Craftsman Drill Press....needs new chuck. Where to look?

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godogs57

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Apr 16, 2004
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My 15", floor model, drill press is, after about 35 years, having the devil of a time holding on to bits. I can't tighten it enough it seems. Drilling through steel for pins, bolts, etc....if the going gets tough, the bit just hangs up.

Figuring I need a new chuck.

Any ideas where to begin my search??

Thanks in advance
 
You will need to reference your craftsman model number (xxx.xxxx) something like that with a dot in between numbers. Search with that number for chuck replacement and I have never had an issue with any Jacob's brand chuck that I have worked with, so I would look for a Jacob's brand chuck that fits your model number :thumbsup:
 
I payed about as much for the chuck as I payed for my new drill press but it is way more percise the the standerd one.
I've learned that drillpressen and chucks are concidered loose items that you get seperate
 
Most are not model specific and are replaceable, you just need to know the attachment type. You can get them online from many sources.
Tapered mount (JT33 or Morse taper #1 or #2), threaded mount (1/2"-20), built into the shaft, etc. Some chucks come with multiple mounts and are sort of universal.

Remove the old one and see what it is. The Sears manuals will also tell you what you need.
 
looked up my PM keyless chuck but they only make them with R8 shank. should be able to find a good one with your shank needs. likely goingn to need to spend 100+ $ for a good chuck
 
A "model ID" plate is attached to many drill presses. It should tell you what the taper is on the spindle/arbor. That'll get you started. You then select your new chuck and, if it is different than the old chuck attachment, get a new arbor to match that end and fit the spindle. (I've got three chucks for my big drill press. They all have different tapers on the chuck end, meaning three arbors. I simply pop the arbor/chuck from the spindle and leave it attached to each chuck when storing.)
 
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Shars is a decent import seller with a good printed and online catalogue.

There are different internal tapers in the chuck and external tapers that fit inthe drill press.

There are arbours / arbors for every combination of that.

It's easier to remove the taper from the drill press, probably a Morse taper 2
 
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Got my owners manual out and this is the chuck I need. eBay has plenty. My question is, is there a better quality chuck I need to be looking at? Much obliged for any suggestions.
 
Generally you get what you pay for. The ones on ebay are almost certainly Chinese. If you don't want to pay for a US made, look for one made in Taiwan. They make good tools. The last one I got was $400 and it wasn't the most expensive.
 
While I generally agree that the price usually indicates the quality, you also have to look at the use.
A machine shop uses its large drill press all day long for precision holes. That is why they buy $2000 drill presses and $400 chucks.
A hobby knifemaker may use it once a week to drill holes in scales and tangs. That is why they buy $400 drill presses with $100 chucks.

Chinese tools used to be junk, but the quality is not necessarily poor anymore. I think a $10 chuck will be junk, but a $50 chuck may work quite well for a hobby maker.

If I read the model number right, he has a medium grade floor model drill press. It would make no sense to put a $400 chuck on a $300 drill press.
 
Stacy I'm not suggesting he do that either. I'm just suggesting he not buy a cheap, low quality chuck. I use the cost of my last one as an example. It is an R8 chuck I use in the mill, certainly not what he needs.
 
One of the most important features to select for in a chuck is whether it will take small bits without a lot of runout. That gets more difficult the larger the chuck. Unfortunately, you can't tell that unless you test it yourself. Startt with reasonably priced and if that doesn't work, well, you can start a "crap chuck" collection like I have. I finally bit the bullet and bought one of those good machines, a Starrett arbor, and a keyless Jacobs precision chuck that cost twice as much as my first drill press. Lotta money for a basement shop but smiles every time you use it. LOL
 
I ended up buying that chuck listed on eBay. The original lasted 30+ years….we’ll see what happens. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll go from there. Your comments and observations were much appreciated.
 
I have Röhm on my presses, but want to get a Wahlstrom automatic.
 
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