Thread: Keyless Chucks For Drill Presses

Originally Posted by Kiwibrucee

Yea Gidday All,

I just purchaced a new drill press and don't think much of the chuck so I'm considering upgrading to a keyless one.
There seems to be a fairly wide range if prices out there eg timbercon $65 and My local guy -almost $200.

Has anyone fitted one and if so what brand or where from?
Are you happy with it?

Thanks in advance for all your responses

Bruce T.

Hi Bruce.
After having a variety of cordless drills and cursing the Keyless chuck on about half of them I would say don't get one for your Drill press. IMHO a Keyed chuck is needed on something like a drill press - depending on what materials you are going to use it with of course. I don't think a keyless chuck could cope with the power of a motor a drill press has.
Of course I could be totally wrong!!

Mick.

Hi Bruce

It might be OK for you young blokes but for some of us with slightly advancing years generating the onset of arthritis in the hands a keyed chuck is the best way to get proper purchase.

Dave

Originally Posted by Kiwibrucee

I just purchaced a new drill press and don't think much of the chuck so I'm considering upgrading to a keyless one.

Bruce
In my view keyless chucks are essential on cordless drills but not on a drill press
where you have a lot more power to transfer.
Chuck prices will vary but the old maxmium applies get as good as you can afford your going to have it a long time hopefully.




The trouble with life is there's no background music.

Bruce,
When I bought my drill press (2nd hand) the chuck was pretty worn and the key was quite sloppy. I bought a keyless chuck at the WWW show from McJing complete with a Morse taper arbor and couldn't be happier. No more looking for the key, no more catching fingers between key and chuck, no more slipping bits. I have drilled up to 16mm in steel with no problems.
Cheers,
Graeme

Fifty years ago I was working in a railway workshops most drill bits were of course Morse taper but there were any number of keyless chucks in use fitted to machines
working in steel. And the tradesmen much preferred them to the Jacobs type chucks, better purchase, less slippage. My Dad, a lifelong fitter & turner, swore by keyless chucks, and swore at Jacobs keys.
I have used only keyless chucks in drill press and power drills for at least the last 30 years. No trouble using 20mm drill in steel, so keyless is certainly okay for woodwork.
When I bought a new drill press 3 years ago I transferred a 30 year old keyless chuck (still working like new) from my old drill press, a 3 speed thing that my dad had built.
One little note though: The keyless chucks are generally longer than the Jacobs type. So mine is too long for the mortising attachment. I have to revert to the chuck that came with the press when I fit the mortising attachment.
Throw away that damned key. You wont regret it.

Kind regards
Brian

Originally Posted by OtakiriLad

Hi Bruce

It might be OK for you young blokes but for some of us with slightly advancing years generating the onset of arthritis in the hands a keyed chuck is the best way to get proper purchase.

Dave

Speak for yourself old man!!!! LOL!

I bought 2 from Carbatec. One is a 1 to 13 mm and the other a 1/8 to 5/8, both with #2 MT. One is used on my Vicmarc 175 wood lathe and the other on my metal lathe. I hate chuck keys. I don't like swapping the chucks used in metal turning to wood lathe because of oil and coolant contamination. At $49-00 they are excellent value for money. I use large forstner style bits on the wood lathe and have no problems with the k/less chuck. Unfortunately my drill press has a screw on chuck, otherwise I would've replaced that keyed chuck as well.

I suppose like with all things, there are keyless chucks And keyless chucks. The Carbatec one are doing great for me.

Hi, Thanks for all your replies guys,good to hear some definate fans of keyless chucks. I have a friend who swears by his keyless chuck, but like the 1st 3 posts I wondered about the holding power of 1 on a drill press. It's good to hear that thats not a problem.

Brian - I didn't realise that they had been around that long-it's certainly taken a while for them to catch on.

Thanks Bruce T.

I have a press with a keyed chuck. its nice. works well and holds everything. to avoid losing the key i've chained it to the press. works for me. you dont ALWAYS need the new doodads - but its nice to know they exist if you need 'em. my batt drill has a keyless chuck and on the really small bits it seems to struggle just a liddle bit..... however my old batt drill with a keyed chuck never slips.

diferetn strokes I suppose, additionally I suppose you get what you pay for in chucks too....