Sherline ER-16 Spindle Headstocks

Select your bearing and motor options for pricing.

The ER-16 collet nut is included.

  • *Preferred unit of measurement for laser engraved portions
    Please note that our ball screws only come in a metric pitch
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About Sherline’s ER-16 Headstock

For use on a Sherline lathe or mill in place of the standard headstock if you want an ER-16 spindle.

The ER-16 nut that ships with your order may be plain or have a black oxide finish. The headstock includes a spindle pulley and a precision ground head key.

NOTE: Keep in mind that if the ER-16 nose is ordered, no Sherline accessories that use a #1 Morse taper or 3/4-16 thread will work on this spindle.

ER-16 Collet Range Specifications

Inch Metric
.020″ – .393″ .5 mm – 13 mm

NOTE: We do not sell the collets used with the ER-16 spindle. Those are available through MSC Industrial Supply Co. or other tool supply sources.

Custom Build Your ER-16 Headstock with the Following Options:

  • Class 3 or Class 5 Bearings
  • With or without a DC Motor and Speed Control Unit

Bearing Options

The bearings in the headstocks are offered in two classes: C3 and C5.

The C3 bearings have been standard in all of our headstocks for years and have proven reliable over that time.

The C5 bearing headstocks come at a higher price than the standard C3 bearings headstocks, but they run smoother, quieter, and cooler than our regular class 3 bearing headstocks and are more suitable in an industrial setting.

Sherline’s new C5 headstocks feature two 20 mm, class 5, lifetime-lubricated ball bearings with an adjustable preload nut. The preload is adjusted at the factory to .0002″ (.005 mm) of endplay. The preload adjustment is controlled by the outer races of the bearings being held apart by the headstock case and the inner races being pulled together by the preload nut. This is appropriate for extended running at speeds of 4000 RPM or less. You may need a slightly looser preload setting of .0003″ for operating speeds up to 10,000 RPM.

Optional DC Motor with Speed Control

You can order your headstock with or without our DC motor and speed control unit.

The powerful DC motor offers its maximum torque at low RPM, where you need it most in machining. This means it provides far more useable power than an AC/DC motor of equivalent or larger size. It also offers smoother and quieter operations than an AC/DC motor.

A sophisticated speed control unit powers and controls the motor. The speed control unit accepts any incoming AC current from 100 VAC to 240 VAC, 50 or 60 Hz, and automatically outputs 90V DC to the motor so that this unit can be used anywhere in the world without a transformer. All you need is the correct wall plug or converter. Once the on/off switch is switched to the “ON” position, a speed control knob is used to vary the entire range’s speed. With the pulley in the “normal” position, the speed range is about 70 to 2,800 RPM. In the “high torque” position, the maximum speed is cut in half, but torque at any given speed is much greater*.

*NOTE: The full torque at the lower RPM range of 70-1,400 will be obtained when the motor pulley belt is in the low-speed/high-torque pulley groove. The high-speed pulley groove will have full torque in the 1,200 to 2,800 RPM range.