Collet question

[abunaitoo]

Just got a box full of collets.
Some look like for a lathe, and some for a mill.
Is there a chart that shows what the taper is on the different collets????
How do I measure the taper????

[country gent]

They should be marked as to size and style. IE 1/2" on one point and R8 opposite possibly a makers name on other "jaw".C collets are normally a lathe collet R sierries are mill collets. Those are the 2 most popular there are a madrid of collets for fixtures, die grinders jig grinders drill mahines and production machines. Get a tool catalouge that shows collets and you should be anle to tell by looking. A simple machinists protractor will show the angle close enough.

[MtGun44]

Typically R8 and 5C. Look up on the web for pix, don't look anything much
like each other, you can easily decide which you have from a pic.

R8 is for mill chuck, 5C for lathe chuck.

Bill

[M-Tecs]

Pics here http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/?nav...ts&hdrsrh=true

[bangerjim]

The internet is your friend! Do a search.

No pictures.....we are just guessing what you have.

[abunaitoo]

Thanks
I looked on the web. Got more confused.
looks like 5C and R8.

[bangerjim]

Thanks
I looked on the web. Got more confused.
looks like 5C and R8.

ALL the 3C, 5C and R8 collets sets I have are stamped very clearly on the face as to tyme and size. No guess work should be involved.

[Green Frog]

Good info so far, as far as it goes. The MSC catalog page shows some of the MANY types of collets available to the machinist trade. It's much too complex to go into with a single post, but there are indeed charts that describe and give specs for the various kinds of collets. You can even find a starting point in Wikipedia if you type in something like "collet tapers" or "types of collets" into the search. My particular collet needs are 4-C (for my lathe) and MT #2 for my mill. Everybody has different needs, depending on their machinery. OP, do you have any markings you can share stamped on the collets you got, or do you know anything about where they came from (i.e. what machines were being used there?)

Froggie