Homemade R8 Collet rack

[Clark]

157063

I have a store bought 5C collet rack that took some woodworking just use. So I made this R8 rack from scratch from Oak, with mineral oil and bees wax finish.

The Futaba old pulsescale CJ2004 DRO has a worn out keyboard [typical] so I covered it in 0.020" thick plastic with labels to mark button locations. The plastic is hung and framed with rock hard maple and Aluminium.

[akajun]

nice, my new DRO came with a sheet metal one that is mounted like yours, but does not hold as many collets.

[bangerjim]

I need to make some of those some day! I have only the main fractional ones in a pine wood rack, with all the 32nds in their original boxes lined up in order in a drawer.

That goes for my R8's, C5's (64ths!) and C3's (32nds). Just too many of the darned things. But they are more accurate than the ER series ones I have! I use ER's mainly for holding end mills, where the other ones I use for precision turning in my lathes and indexing stuff in the heads & tables.

Nice job! I love working in oak, mahogany, and walnut.

banger