Easy Mini-Chuck Use

I've seen this somewhere before but it is a great idea that I am going to do first thing in the shop tomorrow (or the next time My Bride will let me go LOL):)

This is what I sent along with each mini chuck. The Chuck makes the little bits wobble somewhat. It will help to keep turning it in the big chuck till you find a spot with the least amount of wobble and mark it with a marking pen. To drill a small hole, you can do two things. Put the bit on the wood where you want to drill the hole, then turn on the drill press and press the bit slowly through the wood. Some people make a little dent in the wood and the little bit will find it’s way to the dent. I myself like to put the mini chuck in a vice and then put the drill bit in the chuck; that way I can tighten it better than when the chuck is in the drill press. FD Mike

I'd like to know where you can find a mini chuck that doesn't wobble. I've brought two different ones from two different companies and they were garbage.

I bought one from Mike and sometimes I get the Bit in and no wobbles. I also bought one from rockler and it seems that most of the time there is no wobble. The one from rockler is much smaller, black in color and almost looks like the end of a dremel tool.

Check this out McMaster-Carr Or you could go nuts and get one of these Micro Drill Chucks & Adapters - Drill Chucks, Adapters & Accessories | MSCDirect.com this is what we use in the shop

Thanks Rolf, I'm willing to try almost anything at this point. I did buy the one Mike was selling but honestly, he might have a good reputation for his blades, but the chuck was terrible. It wobbled all over the place and was much worse than my regular drill press. Even in his instructions that come with it, he mentions that it will probably wobble. My question is, why sell it then?

Whoa Rolf, some of the ones on that one site are incredibly expensive. More than what I paid for my drill press! I don't know how a chuck can cost that much.

Thanks Rolf, I'm willing to try almost anything at this point. I did buy the one Mike was selling but honestly, he might have a good reputation for his blades, but the chuck was terrible. It wobbled all over the place and was much worse than my regular drill press. Even in his instructions that come with it, he mentions that it will probably wobble. My question is, why sell it then? I got the chuck from Mike and I use it all the time. I have had it for several years. As he says if you touch the end of the bit to the wood then turn on your drill press, the bit does not have a chance to wobble. A foot switch attached to the drill press helps. Happy with mine...:)

I got the chuck from Mike and I use it all the time. I have had it for several years. As he says if you touch the end of the bit to the wood then turn on your drill press, the bit does not have a chance to wobble. A foot switch attached to the drill press helps. Happy with mine...:) Chuck, no offense but that is not an acceptable solution. If I'm making something with 200 interior cuts, I have to turn my drill press on and off 200 times so I can rest the drill bit against the wood first before drilling the hole? Not only do I not think thats good for the drill press, but I don't have half a day to waste turning my press off and on with each hole to be drilled. Mike sells great blades but this product is faulty and he should not be selling it.

I have found that running your drill press at a higher speed will help the bit run straighter.

A chuck should not wobble period! The whole point of using one is because you are trying to drill small holes in very tight places a wobbling bit defeats that purpose. The smaller the bit the higer speed it should run. I never liked running my drill press at its max or constantly moving belts so I bit the bullet and bought a dedicated small high speed drill press from Micro Mark just for my scroll work. http://www.micromark.com/microlux-3-speed-mini-drill-press,7797.html . The price has gone up a bit since I bought it. I was kidding about those really expensive chucks, they are mostly used in milling machines they actually slide inside themselves. The quill on the drill press never moves. They are ment to be used for very precise delicate drilling and they are worth every penny for the right application.

Chuck, no offense but that is not an acceptable solution. If I'm making something with 200 interior cuts, I have to turn my drill press on and off 200 times so I can rest the drill bit against the wood first before drilling the hole? Not only do I not think thats good for the drill press, but I don't have half a day to waste turning my press off and on with each hole to be drilled. Mike sells great blades but this product is faulty and he should not be selling it. Lets agree to disagree. :) I like placing the bit right where I want it. I even do that went I am using the drill press with larger bits. As far as doing it 200 times that is small for most of the things I cut and I have been using the drill press for over ten years and it is still going. The foot switch on the drill press helps. I am in no hurry and I don't sell my stuff so I am not like others to whom time is money. We have different circumstances so we do things different but neither of us is wrong as far as I am concerned. Thanks for your input...:)

I'm with you on that Rolf. Oh and I thought something was weird about those chucks. Never seen anything like that before. Chuck I guess like you said we will have to agree to disagree. It doesn't work for me. I'm very quick with drilling my pilot holes and I do sell a lot of items so I need to be spending most of my time cutting.

It have two of Mikes chucks, and once you get the bit centered right, it works ok, but I get frustrated trying to get it right. I bought a chuck from sloans and was initially very disapponted when the shaft bent within a few minutes of use. However, I found I could break the shaft off, and the sloans chuck is so small the back will go right inside the chuck on my press. Now I have no wobble at all. Blades loads are easy and seem to be self centering. -------Randy

I have to say, that you need to make sure your bit is in the chuck straight, before you tighten it. All I do is hold the chuck with my plyers & turn the chuck down to the bit slowly & when it touches, make sure it is straight. Then tighten it. I don't change bits for just one project, I use the same bit for the whole piece. So, I don't have to take it out of the press. I think I had one bit that was bent & there's nothing you can do about that. . Good luck.

Randy, thats funny you mention that. That was the other chuck I purchased (from sloans) and the shaft bent the first time I used it too. Thats a good tip you gave about breaking the shaft off. Now I have to go see if I still have it or if I threw it away in frustration. Its unbelievable how much garbage is sold nowadays.

I really like that chuck. I found that if I hold it up as close to the drill chuck and when the drill chuck is starting to get tight I just jiggle the little one and it gets into the right place and doesn't wobble. That was my tip by the way. Thanks BOB for putting it in the mag.