Great product, great price and wonderful friendly service.

Normal disclaimers etc, simply a very satisfied customer.

I have an R8 ER25 chuck for my Mill and an ER25 lathe chuck for my lathe with a set of ER25 collets all from ArcEuro Trade. I have had no problems with them and would recommend them.

Les.

Hi

Thanks for the advice all - very interesting, I notice that the CTC and ARC ER 25 2MT chucks seem to be identical from their photographs, (thanks for bringing CTC to my attention John - I had not come across them before). Can anyone else advise of their dealings with CTC? are there issues with import duty?

I wonder if there is any substance in thinking that the majority of tooling produced in the far east comes from the same factory and is just re-badged / marked up when it reaches the west.

Norman, (NJH), I am reading Gazely, Watch and Clock Making and Repairing and J Malcolm Wild's Wheel and Pinion Cutting but if you think it would be wise to also read one of John Wilding's books I would be more than willing to do so, do you have a suggestion as to which would be most beneficial?

Regards Mick

I've had a set gear cutters from CTC. Prompt delivery and the paperwork was ambiguous enough to suggest that the value was not great - no import duty to pay.

Rod

I bought an ER25 chuck plus a set of collets from CTC a couple of years ago and found them to be fine. The latter came in yellow and blue boxes marked 'Made in Taiwan'. I was amused to see that the Ebay photos of a certain West of England trader that sells them at a much higher price (even allowing for VAT) showed the very same packaging. What didn't amuse me, though, was that I was stung by the VAT/Royal Mail surcharge so that a base price of £35 (including postage) became £51. Still a bargain but I don't think you can rely on the goods getting in 'under the wire' especially now the limit has been reduced to £15.

Joe

For tools also check Amadeal who have a link on this page under 'shopping partners'.

For instruction read back issues of ME. There have been so many detailed build-it series for beginners. There is a specific JW beginners clock (1990 ish?) with the right sort of detailed instruction on gear cutting and every stage. Better even than the books. I think it came in several options so look for 'egg timer' in the ME index to zero in on it.

I bought several ER25 collets from ArcEuro as they were the lowest cost and I've been very satisfied with quality and accuracy. Colin

Mick.

I've just received a MT3 ER25 collet chuck from CTC, took just 2 weeks to arrive ( and thats with Christmas in between) Cost was £19 including postage, no import/VAT paid. In the past I have bought a set of ER25 collets & ISO30 collet chuck from them. I'm more than satisfied with the quality.

Ian

Hi Mick

I find my ER25 chuck and collets ( Soba) fine, they are very useful - sometimes. My only query is that you seem to place these as an essential pre-requisite for clock-making. I have sent you a personal message which might explain my thinking more fully.

Regards

Norman

Hello Mick,

I bought ER25 collets from CTC and initially thought the runout was unsatisfactory [note initially]

To check them properly I borrowed two pukka chucks [ one Myford nose fitting, the other 2MT] with collets from a friend who had every satisfaction with them; these were Vertex supply. To my great surprise the CTC collets outperformed them for both runout and repeatability of location on test bars, all of them performed with variable results in my own homemade collet chuck.

I found it hard to believe that these cheap collets were as good as they are, in spite of their claims to meet DIN standards. I am now convinced and would recommend them.

It was my chuck that was rubbish, something I didn't want to believe!!

Brian

Hi

Well, I've bitten the bullet and ordered an ER 25 set and a couple of chucks from CTC, hopefully I'll be as pleased with the quality and service others have reported.

Many Thanks Mick

I use Vertex ER25 collets and chuck on my milling machine 95% of the time and they run absolutely true.