Woodcraft drill chuck, any good?

[Yuri Sadykov]

I've recently Jet 1221VS lathe and want to get a drill chuck to use in it.
Woodcraft have one on sale (http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2003975/33048/WoodRiver-12-Capacity-x-2-MT-Lathe-Keyless-Drill-Chuck.aspx#ProdInformationTab).
Do you think is it any good? Should I look for something else?

Edit: The chuck has capacity 1/2", I though 5/8" could more useful, like that one (http://www.lathemaster.com/Keyless%20Drill%20Chucks.htm).

[Scott Hackler]

That one would be fine, but you know you can buy a Jacob's Chuck at Harbor freight for about $10-15 and there isn't any major difference in functionality.

[Eric Gourieux]

I have that one and I like it.

[Mike Campbell KS]

I bought a chuck very similar from Grizzly a several years ago. The taper was too long for the Jet 1014 that I had. It wouldn't go all of the way in unless the tailstock was extended some. I fixed that by cutting it off a bit. Then I had a few incidents when making pens. The bits started slipping and getting stuck in the blanks. I just don't feel that I could get the chuck as tight as a keyed Jacobs chuck, although I have never had the same problem in a hand drill. I have been using the HF models ever since then. With the coupons I have bought a couple cheaper than the one you listed and have left them dedicated to the few drill bit sizes that I use.

[Michael Mills]

I would go with your second one (5/8") and drawbar style, not tang. JMO

[Steve Peterson]

I bought a chuck very similar from Grizzly a several years ago. The taper was too long for the Jet 1014 that I had. It wouldn't go all of the way in unless the tailstock was extended some. I fixed that by cutting it off a bit.

That mode is a feature on some lathes. It allows the chuck to self-eject by fully retracting the tailstock. There is no need for a knockout bar.

Steve

[John Teichert]

Yuri, I have a PSI keyless chuck. I'm not sure if it this particular chuck, or indicative of keyless chucks in general, but my larger forstner bits will spin in the chuck. Not so with my keyed chuck. I would recommend that whatever chuck you get, it have the ability to use a drawbar, to allow turning in the headstock without having tailstock support. The drawbar will hold the Morse taper in the headstock, and prevent it from vibrating out.

JT

[Yuri Sadykov]

Guys,
thank you for the tips. Decided to go with keyed chuck from HF. Will see how it goes and get a feel for what I need. And at that price ...

[Ralph Lindberg]

Dave (at D-Way) was a machinist in a previous life. I'm trying to recall the name of the vendor he recently recommended and my mind is blank.

But their Jacobs chuck had the smoothest motion I have ever felt and it could go all the way closed (i.e. it could take any bit, no matter how small). Dave says it has held up very well (he uses one to hold the wheels to clean and deburr the tools he sells)

It was $50 plus shipping with a MT#2

Since we want one, I should contact him and ask the name of the firm (I do recall they don't have a web-site)

[Michael Poorman]

I've had one of the Wood River keyless chucks for a past few years and have enjoyed it. I've never experience any slippage with the chuck and once it broke in, the scrolling was very smooth.

[Paul Engle]

Key less , the only way to go ! I am retired machinist ( Marine ) and got tired of chasing the keys all around the shop and now with hands not working as good as yesteryear , I like the keyless

[David C. Roseman]

We have the Woodcraft keyless as well as the PSI keyless mentioned earlier. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/TM32KL.html Like them both just fine. The Woodcraft is slightly longer and heavier, which I think I prefer.

David

[Reed Gray]

I spent about an hour on the phone with the guy that Ralph was talking about. He does go to some of the Symposiums. He does not have a web sits. His drill chuck is one designed for machine shops. It sounds like it is as far above most other drill chucks as the CBN wheels are above standard wheels. Some times, you do get what you pay for. I plan on getting one or two in the future.

robo hippy

[Lee Reep]

I'd highly suggest a threaded-end Morse taper for the chuck, so you can add a drawbar to keep it from coming out during lathe operation. Drawbars are easy to make using allthread. I even added a piece of aluminum tubing over mine to keep the threads from scraping the bore in both the headstock and tailstock, although this is probably overkill on my part. You'll probably need to add a washer so that the nut used to tighten seats OK in the headstock or tailstock. You can use a simple hex nut or a small star knob to improve grip for thightening and removal.

[Jon Nuckles]

My keyless chuck, which I think is the Wood River, does slip on occasion. I wish I'd purchased a keyed chuck.

[David C. Roseman]

I'd highly suggest a threaded-end Morse taper for the chuck, so you can add a drawbar to keep it from coming out during lathe operation. Drawbars are easy to make using allthread. I even added a piece of aluminum tubing over mine to keep the threads from scraping the bore in both the headstock and tailstock, although this is probably overkill on my part. You'll probably need to add a washer so that the nut used to tighten seats OK in the headstock or tailstock. You can use a simple hex nut or a small star knob to improve grip for thightening and removal.

Lee makes a very good point. Important to use a drawbar if the chuck is in the headstock and there's no tail stock pressure on the workpiece. As, for example, turning bottle stoppers on a mandrel. I don't know if the HF keyed chuck is threaded for a drawbar. Anyone?

The Woodcraft chuck Morse taper is threaded for 7/16" Allthread, the PSI for 1/4, fyi.

David

[Paul Engle]

Not sure how you would use the chuck in the head stock as most drilling is done from the tail stock and you would not beable to use a threaded taper ... if you drill from the head stock how would you hold and advance the piece ? unless you had a mount that uses a morse taper to go in the tail stock attached to a chuck , which there are such chucks but are spendy . I have seen a 2 inch chuck with morse taper to mount in the TS and there are adapters to mount your chuck to the adapter to insert in the TS . At any rate if you go that way , like David said , always use a draw bar to hold it in the HS spindle .

[David C. Roseman]

Not sure how you would use the chuck in the head stock as most drilling is done from the tail stock...[snip]

Paul, quite so; I should have clarified. Mounted in the headstock, a drill chuck can be used as pin jaws to hold small workpieces, buffing pads, and also mandrels like this for turning bottle stoppers, ice cream scoops and other items that use threaded hardware. E.g., this mandrel from Woodcraft: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2004773/36268/Whiteside-Adjustable-Stopper-Mandrel.aspx

David

[Mark Levitski]

Not all drill chucking is for drilling. Use the drill chuck in the headstock for holding a sanding mandrel for instance. Works great for finishing the bottom of a bowl that you weren't able to complete w/ the piece being held by the lathe.

[Ralph Lindberg]

I spent about an hour on the phone with the guy that Ralph was talking about. He does go to some of the Symposiums. He does not have a web sits. His drill chuck is one designed for machine shops. It sounds like it is as far above most other drill chucks as the CBN wheels are above standard wheels. Some times, you do get what you pay for. I plan on getting one or two in the future.

robo hippy

Found my note... VM Woodworking email is vmwoodworking1982 -at- yahoo.com

[Kelvin Burton]

John, you have solved a problem for me! I was wondering why my drill chuck kept coming loose when I was turning bottle stoppers with the mandrel held in the drill chuck! With your comment about the drawbar and some Googling and finally an article in Wikipedia I now know how to solve the problem, thank you!

I thought I had a damaged taper in the headstock (still a possibility) after I left my buffing adapter on the lathe for an extended time and a Mud dauber built it's nest inside the morse taper and made it go rusty :eek: I cleaned it out as best as I could and ran some sand paper in it to remove the rust.

[Kyle VanMeter]

I have the Wood River keyless chuck, and have no qualms with it.

A keyed chuck will definitely afford you more gripping power. But unless I am drilling metal, or doing some real heavy drilling in wood, the Keyless chuck works great and is far more convenient.


Kyle VanMeter

[John C Lawson]

A couple less common things to consider:

If you are using your drill chuck in the headstock, and the chuck is connected to the shaft with a Jacobs taper, that can also come loose, until less you make sure it is firmly seated. A firm, not violent, shot with a soft mallet will do it. You can also get chucks that thread onto the taper (usually 1/2-20 threads). That can come undone if you ever run in reverse, so if that is something you might do, there are integral chucks permanently attached to the taper. They ain't cheap.

[Aaron Wingert]

I have two of the Wood River keyless chucks and love them. Also have one of their keyed chucks and it is good too. I also have a Harbor Freight keyed chuck and in my opinion it isn't worth the box it came in. Lousy piece of equipment, comparatively.