Author Topic: New drill chuck advice  (Read 2976 times)

Offline Linus

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New drill chuck advice
« on: March 27, 2019, 09:23:55 PM »
I have just purchased a new lathe and all my original accessories (3/4" x 16TPI and 1MT) will need replacing as I am now on M33 x 3.5 and 2MT.  I need to purchase a suitable 2MT drill chuck so my question is would anyone advise using one I have found at RDG tools which has a 10mm drawbar for securing the chuck.  I know they are used on milling machines, but would it be suitable for a wood lathe?  Any advice welcome.

Offline Roger Groom

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2019, 09:51:32 PM »
I have used two RDG Jacobs chucks for the last 6-7 years and have found them a superb bit of engineering. Everything is very positive, and I have had no probs at all. Mine are the satin steel and take drills from 0-16mm. No draw bar though but have not needed one. They don't come out, well of my lathe at least.
Roger Groom

Offline Twisted Trees

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2019, 11:34:19 PM »
I use an RDG 2MT keyless chuck, only fault is it is pretty heavy, and the jaws don't close down on small bits, though not really a problem, I have a standard keyed chuck that does the <3mm drill bits just fine.

The drawbar is a negative value and best avoided if you use a knock out stick to remove the chuck you don't want to be needing to screw it in or having to try to hit the edge of the taper / side of the threaded hole.





TT, AKA Pete, but that name is taken :-)

Offline Derwent Woodturning club

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2019, 09:00:33 AM »
I can recommend the Axminster 13mm MT2 chuck. It is good quality but the best thing is it will hold 1mm drill bits, unlike many similar chucks that struggle to hold small drills securely. And it's cheaper than the RDG version, especially if you can get club discount.
It doesn't come with a drawbar but, as others have said, that is not ideal for lathes where it will be inserted/removed repeatedly and you will damage the threaded hole when you use your knock-out bar.
Regards,
Derwent Woodturning Club

Offline John Plater

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2019, 09:28:26 AM »
If you have a chuck with 1MT already, a Morse Taper Sleeve with 1MT inner and 2MT outer may be an option ?
ATB John
If I had a better lathe, I would be able to show my ineptitude more effectively.

Offline bodrighywood

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2019, 11:30:12 AM »
If you have a chuck with 1MT already, a Morse Taper Sleeve with 1MT inner and 2MT outer may be an option ?
ATB John

This sort of thing?

Pete
Turners don't make mistakes, they have design opportunities

Offline Duncan A

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2019, 02:44:12 PM »
I have an RDG chuck which holds 0.2 to 13mm drills, and takes a drawbar. It is nicely finished and not massively heavy, unlike some of the cheap ones.

If using it in the headstock taper, to hold a mop for instance, there's always a chance it will come out of the taper - hence the use of a drawbar. Although I've only used it just the once, it's nice to have the option if using the chuck to hold e.g. a mop that generates radial forces, unlike a drilling operation which tends to hold the chuck in the taper with axial forces. Of course, working around the LH side of a mop may generate axial forces to push the chuck out of the spindle taper!

Similarly, a drawbar may serve to hold a chuck tightly in place when the tapers are no longer in as-new condition.

The RDG chuck arbor is relieved externally at the narrow end, and the thread is relieved internally a few mm short of the end so striking it with a knock-out bar will not damage the thread or pein the end of the taper over into the lathe spindle taper - assuming  reasonable force is used!

Hope that helps the decision.
Duncan

Offline John Plater

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2019, 06:50:25 PM »
This sort of thing?
Yes Pete, I have a few for various centres which I switch between lathes.
ATB John
If I had a better lathe, I would be able to show my ineptitude more effectively.

Offline Linus

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Re: New drill chuck advice
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2019, 08:25:05 PM »
Hi all

Thanks for the guidance.  Seems to fall both sides of the fence - as ever ;D.  I think I favour the drawbar option - if only for safety's sake.