NDR-Drill press chuck removal

[Chris Finkbeiner]

I'm trying to remove the chuck on my Delta radial arm drill press in order to replace a bearing but I can't figure out how to get it out. My last drill press had a slot in the quill to drive a wedge into that would pop the chuck out but this one doesn't. Any hints?
Thanks,

Chris

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Chris,

Some chucks are threaded to the spindle. This may or may not be the case with your Delta. If you want to see if it will unscrew, put a proper fitting chuck key into one of the holes that it normally goes into for tightening the drill. Tap it with moderate force in a clockwise (as viewed from above or same direction the drill normally turns) while holding the spindle from turning. If threaded it should spin right off once broken loose.

If it is a tapered arbor with no knock out slot, check to see if the spindle is hollow. If so a long rod of the appropriate diameter can be used as a punch to tap the chuck loose.

NOTE** Some threaded chucks, usually those on reversing drills, have a small flat head screw located inside the jaw opening of the chuck. This small screw is LEFT HAND thread and will need to be removed before the chuck can be unscrewed from the spindle.

EDIT;

You also might check to see if the chuck itself has any model numbers on it. If it is a "Jacobs" brand chuck it will have a model number. With a little research of the Jacobs model number, you should be able to find out if the chuck is threaded or tapered.

Also check this site for a schematic of your drill press. It may give you some insight as well.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Chris

Those Delta Radial drill presses are NICE!

If you can't use a wedge to drive the chuck off it may have a threaded locking collar like Dave suggested. My Powermatic 1150 uses a threaded locking collar and a Jacobs Taper 33. This is a common configuration on drill presses built in the 1950s to the 1990s.

View attachment chuck1.jpg

Jacobs chuck with threaded locking collar.

View attachment chuck2.jpg

Spanner wrench for loosening collar.

View attachment chuck3.jpg

Loosen collar (mine is right hand threaded) until it comes loose and then keep going. The threads will back it off until the
Jacob taper pops from the spindle. You can insert the key in the chuck to hold the chuck while you loosen the collar.


View attachment chuck4.jpg

If you have the correct chuck key the end will be small enough to fit in the collar. Use it like a spanner wrench.

View attachment chuck5.jpg

 

[Huntindave McCann]

Eric, Chris,

If I was a betting man I'd say Eric is most likely spot on. I had forgotten about that arrangement. After seeing Eric's pictures, I thought, that is just like mine (a Craftsman). So I went out to the garage and looked, yep, that is exactly how the chuck is mounted on my Craftsman drill press.

Using Eric's instructions, if it has the threaded collar, yours should pop right off.

If yours does not have the collar above the chuck, the chuck itself may still be threaded and you can try turning the chuck rather than the collar.

The better design is the collar pulling the chuck up onto the #33 taper. Less run out that way, rather then when the chuck is just threaded on and only the threads control runout.

 

[Chris Finkbeiner]

Thanks guys, I knew you would have the answer. It did have a threaded collar above the chuck but only one vertical slot cut into the collar, no holes to use a spanner. I was able to tap a screwdriver in the slot to get it turning. I thought my original problem was with a bearing because I was getting a lot of run out indicated off the chuck but it turns out the problem is the chuck itself. I'm not showing any run out when measured off the spindle directly. Anyways, thanks again.

Chris