I don't have a 5C collet holder for my TL and even if I did taking the three jaw off is too much like hard work. My solution is a set of soft top jaws machined to the 5C taper with a little lip at the front to retain the collet. The three jaw is a Bison Set Tru so it is possible to get the collet running as true as you like.

That's pretty good idea. So you don't have a 5C closer at all? Or you just don't like swapping the spindle nose? I had never considered boring the jaws that way. I agree that pulling the chuck and the backplate is a hassle...or more likely, putting them back on and indicating it back in.

I guess Royal doesn't make the lever style closers anymore anyway. They now sell the kit as a pneumatic system for something like $1750. The problem is that it's not a through-hole air cylinder so you're limited to the bar length with their setup.

I've got a used lever style Royal closer and the spindle nose that I scored from flea-bay. I also bought a Dunham open-ended closer that is on its way.

So I have the choice of running the simple lever setup for manual jobs but I can rig the Dunham closer to the M-code relays for automated, bar puller semi-production. I needed the ability to make buckets of aluminum spacer bushings. The Dunham will make that as painless as possible.

I do not have a manual collet closer and it would be awkward to put one on my machine because it is the full enclosure type. The collet in custom soft jaws works just fine. We use the same system on two SL1os that are doing bar work on a constant basis and also have jaws bored for 2D collets that can go up to 1.5"dia.

I did make an air operated closer with a through hole cylinder for a different machine and describe it here:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38031

Ahhh...that was yours. I remember seeing that back when I was shopping for closer options on my TL-1. Very, very clever the way you did the air hookup to the cylinder. I may have to build something similar.

I like the Dunham air cylinder I just bought but with a 3J system, I could pull up to 1.5" raw diameter bar (well...1-11/16 but who has raw stock that size?).

I have a product that I'm designing right now that will have a finished size of 1" diameter (or close to it). 1" stock won't fit through a 5C collet. I might be able to bore a clearance through a collet and get away with it but it'll be snug.

So you have an enclosed TL-1? How do you like the enclosure? I have a friend who is going to order a TL and I'm trying to convince him that the enclosure is a good idea. He doesn't want it in the way of his knees when he's working over the machine. Cost isn't the issue but comfort is. I just don't think he'll spend much time 'over the machine'.

.... 1" stock won't fit through a 5C collet. I might be able to bore a clearance through a collet and get away with it but it'll be snug......

Yes 1" will fit through a 5C; my tube processing adaptation on the TL does 7/8" and 1" tube. And I have seen 1-1/16" 5C collets.


.... So you have an enclosed TL-1? How do you like the enclosure? I have a friend who is going to order a TL and I'm trying to convince him that the enclosure is a good idea. He doesn't want it in the way of his knees when he's working over the machine.....

In the way of his knees??? How does he figure that? I have no difficulty and I have more or less normal length arms :).

I would not be without the enclosure. It is not perfect and depending on how you direct the coolant nozzles it is possible to get a lot of leakage. I have installed some extra shields in different locations and have eliminated most of the problems. But I still put some plastic trays under the machine to catch the few drips that come down.

I guess Royal doesn't make the lever style closers anymore anyway. They now sell the kit as a pneumatic system for something like $1750. The problem is that it's not a through-hole air cylinder so you're limited to the bar length with their setup.


My Royal pneumatic on my TL-1 has a through hole. It comes with no through hole but it is very easy to bore a hole in the cover plate. I contacted Royal about it and that's what they told me to do.

Mark Hockett
Island Tech Enterprises
Clinton, WA
http://www.islandtechent.com/

More chip less lip

I contacted Royal about it and that's what they told me to do.
Shame on them then. I based my decision to buy used on that sole reason. I couldn't tell from their cross section drawings if a hole was possible but the obvious answer seemed to be 'no'. If a through hole were possible, it seems logical that they would include it. I figured the piston wouldn't accomodate it.

So I bought a used Royal lever closer and used Dunham. The combined price was only $450 less than Royal lists for a branny-new one.

Well...dosn't THAT just suck...


How ya doin Mark?

Well...dosn't THAT just suck...


How ya doin Mark?

Not bad Jim.
I spent the day looking for property for the new shop, I think we found something that will work. We will probably make an offer on it this week after we check on a few details about zoning

Mark Hockett