I need a new chuck, JT33
- Thread starter Certified Drunk
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Ign
Well-known member
Well given the nature of your machine you're not looking for extreme accuracy so I'd say your Amazon plan is good.
I'd be sure to put a dial indicator on the arbor sans chuck and make sure there's minimal runout
I'd be sure to put a dial indicator on the arbor sans chuck and make sure there's minimal runout
crguy
Well-known member
Buy an Albrecht and never look back.
ZRX61
Well-known member
I've picked up a bunch of 3/4in MT Jacobs chucks at swapmeets for around $5 each.
Ign
Well-known member
Eh, I mean I guess you could argue it's an investment you can later move to other machines, but beyond that an Albrecht on a 1/4hp bench top DP is like a $30 SnapOn socket on a $2 Dollar General ratchet.
I also like Albrechts because they're fully rebuildable and you can get every little piece, but it ain't exactly affordable depending upon what you need for the rebuild. Also the Albrecht could easily cost as much or more than the bench top DP itself and I've always figured if I'm ponying up for Albrecht (which is basically all I use on my 2 vertical mills) might as well put it on a QUALITY arbor or it kinda defeats the point, and that pushes up the cost of initial investment, too.
I spread the shell on an Albrecht when a hole saw hung up and that was an expensive lesson. Note to ******* self: don't use hole saws in self-tightening chucks, *******! (again, just to be clear: I'm the ******* in this scenario!)
So if I were OP I'd buy a "decent" import and basically gamble or self-insure that I wouldn't need to replace it anytime REAL soon......by self-insure I just mean that the cost of rebuild parts (plus shipping) for an Albrecht is likely to be the same cost as an entire new import replacement
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slowtwitch73
Well-known member
There's a lot you can do when mounting any chuck to minimize runout.. you'll only be able to get it so good, buy I would wager a lot of high end chucks get mounted in such a way they should have just bough a mic chuck.
Firebrick43
Well-known member
A chuck that is just as good as an old USA made super chuck and not as expensive as an Albrecht is a French made LFA. They are a good chuck! It pains me to recommend something French. Seems like they only good things the French make are instrumental in escaping from the German army. (Cebie headlights and Michelin tires) I have not figured out how a drill chuck can help you escape yet?
They probably used them to make vehicle roof racks for the purpose of installing additional Cibie lights.
dutchgray
Well-known member
I have an LFA keyless chuck, decent chucks
Albrecht are better chucks but unless you can pick them up for a good price they are not better value for money. (I got a pair of 5/8" capacity from an auction brand new for a good bit less than what one cost)
I have an east German keyless that is surprisingly nice as well, the name on it escapes me but thar sort of stuff can be bought for near nothing usually.
OP
Certified Drunk
Well-known member
Thanks, I bought the Chum keyless. It should be here tomorrow.
I'll check the run out on the arbor, then the chuck when I get it installed.
Good info on the hole saw...
I'll check the run out on the arbor, then the chuck when I get it installed.
Good info on the hole saw...
neophyte
Well-known member
There are a lot of good French tools, and other products.
Most are somewhat niche items and not very well known in the USA, or sometimes even outside of France.
Also, by the time the items get to the USA, if they ever do, the price can be three times what the item would cost in France.
Mayhew rebrands a bunch of French made items for their Catalog.
Stanley owns Facom, France’s largest tool manufacturer, and rebrands a bunch of items under different Stanley brans, such as Blackhawk and Proto.
A bunch of specialty woodworking tools that are sold in the USA, are made in France.
OP
Certified Drunk
Well-known member
I got the chuck, but the death wobble continues. 
I checked the arbor and has zero run out, put the chuck and it's .0025
it might be time to put this drill press on the curb.. FREE!
I checked the arbor and has zero run out, put the chuck and it's .0025
it might be time to put this drill press on the curb.. FREE!
dutchgray
Well-known member
2 1/2 thou is pretty good for a small bench drill to be honest.
Your runout seems pretty good to me too, for a general use drill press. If I remember correctly, 5 thou or less is considered good enough for most applications. A drill press isn't a milling machine.
Also, are you measuring runout via the outside of the chuck itself (the chuck body) or by measuring a drill bit or a drill blank mounted in the chuck? I ask, because a couple years ago I picked up a cheap drill press for personal use (free on CL). When I got it home I was disappointed because there was a hard to see but visible wobble of the chuck sleeve and body when the drill press was spinning. I was about to pop the chuck off and replace it, but after taking a couple measurements I realized that drill bits or drill rod blanks mounted in the chuck still had acceptable levels of runout. Drill bits mounted in the chuck ran true in relation to the chuck's JT taper, but the outer surface of the chuck body was somehow machined at the factory slightly out of alignment with the JT taper. I swore I heard banjos playing in the background every time I watched that chuck spin, but any drill bits mounted in it spun nice and straight with no wobble. It was a good press for a couple years. I probably drilled 10-20 holes per week with it on average. The motor in that drill press went out a couple months ago, so now I am repurposing parts from the press into other things.
Also, are you measuring runout via the outside of the chuck itself (the chuck body) or by measuring a drill bit or a drill blank mounted in the chuck? I ask, because a couple years ago I picked up a cheap drill press for personal use (free on CL). When I got it home I was disappointed because there was a hard to see but visible wobble of the chuck sleeve and body when the drill press was spinning. I was about to pop the chuck off and replace it, but after taking a couple measurements I realized that drill bits or drill rod blanks mounted in the chuck still had acceptable levels of runout. Drill bits mounted in the chuck ran true in relation to the chuck's JT taper, but the outer surface of the chuck body was somehow machined at the factory slightly out of alignment with the JT taper. I swore I heard banjos playing in the background every time I watched that chuck spin, but any drill bits mounted in it spun nice and straight with no wobble. It was a good press for a couple years. I probably drilled 10-20 holes per week with it on average. The motor in that drill press went out a couple months ago, so now I am repurposing parts from the press into other things.
crguy
Well-known member
A big + 1 on that.
jayemm
Well-known member
Forget measuring runout on the chuck body. Measure it on a piece of drill rod while applying slight down pressure. The down pressure, which is naturally present during drilling anyway, might help center it more.
Agree 100%. The revered Albrecht chucks spec a runout of .0016". IMHO anything <.005" is perfectly acceptable for a general DP.