Tool ER Nut Mysteries

[Susquatch]

I think it's pretty common for us to see newbie posts about how screwed up their ER Nut is. More experienced users know that the collet has to be tipped at just the right place and rocked into position. We also know and love why that is. It's almost genius.

I've certainly done my share of educating new users, and I've even consoled a few who proudly machined away that pesky badly machined lip inside there and thereby salvaged their cheap crap collet nut.

Looking back on it, I even remember when I first encountered that lip many years ago. The ER32 system was part of a You Suck Kijiji haul. I felt ripped off when I first tried to use it. Gratefully, I accidentally discovered the answer while searching for a replacement nut. Well I'll be!

Huge intro, but I love telling stories. This post is really about two recent anomalies I have encountered. One is pure genius and the other is a mystery.

The ER20 collet NUT on our new Vevor Drill Grinders is genius. It doesn't have the eccentric lip found in most ER nuts. Instead it has a fixed lip that is perfectly positioned to easily "tilt and slip" the collet in. There is more than enough lip there to extract the collet. It is so easy to use. I love it waaaaay more that the standard eccentric lip. Vevor on the left, standard on the right.



The other mystery is an Ali purchase I just received. It doesn't appear to have an eccentric lip - just a full lip. It's a bitch to use. Yes, you can snap the collet in and out, but the orientation doesn't matter. Just tilt it and push hard. It's also VERY hard to remove. I was going to buy an ER32 ball bearing nut too but fortunately I decided against it at the last minute. What the heck is this all about? Here is a photo and a link to the Ali offering. My turn to learn!

Regular ER on right in both cases.




Link to Aliexpress bearing nut.

BEGO Nut ER11 ER16 ER20 ER25 ER32 ER40 Ball Wheel Bearing Nut ER25 ER32 GM High Precision OZ25 OZ32 Bearing Nut Accessories - AliExpress 1420

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

a.aliexpress.com

 

[PeterT]

There are also low profile ER nuts for the same thread as the hex nuts. Use a matching special wrench

 

[Susquatch]

There are also low profile ER nuts for the same thread as the hex nuts.

And what kind of collet holding feature do they have?

 

[kstrauss]

The ER-11 one like that that I have has the usual eccentric lip. Rego-Fix calls it a "mini nut". See https://ca.rego-fix.com/en/products/components/clamping-nuts/ER

 

[PeterT]

^what he said^

 

[Susquatch]

So basically, I'm gathering that by buying from aliexpress, I got what I paid for.

Junk.

 

[kstrauss]

If the US adds 25-60% duty to everything Chinese perhaps Ali prices to Canada will drop.

 

[PeterT]

So basically, I'm gathering that by buying from aliexpress, I got what I paid for. Junk.

The ER-11 shanks I got in various lengths off Ali (post #2) are excellent. Precision ground to within their published tight specs & fit collets (from another supplier) no problem
Also bought an ER-16 R-8, again very good. As good as my Sowa & Shars in different sizes. I have the runout written somewhere but it was in the tenths
Ali can be a crap shoot sometimes, but there is hope. Try & stick with machinery type suppliers (ideally lots of CNC gear) .
I always immediately examine & measure upon receipt (before clicking received). If it's not to spec or a dud, contact them asap. They know the drill, return shipping from Canada is typically not worth the headache. They have often said full refund if they agree, or send a replacement if its a Monday product, or take 50% off & you keep. It varies depending on the issue but fortunately have not had too many things. I mean some things lets face it we are gambling. They hate negative reviews so if you politely say this is not acceptable and will post a review it helps, but I don't threaten if they are trying.

Now Bangood I don't care for. Opened an account only because they had a tool that Ali didn't carry which was odd (woodworking related). Got a bit of signup credit which helped the price. Shipped just fine. Item itself was fine but they packaged the wrong hardware, or described it incorrectly compared to their own picture. I took pics with very simple annotated instructions, started message conversation. Back & forth then they said 'we understand, we send new one'. OK. They neglected to mention at my expense, full price and completely wrong hardware as though they used the pics as a$$wipe. Tried a few more times to resolve, but now the second order is completely unlinked to the first one, so they didn't understand again. Every time I went back to check messages dodging & weaving amongst the coupons, coupons, promo ... I gave up. I highly doubt I will ever go back unless its awesome which is unlikely. Nowhere near the selection as Ali &/or the same stuff anyways. Rant over.

 

[Susquatch]

The ER-11 shanks I got in various lengths off Ali (post #2) are excellent. Precision ground to within their published tight specs & fit collets (from another supplier) no problem
Also bought an ER-16 R-8, again very good. As good as my Sowa & Shars in different sizes. I have the runout written somewhere but it was in the tenths

My experience overall is good too.

But I have zero hope on this one. I can't begin to imagine how the translation would manage that eccentric lip. I'd never get there. I don't have enough hope or patience to even try. I'm gunna write it off and try another store. But I will leave a review.

I've been trying to get one of the Ali stores to do combined shipping. They can even figure that out..... Or don't want to.

Ali can be a crap shoot sometimes, but there is hope. Try & stick with machinery type suppliers (ideally lots of CNC gear)

Ya, that's what I'm gunna try next.

I always immediately examine & measure upon receipt (before clicking received). If it's not to spec or a dud, contact them asap.

Me too. But I'm not doing it this time. As stated already, I have zero confidence in their ability to understand the issue. Heck, we often have trouble explaining this function to other English speaking machinists!

I recently got some out of spec ER20 Collets from Accusize. To their credit, they understood the issue (the outside front taper was a few thou oversize) and sent me replacements all no charge to me.

 

[gerritv]

I've been trying to get one of the Ali stores to do combined shipping. They can even figure that out..... Or don't want to.

I think the combined shipping has more to do with postage rates by weight than anything more nefarious. Even eBay stores have trouble with combined shipping. With Canada Post it is often advantageous to ship 2 parcels instead of one heavy one. E.g. the main trigger at CP is 250g for parcels. After that it is a big jump.

 

[skippyelwell]

I think it's pretty common for us to see newbie posts about how screwed up their ER Nut is. More experienced users know that the collet has to be tipped at just the right place and rocked into position. We also know and love why that is. It's almost genius.

I've certainly done my share of educating new users, and I've even consoled a few who proudly machined away that pesky badly machined lip inside there and thereby salvaged their cheap crap collet nut.

Looking back on it, I even remember when I first encountered that lip many years ago. The ER32 system was part of a You Suck Kijiji haul. I felt ripped off when I first tried to use it. Gratefully, I accidentally discovered the answer while searching for a replacement nut. Well I'll be!

Have to laugh, just a couple of months ago when I saw an ER32 nut for the first time I thought, "more Asian crap, well at least I can fix it by machining off that lip"
A few days later when it dawned on that it was actually a pretty clever design I quietly apologized to Asians everywhere.

 

[Susquatch]

dawned on that it was actually a pretty clever design I quietly apologized to Asians everywhere.

I remember the day it dawned on you, but I wasn't gunna single you or anyone else out. I admire anyone who has the self confidence to out themselves.

I think we all tend to profile certain cultures most unfairly. And we all owe all of them an apology. Nonetheless, the ER collet system was developed by Reko-Fix Tool in the USA. In this case some Chinese outfits are superb copiers, and in some cases like the subject nut, they are horrible.

I'm gunna stop whining and go buy another bearing nut.

 

[ChazzC]

I remember the day it dawned on you, but I wasn't gunna single you or anyone else out. I admire anyone who has the self confidence to out themselves.

I think we all tend to profile certain cultures most unfairly. And we all owe all of them an apology. Nonetheless, the ER collet system was developed by Reko-Fix Tool in the USA. In this case some Chinese outfits are superb copiers, and in some cases like the subject nut, they are horrible.

I'm gunna stop whining and go buy another bearing nut.

Use caution when getting the replacement nut, the Mini Nuts may have different threads:

 

[PeterT]

^Yes good reminder I neglected to mention^
Order the wrench same time & beware the threads.

 

[Susquatch]

No worries, I don't want or need a mini nut anyway. I just wanted a bearing nut and I doubt they come in the mini size.