Warning: I picked a cheap collet set over a name brand and it cost me a whole shift.

Had to choose between a $50 import set and a $200 Lyndex kit for a rush job on 316 stainless. The cheap ones flexed at 8000 RPM and wrecked the finish, so I had to re-run every part. Anyone else get burned trying to save a few bucks on tool holders?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryanf661mo agoTop Commenter

Learned that lesson the hard way on aluminum a few years back. Now I just buy the good holders from the start, even for my home shop. The time you save is worth way more than the cash.

kelly611mo ago

Oh, the "learned the hard way" club. I think my membership card got worn out from swiping it so often. I spent more time fixing my mess from a cheap holder than I ever did actually cutting metal. You're totally right, the good ones just work and you forget about them, which is the whole point. It's like paying a little extra to not have a tiny, expensive heart attack every time you start a cut.

patel.leo8d ago

Yeah that "tiny expensive heart attack" line from @kelly61 is too real. I had a similar thing happen with some cheap endmill holders on a production run of 304. The runout was so bad I couldn't hold +/-.002 and had to scrap half the batch. Now I just save up and buy name brand tools even if it means waiting an extra week. The time and material waste from cheap holders always ends up costing way more than what you saved upfront.