craftsman drill press Problems

[Upchuck]

I got a craftsman sears 8" bench drill press and I got my new bolt pattern drilled on my hubs and 8 in the drums and now the drill press is not cooperating, all the chuck does is spin freely! its like its no longer attached to the shaft that runs from the motor, the motor turns freely and runs good and the chuck spins freely as well but like its seperated from that shaft I tapped it on the bottom a couple times to try and reseat it but thats not working, any other ideas?

thanks

PS warranty expired about 12 years ago

[C9]

Most drill presses retain the chuck arbor with a taper.
Similar to the Morse Taper on a lathe although it's usually a Jacobs taper on a drill press. (Has to do with the angle of the taper.)

What happens now and then - especially if you've drilled something and had a lot of vibration - the tapered arbor carrying the chuck drops out of the press' tapered female receptacle.

Lower the table and you'll probably find the arbor/chuck combo comes all the way out.
Make sure it's free of oil inside the female taper and also on the chuck arbor.
Most times simply slamming it home by hand will do it.
Other times, a light/medium tap with a brass hammer is required.

If the interior of the tapered receptacle is oily, spray up there with some rattle can brake cleaner - wear safety goggles - let it drain and make sure it's thoroughly dry.
Then try replacing the tapered arbor.

No brake cleaner? Lotta times putting white blackboard chalk on the arbor's male taper and spinning it lightly - by hand - inside the female taper will dry out the oil inside the taper.
Do that a couple of times, wipe the old and possibly oily chalk dust off, re-apply and repeat as necessary.

Works for me.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[C9]

Here's another one.

Since it's a new press more than likely your v-belts are ok.

Many times vibration will back off the set screw on the pulley to where the set screw seats on the pulley shaft.
Usually due to insufficient torque on the set screw - which doesn't mean you should crank the snot out of it.

Raise the press hood and see what is and what's not spinning.

If a pulley is spinning, find the axle flat where the set screw is supposed to seat, orient the pulley properly and tighten the set screw.
Blue Loctite can help, but what I like to do here is, once the set screw is tight, screw in another set screw right on top of the original set screw locking the two together.
That way, if you remove the pulley you're not fighting the blue Loctite all the way.

Don't use red Loctite in this application. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Upchuck]

I couldn't get the chuck out but got a bunch of carb cleaner sprayed up in there and let it sit for a bit then gave it a couple raps with a small ball pean hammer for and things are back in working order!

thanks C9