keyless chucks and their mountings

[dna9656]

I have a H/Freight 1/2" drill. The thing came (I knew that before I bought it) with a keyed chuck. I hate chuck keys, they work hard to get misplaced or get in the way of the work.
I want to install a keyless chuck; there are plenty on the market BUT my new drill uses a M5X20 screw to secure the chuck to the output spindle. All the chucks I have found use anything BUT the M5X20 screw.
So having said all that...it seems 20UNF is the popular size screw to mount the keyless chucks that are out there; can I use the original M5X20 screw to secure the new keyless chuck to my drill? Or am I sweating some thing that just doesn't matter, just use the original screw through the new chuck?

 

[larry_g]

Can you show a picture of the spindle with the chuck removed? It seems to me that you, or me, are confusing the retention method with the mounting method. Most spindles are either tapered or threaded. Is the M5x20 a setscrew from the side?

ON edit, is this a very small hand drill or a drill press? M5x20, are you sure it's not 1/4-20? M5 would be a .8 pitch. I think ifthis a small threaded spindle then you will have to confirm if it is English or metric threads.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Steevo]

Also be sure to see if your drill can accommodate a keyless chuck.
If when you grab the chuck and turn it by hand, the motor turns, then you will never be able to get a keyless chuck to tighten up on it.