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How to open keyless drill chuck?

Blagruf

Plastic
Joined
Mar 6, 2018
Hi all pretty new to this so bear with me,

Recently acquired a press drill from a friend, it looks 1 million years old but all seems to be functioning correctly apart from the chuck.

My friend says he hasn't used it in ages so decided to rig it up. the only problem i am having is changing the drill bit with this chuck? I don't understand how to remove the current bit that seems to be stuck in there? As i said it looks like it hasn't had a lot of usage for a while so maybe its ceased?

Hoping one of you guys can point me in the right direction as i have no idea how these things work.

i will attach some pictures and hopefully you guys can make more ideas than me

Thanks in advance!
 

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Welcome!
Always good to have a new member who can post pictures.

Now, go read the rules.

1.)Titles must indicate what the subject is about.

2.)Why is this in the woodworking forum?

I have some American keyless chucks like that.
When they are on the quill attached to the machine, sticking a Tommy bar in one of the holes and rotating the nose of the chuck will open it. Sometimes just a good grip on it.

If the outside of yours is 2 piece, the top part probably needs to be gripped while rotating the bottom.
If it is not 2 piece, and the bore in the back is threaded, then it has a missing part that screwing it onto tightens the jaws, like an old eggbeater drill. If that is the case, the chuck is probably galled up inside and someone took it off to try to open it. You may have to resort to force, such as thumping it on a wood block.

smt
 
Welcome!
Always good to have a new member who can post pictures.

Now, go read the rules.

1.)Titles must indicate what the subject is about.

2.)Why is this in the woodworking forum?

I have some American keyless chucks like that.
When they are on the quill attached to the machine, sticking a Tommy bar in one of the holes and rotating the nose of the chuck will open it. Sometimes just a good grip on it.

If the outside of yours is 2 piece, the top part probably needs to be gripped while rotating the bottom.
If it is not 2 piece, and the bore in the back is threaded, then it has a missing part that screwing it onto tightens the jaws, like an old eggbeater drill. If that is the case, the chuck is probably galled up inside and someone took it off to try to open it. You may have to resort to force, such as thumping it on a wood block.

smt

Or toss it in the bin and get one 60 years newer.
 
Woodworking forum likely because it's on a woodworking drill press?

Chuck may have been tightened with a pin spanner that is MCAR. I wouldn't bother with it, or the drill clasped in its cold, dead jaws. Threaded or Jacobs taper mount, just put a new chuck on the machine.
 
If he has a mount to fit it to a machine and can then open it with a hand pressure or a tommy bar, who's to say it's a bad chuck until tried? Might even be better than current new Jacobs based on some reports of their current quality. If it's for woodwhacking as some have surmised, it may be fine .

I have a number of weird old keyless chucks that came with a lathe and were probably fairly high end when new. Including a genuine Rohm. Nothing really wrong with any of them, except the overhang can tend to be greater than a key-type; & one is a bit bulky for the capacity.

smt
 
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You might try soaking it in automotive transmission fluid for a day or two before having another go of it.

Without the chuck being mounted on a machine there's really nothing to work against while rotating the collar to loosen but you might try holding the drill bit with padded pliers while using a strap wrench on the body. You'll either get it loose without breaking it or have to toss it but it's probably worth a little time to try.
 
There are 6 holes in the back of the chuck that are perhaps worth investigating, possibly for a peg spanner. Those in conjunction with the hole in the side of the body. It does look rather like the type of chuck fitted to egg beater type drills, so Stephens suggestion of just whacking it down on a hard surface is certainly worth a go.
 
Hi guys thanks for the responses!

sorry about the mistakes i am new to the forum scene!

so update on the drill chuck, i took it down to my local machine shop and they basically told me it was broken and it needed replacing but they needed to get it measured by a company to match it up for a new one.

so a couple days later i get a call saying we have got the new chuck, so i said great how much? ££! Believe it or not they said you can have it for free if we can keep the old one? I told them that's fine with me but why? Turns out the chuck is so old they are going to put it in a museum an were willing to give me the new one for free because of it! that fine by me as i would of only thrown it away anyway! You never know what relics your working with until somebody tells you!
 
Hi guys thanks for the responses!

sorry about the mistakes i am new to the forum scene!

so update on the drill chuck, i took it down to my local machine shop and they basically told me it was broken and it needed replacing but they needed to get it measured by a company to match it up for a new one.

so a couple days later i get a call saying we have got the new chuck, so i said great how much? ££! Believe it or not they said you can have it for free if we can keep the old one? I told them that's fine with me but why? Turns out the chuck is so old they are going to put it in a museum an were willing to give me the new one for free because of it! that fine by me as i would of only thrown it away anyway! You never know what relics your working with until somebody tells you!

Count yer blessings!

I've know a couple of guys who tried that sort of swap with wives.

Surely wasn't anything inherently "free" about the younger replacements. Especially when the "so old.." incumbents went into court instead of a museum.

:(
 








 
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