Drill Chuck Question

[Barefoot1]

So it looks like I am going to have to replace my drill chuck on the press. I have heard that Jacobs are not what they used to be. Any advice on a quality brand?

[GrayBeard Phil]

Thomas:

You need to 1st decide if you want consumer DIY quality or industrial quality drill press chuck. It should be obvious which will cost more.

Since you live in Utah, I must admit I don't know that much about your state and how near you are to an Industrial Supply house, so I am going to recommend you look into one of the following 3 web sites: MSC, Granger, and McMaster-Carr. All three are will known as having "Everything" in the Industrial areas of the norther Mid-West. Be aware the lingo they use may not be in common usage in the USA General population.

http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/start.shtml

http://www.mcmaster.com/

The McMaster link on page 2,371 (yes the catalog is over 3 thousand pages)
has some good reading on industrial chucks, and mounting arbors for stationary drill tools.

Be prepared to spend as much as $75.00 to $100.00 USD for quality drill chuck and Jacob's taper arbor or a Morse taper arbor on pages 2372-74.

Notes:
--a #80 wire sized drill is 0.0135" and #79 is 0.0145" and 1/64"=0.0156

--You will need, normally, to buy the chuck, arbor, and chuck key as separate items. Be sure you know the Jacob taper of your drill press.

--And you don't want to get the 'Super ball Bearing' chucks which are for production machines that drill 100 times per hour, 23 hours a day, with 1 hour for tool bit changes (Trust me, you don't want to know the prices of a drill bit that makes 2300 holes in a day.)

Do take a look at the bottom of the page 2372 at the wire sized drill collet chuck. At that price, I don't think this is a good item.

Phil

[Barefoot1]

Good info, thanks!