Drill Press Problem

[Dave Dionne]

Hi All

I went out to turn a pen last night and I have picked up a noticable wobble in my drill press, enough so that I can't drill pen blanks. The bottom of the hole seems very tight and not be smooth. Put the same bit into my cordless and drills nice holes.
I had the chuck out a while back and don't remember dropping it to the cement floor but always a possiblilty, I am thinking that it is more likely to be the chuck and not the machine itself?

Without a dial indicator (gotta buy one soon) any way to do a diagostic check on my press?

Thanks in Advance Dave

[Doug Shepard]

Dont know if it could be this simple or not: I've occasionally had the chuck jaws stick a little bit so that you can tighten the chuck while the bit is off center in the chuck. A blast of WD40 and moving the chuck through the motions has been enough to fix it. Hopefully your problem isn't more serious and costly.

[Tom McDermott]

Hi Dave,

The chuck usually fits onto a tapered shaft. It can be knocked out of alignment under certain cases. Even without a dial indicator, you should be able to feel or see if it is wobbling if you chuck up a length of rod). Enco and HF have very inexpensive dial indicators / magnetic holders (well worth the small $$ for lots of woodshop tasks).

If the chuck is misaligned, remove the chuck from the quill. Clean it very carefully with a good clean oil-free solvent. Make sure there are no burrs at all on the taper or the chuck, then re-seat it. Fully retract the chuck tips, then use a hammer and a block of wood to set it. Alternatively, you can set it by first seating it then bearing down on a piece of wood (no bit) while the drill is turning which will rub the face of the chuck on the board and kinda self-align it. Expect some burnt wood!

-- Tom

[Dave Dionne]

Thanks guys

I am starting to thinkthat it may be more then that, I went down to my local woodcraft and grabbed another chuck and taper, installed that and I have the same problem. Is it possible that the part of the drill that the taper slides into is gummed up? How would I clean it?

After I installed the new chuck I put in my drill bit I use for a pen. Drilled a couple of holes in some scrap 6/4 walnut. Then tried to insert the brass pen tube, fits in nice on the side the drill entered but binds up about 2/3 threw the whole and does not want to pass threw easily. Also have noticed that there is an unusual amount of tear out in the exit whole even with a backer board.

Thanks again for your ideas Dave

[Ken Garlock]

Dave, you have a curious problem. If the quill(the part that cranks up and down) moves up and down freely, that is goodness. Second, how to clean the socket where the arbor (the metal shaft that attaches to the quilll and the chuck?) Use any solvent that DOES NOT contain a lubricant; alcohol would be good. The arbor must be removed. Then I would take a round wire brush the size of the arbor, and scrub the quill interior after brushing the solvent into the socket; and finally dry throughly.

Never lubricate the ends of the arbor or the sockets into which it fits. Friction is your friend here. Likewise, clean the socket in the chuck that the arbor fits into.

When I installed the 5/8 chuck in my Grizzly drill press, I cleaned the contact surfaces, quill, arbor ends, chuck. I then put the arbor in the deep freeze for several hours. I quickly took it out to the shop and put the correct end in the chuck and whacked it a couple times to seat it. I then took the chuck-arbor assembly over to the drill press and inserted it in the quill. I used the handles on the quill to lower the chuck/arbor/quill assembly down against a block of wood, and applied considerable pressure. It has been in use for about 3 years without a hitch.

OH yes, the arbor uses two different tapers, one is a Morse taper on the end that goes into the quill, and the other end is a Jacobson taper that fits into the chuck. Don't put the arbor in back wards.

Good Luck

[Dave Dionne]

Thanks for the help Ken

I will try that tonight

Dave

[Mike Weaver]

Thanks guys

I am starting to thinkthat it may be more then that, I went down to my local woodcraft and grabbed another chuck and taper, installed that and I have the same problem. Is it possible that the part of the drill that the taper slides into is gummed up? How would I clean it?
<snip>

I don't recall what the name of the too is, but I bought a "brush" from MSC a while ago for the headstock on my lathe (#2MT).

Basically, it's a plastic cone w/ a windshield wiper type squeeze inset mounted helicallly like (3 "blades" I believe)....at least that's my recollection. I haven't had the need to try it yet.

Just a thought if all else fails...

Cheers,
-Mike

[Dave Dionne]

Thanks Mike


I remembered seeing that but not where, If the brush does not work that will be my next route.

Thanks again Dave

[Tim Marks]

maybe your problem isn't runout, but a loose quill.

Extend the quill on your drill press fully, grab it and see if you can move it.

On my Grizz 20", there as a bolt with a locking nut that rides in a vee groove on the quill... tightening it up will take all the slop out of the quill and prevent it from moving bck and forth (too tight and the quill will not move at all).