Inherited Problems

Amongst the workshop equipment I inherited is a Saunders 1/2" bench drill. As good a drill it may be I want to change the chuck to key less. The original chuck key was missing and finding a 1/4" x 12 tooth key is proving difficult. I have tried to remove the chuck by unscrewing with no luck . Any clues please.

I also inherited a set of 6mm lathe tools for the mini lathe. They have triangular replaceable inserts. Any ideas who stocks inserts for these tools as there are three tools with no inserts fitted.

rdg sell the insert

The chuck is likely mounted on a taper, rather than a thread. Typically it'll be a Morse 2 socket in the spindle, into which an adaptor fits with a Jacobs taper on the other end to mount the chuck - see e.g. here. For removal of the adaptor from the spindle there may be provision for a drift to go in from the side of the quill, while for getting the chuck off the adaptor a set of wedges may be necessary - both as per e.g. here.

Is it definitely 'Saunders' BTW? Not familiar with it and best google could see was a 'Sanders' as per this forum post. Might be helpful to post a picture of it and a close-up of the chuck/quill area for further advice.

Chucks normally have short stubby taper called JT2/3/4. So they are pulled out. As for the chuck key, I bought a replacement one for an old power tool from a builders merchant. They had a huge catalogue with the right one in. 1/4" seems to be popular, have you tried Machine Mart?, I tried to count the number of teeth in their online picture, could be 12 (or 11, or even 13?).

Frank

Thanks folks. I had a look on the other forum and that is the same drill. The taper fit and wedges seems to be the way to remove the chuck. I will have a delve into the boxes from dads workshop I recall a wedge shaped bit of black steel. Maybe that's the missing bits.

If the quill has a slot in it a few inches from the end A wedge shaped bit of steel 3" or 4" long fits in here to drive out a Morse taper. Otherwise the idea is a pair of flat steel wedges with a U cut out to go round the taper between the chuck, and the quill.

I too had a look for Saunders, couldn't find anything.

Ian S C

If there is no slot as mentioned by Ian and no hole down from the top it is likely that there is no morse taper hole but the spindle is solid and fits directly into the chuck. The chuck itself still probably fits on a taper it is just that you will have more difficulty to identify the taper sixe.

There is usually a gap between the top of the chuck, and the bottom of the quill, in that gap you will see the diameter of the top of the taper, you will then know which size of taper wedge to get from one of the engineering suppliers, Warco, Arceuro Trade, or similar. Anyone who sells drill chucks, and machines to put them on.

Ian S C

Hi David,

Are you sure its 12 teeth? Most keys are 11.

My big Wolf drill has an 11 by 1/4" (0.242" key. You might find that one of those fits?

Neil

This drill is a bit of an odd ball . I have had a close look at the chuck and it has" Rexon RJ 6-13 engraved on it. The chuck key is 1/4 x 12 teeth which is an odd one. I don't think the drill was used much whilst my father was making clocks, I recall him complaining about the key very early on. Most of his drilling was done on a Pots sensitive drill with a rising table rather than a quill like a normal drill. I remember it being made in the early 60,s and I still find it better for small drills. I have a cordless drill with a keyless chuck and find that be so much better than faffing about looking for lost keys so that will be a gift to my workshop next.

It may be possible to remove the chuck by drilling and threading a small hole inside the main body of the chuck and using an allen screw to jack the chuck directly off the taper. There's a good chance the body is not overly hardened and there should be a small gap between the end of the taper and the chuck body.

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David,

It might be worth trying here.

MichaelG.

Thanks for all the advise regarding the chuck key issues. I have had to admit defeat and get the chuck off. I am about to order another chuck but I am not sure what the taper is ?. As some one said the chuck is on a short tapered stub, JT2/3/4 was mentioned. I am going for a keyless chuck this time.

I did the same with my metalworker bench drill.. got two wedges... size JT2

**LINK**

& popped the original chuck off, replaced with keyless chuck, saves a lot of hassle looking for chuck key.

George

If it isn't too old it may have a B-taper, if the small end of an MT2 taper fits it, it's B2 and so on.

Neil

A little more information regarding the taper for the chuck. I found a list of tapers on the ARC web site. The nearest I can get is JT 6. Could this relate to the RJ6-13 stamped on the body of the chuck?. The 13 I assume relates to the capacity of the chuck.

David,

If you look at the link I posted previously and click on any of the chuck images, you will see that they identify the taper as B16 ... [whatever that might be]

MichaelG.

.

Edit: corrected typo 

Edit: found the dimensions, here

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/01/2015 20:43:01

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 24/01/2015 20:46:04

This could help:

Jacob's Tapers

Neil

Creative commons share alike licence, from : **LINK**

From the link on my previous post:

.

Go Compare ?

MichaelG.

MichaelG, and Noel, you'v gone off wandering under the adds on the RH side.

Ian S C