MT3 collets for Atlas Metal Lathe with clamp / thread protector.

thingiverse

I scoured the internet for a collet setup matching my Atlas metal lathe, but came up empty-handed. Determined to find a solution, I designed and created these custom collets with screw-on clamp/thread protector to see how well they would work. By protecting the threads and holding the collet in place simultaneously, I figured it was a win-win situation. The added benefit of being able to extend the hole through the collet allowed me to lathe small bar stock, something not possible with traditional draw bar style collets. I included some post-project photos featuring aluminium I milled a groove into, taking about 1/8th deep passes. Unfortunately, my lathe's lower RPMs resulted in an imperfect groove, and running the cut dry didn't help matters. However, I'm curious to see how WD-40 will affect the PLA material.