I was gifted with my brother Larry's Ridgid 15000 floor standing drill press. The chuck key that came with it does not fit the chuck properly. It is a sloppy fit and hard to use to get the chuck tight.
The hole in the chuck for the key is 0.330" as close as I can read it and the pin part of the chuck that I have that goes into the hole is more like 0.307".
The chuck will hold a 3/4" bit. I found a user manual with a parts breakdown that calls for a key with a part number of 817339.
When I called Ridgid they referred me to Gardener who told me they no longer stock the part. Did some web searching and found a number of references to a key with a part number of 817339. All but one said they were out of stock. The one let me order, then told me it would probably be a week or two before they would ship. We'll see.
Milwaukee's catalog has a key with the same size pin that I already have. Their next larger is bigger than the hole in my chuck.
If I were Jerry, I would solve this problem by making a sleeve that would be a snug fit on the pin with an OD of about 0.328", but I'm no Jerry. The wall thickness would be around 0.010".
I thought about the neck of a .308 caliber cartridge, but both the 308 and 30-06 have a neck diameter larger than 0.330. I guess I could try one of these and slit it length wise to let it collapse to the 0.330" size.
Suggestions???
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
I looked at Amazon, but I couldn't find any with dimensions.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Sounds like you need a 5/16" pilot chuck key. I'm seeing one on Grainger's website LINK, so if you have a Grainger store nearby, they might have one in stock. That particular one says they could get it to me by Jan 2, so probably faster to Texas.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
A 5/16" pilot would only be .0055 larger than what I have now and would still be .0175 smaller than the hole. Too much slop I think.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Mc Master-Carr has an assortment of Chuck keys. If you click on product detail it will show a pdf detailing the pin size. It would be a big help if you knew the brand name of the chuck.
They also sell multiple size Chuck keys that are similar to a 4 way lug wrench.
John
~ J Lucas 2006 GMC Envoy 4.2 I6 2023 Ram 2500/Cumins 6.7 I6 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee (Wife’s) 2002 Silverado 2500 Gas 6.0 1941 Chevy 1/2-Ton 1942 Chevy 1.5-Ton SWB In the Gallery My Flicker Photos!
They also sell multiple size Chuck keys that are similar to a 4 way lug wrench.
I'd hate one of those. 75% chance of picking the wrong end. But you could mark it once you find the one that fits.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I bought a "4 way" at Harbor Freight Friday. 3 were way to sloppy and the 4th wouldn't fit in the hole.
I just looked through all the McMaster-Carr offerings. The closest is the "A55" model at .312". Still about .018" smaller than the hole and only .005" larger than what I have now.
A neighbor just answered "yes" to an email that I sent earlier asking for a .308, 30-06 or 7.62mm spent cartridge. I'll try that as a bushing in the next day or 2.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
How is the chuck attached- - - -with a thread, or a Jacobs taper? I'll second the motion to replace the chuck, but getting a Jacobs taper off the spindle is a real challenge. There's a pair of slotted wedges that are used to remove that type of chuck, along with a big C clamp or a hammer and a backup weight. Unscrewing a threaded chuck is a lot simpler. Victor Machinery Co. (Victornet.com) has a good assortment of chucks at pretty reasonable prices.
You could also grind that "too big" key shank down very carefully until it fits the hole in the chuck. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Went back and looked at the chuck for any identifying marks. None found. And I'm wondering if this isn't a "Jacobs Taper" like Jerry suggested. It has no method to hold the shaft while unscrewing the chuck.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Bill, Over the years, I seem to have accumulated a small collection of chuck keys for which I have no particular application. I could send them to you to see if any of them fit.
PM me
John
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
Thanks for the offer John. Let's see how it goes with plan C (a brass bushing) before depending on your stash. If we resort to your offer I'll only need keys with a pin size between 0.320" and .330 ".
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Didn't see anything I recognized as a "slot in the spindle".
Picked up 2 empty .308 cases and a 30-06 case. All three are a fairly snug slip fit over the pin on the chuck key, but have slightly too big O.D. to fit into the hole in the chuck. Plan for tomorrow is to take a bit off of the O.D. of the case until it fits, the super glue it to the pin.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
The groove in the spindle just above the chuck suggests that it's got a Jacobs taper. That's where the removal wedges fit. Spindles with a vertical slot in them are for removing tooling with the longer Morse taper. Jacobs tapers are very short- - - -one inch long or a bit less, with a much more pronounced taper than Morse. Use red LocTite, not super glue. It makes a much stronger bond. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Use red LocTite, not super glue. It makes a much stronger bond.Jerry
Will do.
Busy tomorrow, it'll probably be New Years before I have time to mess with it.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Here's a chart showing the usual dimensions of a Jacobs taper:
A lot of drill presses use a JT 33 taper. You can measure the diameter of the shoulder just above the top of the chuck to get an idea of which taper you're dealing with. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Since I have a habit of making ancient machinery take on projects they're not really designed to handle at times, I've been known to make an adapter bushing to put a BIG drill chuck with a #3 Jacobs taper on a drill press that was designed with a 33 taper originally. I think Don has seen my drill press that was originally used in a 1960s high school wood shop- - - -now it's got two motors and a speed reduction system that has 12 spindle speeds instead of 4. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
So.... I'm a last resort, eh? That's fine. I can take a hint.
I really didn't want to break up my collection of chuck keys, anyway! JM
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
BTW, last time I removed a tapered chuck was from laziness. Instead of changing out the tool holder in the mill, I put an end mill in the chuck. Afterall, it was just a quick/easy operation I needed to complete. Yep, that side pressure was just enough. Enough for me to not get the desired results and have to set up the job correctly.
By the way, the off-center hole was there before I started. It held a spring loaded pin that served no purpose on this chuck.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
That spring pin on the key is to keep some minimum wage doofus from leaving the key in the chuck when he turns the machine on! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
I still remember a machine shop class in high school the teacher stressed to make sure the chuck was out of the lathe before turning it on .I guess the memory stuck with me after another student turned the lathe on with the chuck in and was very lucky he only got it graze his forehead and not in the eye .They should have had the spring loaded ones for the class .
I also graduated from a technical high school and took Machine Shop. Luckly, I did not learn the hard way to NOT EVER, leave any kind of loose items in or on a chuck. Like Kevin, the instructor did a good job stressing that point. Gloves and any rings are also a big no-no along with loose jewelry, hair and clothes. Listen and learn from the FOG's!
Don
Last edited by 2-Ton; 01/02/20264:45 AM.
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery 1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
I learned the hard way not to use a pipe wrench braced against the ways and the machine in back gear/reverse to unscrew a rifle barrel from the receiver- - - - -who knew the first thing to loosen up would be the spindle thread on the lathe chuck? Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Check first that the chuck is original. A replacement chuck can cause key fit issues.
If the right key never shows up, a thin sleeve will work. Brass or steel hobby tubing is usually close in size, or even a wrap of feeler gauge stock epoxied to the pin.
The cartridge case idea will work but likely won’t last long.
At that point, replacing the chuck with a quality 3 4 unit is the clean long term fix.
