Levin #11 a little wonky!!

[LittleWatchShop]

I was shocked when I chucked up some work using this #ll.  The collet otherwise appears in very nice condition but it is unusable.  @nickelsilverwhat do you think?

Take a look

[JohnR725]

Interesting video? You didn't give us a background history was it working before and now it's not or this is the first time you're trying to use it? Then I assume you did the usual things like take it out make sure everything is nice and clean. Also it is the correct Chuck for the lathe?

Then minor concern which is there's nothing in there?

Then even running at the slowest speed on YouTube it's hard to tell what's going on other than it doesn't look like it's around anymore? In other words I can't tell if it's wobbling in and out it looks like it's centered in the lathe itself but I have a weird feeling I'm seeing something other than it's out around or in addition to it but I can't put a finger on it.

 

[LittleWatchShop]

Other collets are fine.  The collet was simply plucked from my set of Levin collets and this is what I got.  I know I did not inflict the damage because I only acquired these recently (via ebay for $$$$$$$).  The rest of the collet that seats into the spindle seems perfect.  I will inspect it again.

Since my return to watchmaking (a year now), I have done a lot of lath work...mostly playing and learning...and have not seen this behavior among any of my large selection of collets.

[LittleWatchShop]

43 minutes ago, JohnR725 said:

I'm seeing something other

I will concoct another experiment to video and see if it is more informative.

[JohnR725]

1 hour ago, JohnR725 said:

Then minor concern which is there's nothing in there?

Noticed this peculiar Comment? The reason I pointed that out is as you're well aware the collets are designed to hold things of specific sizes. They don't like to clamp down on things either too small or too big as that can be an issue. So I'm not even sure if you can actually test the collet without putting an object in of the specific size. Except in your case that thing is grossly out Of round so I don't know if somebody abused it and that's what were seeing or not? But I do think a proper test to put something in of the exact right size and holding that and seeing what happens.

[nickelsilver]

Check for a burr or damage on the collet body, often near the key slot, and anything on the tapered area of the head. Sometimes a metal chip will get squished and stick to the head and can be very hard to see.

 

It could just be that in the past someone tried to crank it down on a 0.8mm part with water pump pliers, or who knows what. Levin collets are some of the best so no way it left the factory like that.

[LittleWatchShop]

18 minutes ago, JohnR725 said:

Noticed this peculiar Comment? The reason I pointed that out is as you're well aware the collets are designed to hold things of specific sizes. They don't like to clamp down on things either too small or too big as that can be an issue. So I'm not even sure if you can actually test the collet without putting an object in of the specific size. Except in your case that thing is grossly out Of round so I don't know if somebody abused it and that's what were seeing or not? But I do think a proper test to put something in of the exact right size and holding that and seeing what happens.

I first noticed this when I had material inserted in the collet and saw it undulating up and down.  Then I took the material out to make the video.

Yes, I know about proper sizing and am careful to insure that.  I even have half sizes between 1 and 10.

[LittleWatchShop]

Some pictures.

The overlay with a true circle indicates one of the leaves of the collet is off but one would expect the spindle to pull it in position.  Maybe somebody to a broach to the thing??  I have a video.  Will post when it is uploaded.

[LittleWatchShop]

second video

[LittleWatchShop]

Looks like that bottom left leaf has some kind of perturbation on the inside edge where it should be flat.

[rodabod]

That's really odd. I wonder if it could be a factory reject.

[LittleWatchShop]

1 hour ago, rodabod said:

That's really odd. I wonder if it could be a factory reject.

Yup...it is a head scratcher for sure.  I removed it from my collet box and replaced it with a non-Levin collet that does work.

[JohnR725]

If we exclude factory defect we also have they been around for a long time and Seen a lot of use not necessarily good. Like watches all sorts of undesirable things may have occurred. Most people don't realize how critical the size is And they just shove in things that are either too big or too small and that's not good.

If you insert something of the exact right size how does it seemed to fit? In other words if somebody had Modified and opened it up is it still the correct size or is it too big?