[nadsab]

Hi,

I have an application - I would like to use a porter cable style collet to both lock the collet into place such that I can position it anywhere along a long aluminum rod, but when loosening the collet it would freely slide along the rod but there would be no wobble between rod and collet. I don't need steel because this is not a high speed or motorized application, just a simple fixture device for use on a table top. Can anyone reccommend any companies where I could buy them off the shelf? I will be using somewhere between 1/2" to 3/4 inch alum rod. I could even settle for plastic or composite as long as it is rigid...

[Dylwad]

Check mcmaster and stock drive products for shaft collars. I remember seeing something similar, but don't remember what they are called.

[wizard]

Hi,

I have an application - I would like to use a porter cable style collet to both lock the collet into place such that I can position it anywhere along a long aluminum rod, but when loosening the collet it would freely slide along the rod but there would be no wobble between rod and collet. I don't need steel because this is not a high speed or motorized application, just a simple fixture device for use on a table top. Can anyone reccommend any companies where I could buy them off the shelf? I will be using somewhere between 1/2" to 3/4 inch alum rod. I could even settle for plastic or composite as long as it is rigid...

You can buy ER series collets pretty cheap. They come in a number of sizes so that shouldn't be a issue. To the best of my knowledge these would be steel only. I might suggest that you wouldn't want an aluminum collet anyways as I don't think they would last long, certainly not as an "ER" design.

However I'm trying to imagine what you are doing here and frankly I'm not sure a collet is the way to go. If you want rigid, and long lasting the rod should ride in some sort plain bushing with a separate clamping facility. The clamp could be a collet or it could be something else. That something else could be a split block with a clamping bolt, a cotter type arrangement, a dowel or pin pressing against the rod acting as a break, of a number of other things. I guess what I'm getting at is that a collet might not be the ideal solution here. It really depends upon how the fixture will be used.