Drill press issue

[Robert Wolfe]

The chuck from my drill press (an old Rockwell/Delta) keeps slipping and dropping out if I'm drilling something tough. I suppose it is a #2 Morse taper. This is very annoying. Any easy fixes?

Thanks.

[J Henry]

  Check to ensure the thimble is clean of all oil and dust.The thimble/chuck are friction fit /held in place.

[FlintFan]

Make sure everything is clean as mentioned above.  Place a small piece of scrap wood on the table.  With the chuck in place, use the handle to lower the chuck/spindle onto the piece of wood thus pressing it in place.  

If that doesn't work there is most likely damage to the mating surfaces.  Make sure there are no raised burrs/embedded chips that are preventing the tapers from firmly seating together.  

[Scota4570]

Vibra-tite and Loc-tite make shaft retaining compounds.  They are not hardware store loctite.  They will permanently bond the chuck the spindle.   The yield strength is in the region of 3500 psi.  To remove the chuck in the future will need to heat it to 400*F. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

As has been said above -- clean both surfaces with a solvent and seat the chuck with the wood board on the table using the drill press leaver to apply seating pressure. If that fails you can try a LIGHT -one or two strokes- with 600 grit paper then clean with solvent then press on with a twist motion as you apply pressure. I don't recommend any bonding agent on either surface but that's just me.

[Scota4570]

Yeah, in a perfect world, you should not need any glue.

But if you ever use the drill press for jobs that puts a side load on the chuck/taper then it will work better, otherwise the chuck will fall off.  If the taper is already damaged it will save the drill press.  If it is a $100 Chinese unit, who cares. 

If I had a really nice old quality drill press I would not glue the chuck on. 

[Bob Roller]

The chuck from my drill press (an old Rockwell/Delta) keeps slipping and dropping out if I'm drilling something tough. I suppose it is a #2 Morse taper. This is very annoying. Any easy fixes?

Thanks.

The taper of the chuck should be on the chuck.
It's probably a Jacobs taper of some kind.

Bob Roller

[Bob Roller]

The chuck from my drill press (an old Rockwell/Delta) keeps slipping and dropping out if I'm drilling something tough. I suppose it is a #2 Morse taper. This is very annoying. Any easy fixes?

Thanks.

Look at the spindle and see if there are large diameter threads like 1-1/16x 20.
If they are there you can get locking collar chuck that will solve the problem.
I also have an old Delta-Rockwell drill press that I bought new in 1964 and put
a locking collar chuck on it.

Bob Roller

[Bob Roller]

The chuck from my drill press (an old Rockwell/Delta) keeps slipping and dropping out if I'm drilling something tough. I suppose it is a #2 Morse taper. This is very annoying. Any easy fixes?

Thanks.

Look at the spindle and see if there are large diameter threads like 1-1/16x 20.
If they are there you can get locking collar chuck that will solve the problem.
I also have an old Delta-Rockwell drill press that I bought new in 1964 and put
a locking collar chuck on it.



The locking collar drill press chuck is a #33 Jacobs taper and the chuck is 633C.

Bob Roller

Bob Roller

[T*O*F]

I got my press in the 70's and the chuck kept falling off everytime I used it.  It is a morse taper.  I got fed up with it and put a bit of vinegar on it and let it rust in place.  Been using it all these years with no problems both in my auto shop before and my gunshop afterwards.  I think it needs wedges to remove it anyhow.

[Robert Wolfe]

Thanks for the responses. I'll try some of the sage advice and file the rest away!