Keyless drill press chuck....is stuck

[Dan Friedrichs]

I admit in advance this was a bad idea.

I bought a decent drill press used for $75. I really hate keyed chucks, so I thought I'd try one of these cheap ones that I bought on eBay for $20.

I removed the old chuck (invovled taking the spindle adapter out, then using a punch to pound the spindle adapter out of the old chuck via a hole through the center of the old chuck), then installed the new chuck (just taper fit). The new chuck has about 0.01" runout in it (the "specification" was 0.003"). I tried removing the spindle adapter again and rotating it in the quill, but the runout is definitely in the chuck, so that didn't help.

I tried to remove the new chuck from the spindle adapter, but noticed that this new keyless chuck doesn't have a hole all the way through the center, so I can't pound the spindle adapter back out. How do I get this chuck off of my spindle adapter? Or should I just forget about it and live with 0.01" runout?

[Steven Green]

I had the same problem, I finally rotated the chuck by hand while tapping on it with a 24 0z. hammer. I was worried about the bearings but everything is still running true. Course the chuck was a lost cause when I got it off.

[Chip Lindley]

.010" Runout is very excessive. Not even acceptable for boring holes in wood IMO! Get that cheapchuck off and get yourself a good Jacobs!

[Andy Sowers]

I had the same problem on a press I bought off Craigslist... I got some assistance from someone on OWWM who let me borrow his chuck wedges. These are pretty cheap and are sized according to your chuck and its taper size.

http://www.jacobschuck.com/product_details.asp?pid=29

HTH
Andy

[glenn bradley]

I found that a new spindle was only $8 for my new Delta when the factory chuck ended up stuck after the service shop got done with a bearings replacement under warranty. I bought the new spindle and put my keyless chuck (which I love) on that. If I want to use the keyed chuck I just swap the whole spindle. After spending way more than $8 in time trying to get the original chuck off, my recommendation is to price a spindle.

[Phil Thien]

You can get wedges from McMaster. You need #3's for a 33 taper, I think.

You can also get a new spindle for about the same price as the wedges, I'll bet.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Ah - I had forgotten about the wedges. Thank you all for that idea. I would just buy a new spindle, but I want to take mine off this chuck so I can return the chuck.