keyless drill chucks

[richard grantham]

has anyone had experience using keyless drill chucks ?? I am gearing up a Jet mini lathe to turn predator calls, really liked drilling out sound holes this way with regular drill chucks when I use to turn. I could go right from drilling to bell out end when hold wood in 4 jaw chuck in headstock.
Richard ps this is about only thing left to buy!!

[Richard Madison]

Richard,
Have them on my cordless drills and they work ok by holding the chuck collar by hand and running the drill to tighten or loosen. For use in lathe tailstock with Morse Taper I would not consider a keyless chuck. Too easy to spin the MT when trying to tighten/loosen the chuck, difficult or impossible to get it tight enough for larger bits. You will hate it. Get the key-type chuck.

[Kurt Whitley]

All of my experience would agree with Mr. Madison until I got one like this and it works very well:

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Lathe_Accessories___Drill_Chucks___Keyless_Chuck__ _keyless_chuck?Args=

I guess the correct answer is if you want to use a keyless chuck, be sure you get a nice one.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Kurt. Don't go cheap or you will regret it. Ask me. I bought the one Kurt is refering to. Nice chuck and holds well.

[Richard Madison]

The item in Kurt's link is obviously intended for use in a lathe tailstock, and based on Kurt's and Bernie's comments it apparently overcomes my objections. Other opinions?

[Kevin McPeek]

Well I got one from the E-borg and it was relatively inexpensive, although it looks much like the chuck linked above. I tightened it with both hands, one holding it from turning and the other actually tightening. Anyway, I have used large forstner bits hollowing pepper mills and have never had a problem. When drilling I always have a hand on the chuck so if I feel anything going wrong I can hold or retract the chuck.