They're very simple. Just a cylinder of steel (?) that has six slits along the axis to make fingers. A central hole is drilled and tapped. Inserting a flat-head screw expands the fingers. It is easier to see the design if you click on "View larger picture" on the eBay listing that you referenced. > -----Original Message----- > From: modeleng-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:modeleng-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] > On Behalf Of Tony Wells > Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 9:39 AM > To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [modeleng] How do these work please? > > Hello chaps, > While looking on Ebay for some small expanding collet chucks for my > woodturning, I found these on the US Ebay. As I cannot fathom out how on > earth they are supposed to work, cananyone here enlighten me please? > > http://cgi.ebay.com/1-4-1-1-4-HAND-8-EXPANDING-ARBOR-SET-LATHE-MILLING- > NEW_W0QQitemZ330095907283QQihZ014QQcategoryZ58250QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ > cmdZViewItem > > Item number 330095907283 > > Thanks, > > Tony Wells. > > PS, am I the only Tony here these days, to save me writing my full name? > > MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, > modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject > line. MODEL ENGINEERING DISCUSSION LIST. To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, send a blank email to, modeleng-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word "unsubscribe" in the subject line.