Stuck chuck on drill press

[Alex Cam]

I have an older drill press made by a company called "Cummins-Mack" in Chicago. It's a floor-standing model, 3/4 horse motor, real nice considering the $45 I paid for it at a garage sale.

The problem I have is that there seems to be something wrong with the chuck -- I only just noticed it when drilling out some pen blanks on it for the first time. When I bought it I measured the runout on the spindle at 0.001, and the chuck at 0.002. Unfortuntely, it seems that there's something wrong with the jaws on the chuck. When I put a bit in the runout near the top of the bit is more like 0.01.

If I'm reading the chuck correctly it's a JT3, which I think means it's nothing more than a tapered friction fit. I can't get it off for the life of me. Any suggestions? Am I missing something?

Alex

[CPeter James]

Is there a slot in the quill that will allow you to insert a steel wedge to force it out. That is the standard method used. When you lower the drill, check the quill for a slot about 3/8" wide by about 1" long or so. You put the steel wedge in there and hit with a hammer and it forces the chuck out. The quill may be #2 and the chuck #3. There is an arbor that makes the connection.

CPeter

[Kevin Cole]

If theres is no slot (like on mine) I used a cheap combination wrench and put it on top of the chuck and hit it with a hammer until it dropped.

[Alex Cam]

Is there a slot in the quill that will allow you to insert a steel wedge to force it out.

Yes -- there is! I don't think I own the wedge that you're referring to, though. I'll have to look around for something. Thanks a bunch.

Alex

[robert hainstock]

Get a piece of bar stock 1/8" by 5/8" 4 or 5 " long and grind a looong taper onto it. (one corner to the other). :)
Bob