[wisp]

Hi all. Just got a Grizzly X3, and there is no gas strut in the column to counter the spindle weight. Has anyone else bought an X3 from Grizzly that doesnt have the strut?

I think Sieg may have removed it from the design.

BTW, the X3's are very nice. A bigger step above the X2 than the X2 is above the X1.

[angelballer]

They took them out of the design a while ago. Lathemaster even sold some w/o the strut. It allows for more travel in the z-axis since the old strut bottomed out before the rest of the machine did.

I have a question for you. Do your R8 collets fit?

Josh

[wisp]

I try a collet when i get home. i havent actully put a tool in it yet hehehe.

[MIKE JEFFERS]

josh
you will find that the 24 mm dia at the top of your collet is tight in the
spindle bore, polish the collet then apply a bit of oil and they should fit
some of my older collets fit fine but the newer ones didn't
btw don't remove the key from the spindle ,you may get a collet stuck
they're a complete b**tard to remove if the thread picks up and the key's missing.

mike.

[OwenL]

josh
you will find that the 24 mm dia at the top of your collet is tight in the
spindle bore, polish the collet then apply a bit of oil and they should fit
some of my older collets fit fine but the newer ones didn't
btw don't remove the key from the spindle ,you may get a collet stuck
they're a complete b**tard to remove if the thread picks up and the key's missing.

mike.

Hey Mike, can you explain a little bit for me? Isn't an R8 Taper a 'self releasing taper'? How will it get stuck?

Thanks.
Owen

[wisp]

I tried about 8 different collets, and about 10 endmill holders, and only one fit smoothly into the spindle. None of the others would go in. The problem is the locating pin inside the spindle. It sticks out too far and contacts the bottom of the slot in an R8 collet/toolholder.

You either have to take the spindle apart, and grind the pin down a little, or if you have a dynafile, and are careful, you can sand it down enough for the collets to go easily.

Owen, R8 collets or toolhoders are not supposed to be a locking taper, but they will lock in anyway. I've never had one get stuck though.

[phantomcow2]

I have found most of the r8 collets I use do not stick, which is nice. If they do (the drill chuck in particular does never fail) get stuck, a light tap with a dead blow takes care of it

[MIKE JEFFERS]

on my x3 the key was fine the 24mm dia is tight.
in 25 years of machining i've seen quite a few r8's stuck on a bridge port j type
or clone one of the first things to get damaged is the spindle key (big face mill -too big a cut ,dopey operator etc) next drawbar threads combine the 2 and hours of
fun trying to remove the collet/drawbar
this is with supposidley skilled people operating them so throw into the equation
enthusiastic ametuers and well you draw your own conclusions
r8 is not a self releasing taper .
mike