Questions relating to collets, for holding tools like drill bits, or holding raw materials in a machine.
Collets are a specific type of tool/stock holder where the item to be clamped is held on all sides by a form that is compressed down by a collet holder/chuck.
Generally collets are for round stock, though specialty collets can hold regular shapes like square or hex. It is also possible to machine a custom collet to hold a specific shape, or to hold an item off-center. This is common in Watch making.
ER collets are modern and come in specifications like ER11, ER16, ER20, ER25, ER32, ER40. Older machines might use 3C and 5C collets, WW collets would be very small devices, and R8 collets are likely to be found on a Milling machine.
Collets can also be used to hold tools, like chucking reamers, drill bits, and even indicators and pointers.
Collets are normally found in a machine shop on tools like mills and lathes.
