New chuck for Delta 18-900L drill press

[Todd Brewer]

Bought this drill press a few months ago. Haven't used it much so far. However the chuck key does not mate well with the chuck. I push in very hard but it will still slip the threads when I try to bear down on it. The key seems too small. I like the drill press but the chuck + chuck key is really bad.

I have searched high and low for a replacement chuck. The Jacobs chuck seems to get good reviews. But Jacobs web site is no help in choosing the right chuck for this drill press. I sent them an email but no reply. :(

Anyone upgrade the chuck on this drill press? If so what did you get and how do you like it? Keyed or keyless?

[Van Huskey]

http://www.shars.com/product_categories/view/4030203/High_Precision_Keyless_Drill_Chucks

I suggested this to Matt Meiser recently, he picked up one (he can tell you the exact one) from their eBay store and seems happy with it on his 18-900.

[Matt Meiser]

Mine seems good. I did have trouble getting it loose from a very large metal dilling bit and had to use a pipe wrench to loosen it. It didn't take much force, just more than I could get with my hands. I see there's some holes that might work for some tommy bars so I need to make some. I bought the 1/32 to 1/2 with a #2 MT adapter.

[Kevin Presutti]

I would look around for a Jacobs 16N or 14N ball bearing chuck. Keys are readily available at HD and work great. If you find a used one on ebay look for pictures of the jaws as these are milling machine grade chucks and many you find will require a rebuild kit which are not that expensive but require Jacobs wedges to remove the arbor from the chuck if you get one like that. It is worth having them rebuilt as the 16N new is around $350.00. But they will live forever. I have 2-14N's, 2-16N's, 1-18N, 1-20N all of the bay and only needed to rebuild 1-14N & 1-16N purchased them all for about $225.00. The 20N alone goes for well over $500.00 new but these are very well built chucks. The most expensive was the nearly new 20N and it cost me $50.00 with free shipping. Van may say I'm biased and I am but I had a bad chuck in the drill press I bought and went and asked a friend who has a small machine shop and these are what he reccomended so I shopped and have been happy ever since.

[Van Huskey]

Kevin, nothing wrong with being biased when your bias is toward a great product! I prefer Albrecht to Jacobs at the upper end but they are both great chucks.

[Todd Brewer]

Thanks for the suggestions. Will check them out. I am not happy with the Jacobs chuck that came with the drill press, or I should say how the key fits in the chuck. Must be a budget model. I may try finding a key that fits better, so far that is my only complaint. I have yet to check run out. IF I can find one of the above recommended chucks at a good price I'll go ahead and upgrade.

Thanks again.

Todd

[Van Huskey]

Mine seems good. I did have trouble getting it loose from a very large metal dilling bit and had to use a pipe wrench to loosen it. It didn't take much force, just more than I could get with my hands. I see there's some holes that might work for some tommy bars so I need to make some. I bought the 1/32 to 1/2 with a #2 MT adapter.

In my old shop I had a set of "strap wrenches" that worked the few times I stuck a keyless chuck and it doesn't damage the chuck finish, a tommy bar would be perfect though.