If I am using a collet to hold an end mill, how do I get the collet out of the 2mt taper? I was about to purchase a set of 7 collets from Little Machine Shop, but can not see how to release the collets without pounding the draw bar. Currently, I am using an end mill holder and use a tie rod fork to release the holder from the taper.

Well on my R8 collets for my mill....I loosen the draw bar about a turn and tap on the draw bar and the collet comes loose.

The angle of the taper determines whether its self holding or self releasing - MT are self holding. I don't know your machine, but is there a place for a drift? like on a drill press? I don't know how else you are going to release it with tapping on the end, either via the drawbar or if its really in there you can make a bar with a brass pad on the end to tap it out with. R8, 5C etc are designed iirc to be on the threshold between self holding and self releasing.

[QUOTE=rcazwillis]....how do I get the collet out of the 2mt taper?.../QUOTE]

I have use 2mt collets and do not know any other way than bash the end of the drawbar with a hammer.

Two hints: 1, make sure your drawbar is threaded well into the collet so you have numerous threads engaged when you bash it. 2, do not get too gorilla-like when tightening the drawbar. The MT taper is self locking and needs less tension on the drawbar to get an adequate grip on the collet. If you torque it up like you might need to do for the steeper taper R8 you may have real difficulty getting it out.

I just picked one of these up, I love it. :banana:

A hammer and 3/4" wrench.

http://www.use-enco.com/ProductImages/0950556-11.jpg

The machine is a HF 12 Speed Mill/Drill.

These are the responses I was expecting. It has a place for the drift. The holders I am currently using (from HF) don't extend far enough for the drift to effectively push them out. Pounding on the draw bar only bent it. I would have to make something to insert into the drift space for the drift to push on to remove the collets.

I was thinking the collets might provide better accuracy than the end mill holder because of the reduced length from the bearing. Is this a legitimate thought. Probably not. Is a quick change collet holder the way to go? Is there any issue with accuracy induced by the collet changer? The machine is not super precise to start with. I need the ability to hold the smaller end mills and router bits, i.e. 1/8".

"Pounding on the draw bar only bent it"

I omitted a hint; I recall the thread is 3/8"-24 (?). We made a custom drawbar out of 9/16" (I think this fits) rod with a cut off skt hd cap screw as a stud in the end so the drawbar would not bend.

We made a custom drawbar out of 9/16"
The stock draw bar is 1/4" rod (ridiculously small)with a M10 thread welded on the end. The M10 thread is too large to go through the top of the machine. It will raise enough to clear the drift hole, but not all the way. I built a bar with a 3/8" thread for the end mill holders. Still uses a 1/4 rod as the main shaft.

Here is what I think I will need to do to remove a collet.
1. Loosen draw bar nut.
2. Unscrew draw bar from collet.
3. lift draw bar up until it clears drift hole.
4. Insert drift hole spacer on top of collet.
5. Insert drift into hole to remove collet.

Sound reasonable?