Drill chuck keys

[rick carpenter]

Since most recommendations for 1/2" corded drills are with keyed chucks, what do y'all do about not losing or easy access to the keys? My Milwaukee RAD has the rubber thong attached to the cord. That is kind of a pain in the ***, but it's securely attached to the drill. I'm scared to death of losing my one key though so I'm gonna buy at least two more and squirrel one away in my drill case. As for easier access, does anyone use a wristband for drill bits (maybe velcro attachment, def not magnets) or keep one in a belt pouch?

 

[Musicinabottle]

I rarely use my chuck keys in any of my drills or drill press. I just grab the chuck with my hand. I do have large hands though. Every once in a while, I'll need to use the chuck key because the bit slips such as when I use a 6 inch hole saw. I have a large assortment of chuck keys in my bit box, a Craftsman tool box, and I just fish one out of the box and stick it in my pocket if I'm going to be away from the Craftsman drill bit tool box. .

 

[gungatim]

there are good attachments and cheap attachments for chuck keys on the cord. rubber ones are better. but even taping/ziptying the key to the cord works.

if you shop yard sales and flea markets, pickup every chuck key you see for 50 cents or less and stockpile them. there are probably a dozen different sizes and it's good to have a drawer full of spares. HF sells a 4-way key but it doesn't seem to fit any of the 4 sizes very well...

I also salvage keyless chucks from dead cordless drills and will swap those out when I can. the screw that secures to the shaft is usually reverse threaded, fyi...

 

[turbowoodworker]

For years I've used generous supply of electrical tape to wrap chuck key to cord.

Now if you lost the cord, that's a whole other problem

 

[Shootinok]

1/2" drill I have a rubber key holder on the cord.
Drill press; a super strong magnet on the side of the head. I keep the key stuck rght on the side.

 

[exmaxima1]

I rarely use my chuck keys in any of my drills or drill press. I just grab the chuck with my hand. I do have large hands though. Every once in a while, I'll need to use the chuck key because the bit slips such as when I use a 6 inch hole saw.

That 6-inch hole saw doesn't have a flatted shank? If not, I'd be surprised if you could ever get the chuck tight enough....

 

[johninct]

there are good attachments and cheap attachments for chuck keys on the cord. rubber ones are better. but even taping/ziptying the key to the cord works.

if you shop yard sales and flea markets, pickup every chuck key you see for 50 cents or less and stockpile them. there are probably a dozen different sizes and it's good to have a drawer full of spares. HF sells a 4-way key but it doesn't seem to fit any of the 4 sizes very well...

I also salvage keyless chucks from dead cordless drills and will swap those out when I can. the screw that secures to the shaft is usually reverse threaded, fyi...

I was thinking the same thing about the 4-way key.

 

[cmandp]

If your new drill doesn't have a key leash then an old piece of bicycle inner tube will do the same thing.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Left over from my days over fixing power tools, there was never a shortage of different key tethers.

 

[DadsTools]

Never found a better system than the rubber holder on the cord, especially for drills that are taken out of the shop on occasion. However, in the shop I have a small tray with every size chuck key I'd need for every chuck I own.

On the drill press, I insert one arm of the chuck key t-handle into the center hole in the table when it's not in use. Got tired of it wandering around the bench on its own with them damned little steel legs all this stuff seems to sprout.

 

[Musicinabottle]

That 6-inch hole saw doesn't have a flatted shank? If not, I'd be surprised if you could ever get the chuck tight enough....

I have several hole saw arbors and I believe they are hex actually, but my point is that I almost never need to key the chuck..

 

[James-W]

On my drill press I have a really strong magnet that I stuck on the side of the drill press head. I just keep the key on the magnet and that way I never misplace it.

 

[Bob P1]

I use the rubber holders, don't think I have lost a key yet. I do have a dedicated tool box drawer just for keys & different chucks.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I prefer to fasten the key to the far end of the cord. I use electrical tape if lacking a tether strap... I am sure glad My cordless drills have key-less chucks. On the drill press, the key lies near the base, and doesn't stray.

 

[Richard Cranium]

nothing new to say, mine are either taped to the cord or on the rubber holder.

 

[tarbellb]

Personally I would look at replacing with a keyless chuck, you get both convenance and never losing the key.

 

[Empty Pockets]

I attach mine to the cord, near the plug, with electrical tape

 

[mikegt4]

Yep, chuck keys can be a real pain. Tape or a rubber tether seems to be the least painful. I only have one drill (my cordless) with a keyless chuck and I have come to hate them. The drill bit almost always slips in the chuck resulting in the drill size marking being obliterated and leaving a nice burr. I guess being old and weak means always having a loose chuck.

 

[kelpaso1]

Magnet on the side close to the down-feed handle works for me (for a drill press).
For corded drills I just tape them to the cord.