Thread: Betts GMF 5 speed drill press how to replace chuck

This should help

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbI_7IHAsyw

Most chucks fit in that way, and 'most' are pretty common in sizes/tapers, so get it out and take it down to a good tool supplier to match.

Hi Bob
Thanks for that.
I had a look at the link but unfortunately my drill press has no slot to insert the removal tool. I have a larger HafCo drill press that does have the slot but the small press has me befuddled.

I don't know if it is a tapered shank or a threaded shank and I don't want to risk breaking it by trying the wrong method.

See ya

Robert

It is probably press fit onto a keyed or splined shaft. There is usually a retaining screw through the base of the chuck.
Open the jaws all the way and have a look inside. Undo the screw and tap the chuck off.
If there are flats on the spindle and the chuck base it may be screwed on but will still have the retaining screw.

Strange, couldn't even find anything on that make on the web. must be well out of production, perhaps prior to common use of the net.

the closest is Ozito, 5 speed too. their manual shows it locking in the same way, merely by pressure. Have you tried the suggested 'put a piece of wood against the top of the chuck and whack it with a hammer?'

Couple of points here.

Betts and GMF were electric motor manufacturers/distributors, rather than machinery suppliers, and I understand that they merged under the Betts GMF name at some time as I have seen some motors with data plates bearing both names.

As you are aware, larger drills often have a Morse taper socket in the spindle, and the chuck has a matching Morse taper arbor that inserts into the socket. For smaller drills this is often not practical as the spindle is much lighter and has no room to have a socket machined into it. There are different ways that the chuck can be mounted to the spindle with these machines.

Screwed to the spindle, similar to most pistol drills, the spindle has a male thread and smaller female thread, the chuck has a female thread in the housing, and a countersunk hole from the chuck cavity to the base of the female thread. The chuck screws onto the spindle utilising the male/female threads and a countersunk screw passes from the chuck cavity through the base of the chuck body into the female thread in the spindle, locking the chuck so that it does not unscrew from the spindle during use, loading or unloading of drills etc.

Chuck taper, the spindle terminates with a short male taper and the chuck body has a matching short female taper. The chuck is normally warmed slightly to expand it slightly, installed on the spindle taper, given a light tap with a mallet, and is installed for life. The combination of the chuck body being slightly expanded, then shrinking back to nominal size when at room temp, and the light tap, ensure that the chuck and spindle remain connected.

A spline or keyway system is possible, but I have never come across them other than the variants of the SDS system used on hammer drills.

Chucks for the Morse taper socket are generally supplied for one or the other of the above, and the arbor is then chosen to match the spindle socket size and chuck taper or thread. Once a tapered chuck body is mounted to a spindle or arbor, they can be fairly permanent as there is no simple means to expand the chuck body and shrink the spindle/arbor while they are connected.

A visual inspection of the chuck may give you an idea of the mounting, they are often labeled with the grip range and mount on the the locking ring, eg 1.5 -12mm J6 indicates a Jacobs #6 taper in the chuck body, while 1.5-12mm B16 indicates a Brown and Sharp #16 taper, and 1.5 - 12mm 3/8x24in indicates a threaded 3/8 diameter 24tpi thread, fairly common for pistol drills etc.

Jacobs have a web page with suggestions for removing chucks from arbors and spindles.

I have the same issue with my Betts/ GMF 12 speed floor model I bought new at Newcastle Saw Service in Hamilton, NSW in 1988. No slot for removal and the not so gentle persuader didn't budge it either. I have put my camera as close as I can and can't see anything to undo. I have blindly inserted many tools in there and none have found anything to grip onto. I was thinking of immobilising the pulley and using the stilsons in case it was threaded.
Any suggestions?

Are you able to post a photo of the drill and a closeup of the chuck so we can see how it is mounted?

Hi Robert, did you ever solve removing your chuck. i have just inherited the same drill press and wish to swap out the chuck but cannot see a way.