Chuck is the major part of a drill press. And you need to handle it with care. So, do you know what should you never leave in the chuck of a drill press?
Obviously, you don’t know and that’s why you are here. And, you are in the right place!
In this article, we have discussed broadly about the chuck, different types of chuck, and the thing that you should never leave in the chuck, and some other drill press and drill press chuck safety rules.
Quick Overview
- 1 What is the Chuck?
- 2 Types of the Drill Press Chuck
- 2.1 Keyed Chuck
- 2.2 Keyless chuck
- 2.3 Keyed vs. keyless chuck: which one is better?
- 2.4 Good and bad sides of a keyed chuck
- 2.5 Good and bad sides of a keyless chuck
- 2.6 What should you never leave in the chuck of a drill press? Or, one thing that you should never leave in the keyed chuck…
- 2.7 More safety rules for a drill press
- 3 Frequently Asked Questions
- 4 Conclusion
What is the Chuck?
The drill press’s chuck is like an arm that holds the drill bit in place and helps us drill with it.
To be clearer, the drill press chuck is a round object having a hole at the center of its body through which we need to insert the drill bit.
And getting a good chuck for one’s drill press is really important because, “the better a chuck will be, the safely we can drill with.”
Types of the Drill Press Chuck
Well, there are two types of chuck of drill press. And they are- 1. keyed chuck and 2. keyless chuck
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Keyed Chuck
The keyed chuck is the chuck that is loosened and tightened with the help of a T-shaped key. This chuck comes with 3 holes or slots in its body through which you need to insert the key for tightening or loosening it.
And for tightening and loosening the chuck, you have to rotate the key in clockwise and anti-clockwise or counter clockwise directions respectively.
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Keyless chuck
The keyless chuck is the type of chuck that doesn’t have any key mechanism. Thus, it is meant to be loosened and tightened using the hands.
Thus, you can simply tighten and loosen the keyless chuck by rotating it in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, respectively.
Well, this article is focused on the keyed chuck.
Related Artiles: Best Keyless Chuck for Drill Presses
Keyed vs. keyless chuck: which one is better?
Often, people get confused between the keyed and the keyless chuck. And this is because both the chuck seems amazing and they indeed are!
But but but!!! Do you know both the chucks got some bad sides too?
Well, now we will be talking about the good and bad sides of both types of a chuck.
And, if you get to know about the good and sides of both the keyed and keyless chuck, then it will be easy for you to decide which one is perfect for you.
Good and bad sides of a keyed chuck
A keyed chuck is more secured and appropriate for heavy duty work.
But the problem that lies in the keyed chuck is that it is not easy to use.
And this is because this chuck got a strong inner mechanism and it is tightened and loosened with the help of a key or wrench.
Good and bad sides of a keyless chuck
The keyless chuck is easy to use; meaning that you can easily change bits while working. And it is perfect for regular use.
This is because you simply need to twist in the clockwise or anticlockwise direction to tighten or loosen the keyless chuck respectively.
But this chuck is not as much secured as the keyed chuck. So, it is better not to use this chuck for heavy duty jobs.
What should you never leave in the chuck of a drill press? Or, one thing that you should never leave in the keyed chuck…
As we already know that the keyed chuck is the chuck which got a key mechanism; meaning that for inserting the drill bit inside the keyed chuck, you need to loosen the chuck using a key. And after inserting it successfully, you again need to use the key to secure the drill bit.
And there are two or three holes in the chuck through which you need to enter the key in order to tighten and loosen the chuck.
In addition, the key which is used for tightening and loosening the chuck is called the chuck key or chuck wrench.
And the thing that you should never leave in the chuck of a drill press is the “Chuck Key or chuck wrench”.
Some people forget to take out the chuck wrench or key from the chuck after tightening or loosening it.
And if you are also one of those people, then you might lose the key.
And do you know, if you lose the key, then you have to buy a new one, particularly made for your drill press model? And thus, it will make you spend some extra money from your pocket.
Moreover, some people even turn on the drill press and start working with the chuck key on, which can be extremely dangerous for the worker working with the drill press and even for the people around.
So, please be careful about taking off the chuck key immediately after you are done with loosening or tightening the chuck.
Well, if in case you forget to take off the chuck key and you turn on the drill press, then please don’t attempt to take it off while the drill press is on.
Carefully turn off the drill press and then take off the chuck key.
More safety rules for a drill press
- Don’t leave any loose clothing, hair or any loose staff near the drill press.
- While drilling holes or milling with the drill press, eye protection is very important. So, in order to protect your eyes, wear safety glasses.
- Wear ear protection for protecting your ear buds from the sound made by the power tool.
- Avoid wearing anything on your hand or fingers which can get caught in the power tool. For example- gloves or any jewelry.
- Keep a distance of at least 3” between the drill bit and your hand and fingers while the drill press is on.
- Avoid touching the drill bit or shavings right after drilling as the objects will be flaming hot, which might burn your hand or fingers.
- Avoid drilling with too much pressure.
- Don’t attempt loosening the chuck or cleaning the machine while it’s on.
- Keep the drill press in a steady position so that it doesn’t move while it’s at work. And if you are using a benchtop drill press, then clamp it securely to the surface.
- Never attempt to stop the drill bit or drill chuck or the spindle with your fingers.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the widest size of a chuck of a drill press?
The widest size of a chuck that we came across is the 3/4 inch chuck size.
- What is the most common chuck size?
The most common chuck size is the 1/2 inch chuck size.
- What type of chuck is better?
The keyed chuck is sturdy and suitable for heavy duty work. So, this chuck type is better. But the keyed chuck is hard to use and it takes a lot of time to change bits.
- What should I do if I mistakenly leave my key in the chuck and turn on the drill press?
If you mistakenly leave the chuck key in the chuck and turn on the drill press, then don’t try to take it out while the drill press is on.
First, turn off the drill press and let it stop completely. And then take out the chuck key slowly.
Conclusion
The more you will love the safety measures, the safer you will be.
And if we break all the letters of the word S.A.F.E.T.Y-
S stands for seek safety, A stands for aim safety, F stands for follow safety, E stands for ensure safety, T stands for Teach safety, and Y stands for yield safety.
Fabulous, right?
Well, we hope now you know what you should never leave in the chuck of a drill press. And along with this one, follow and live other safety measures too. Listen, my friend, keep exploring more safety measures. Because the safety measures for power tools cannot be confined to only one list.
Stay safe!
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