Twice now in the last week I've been jinxed at the flea market. Nice set of wheels and tires cheap. No tape measure, oh well I can use the tires if they don't fit. Sure enough, 5 on 4-3/4, need 4-1/2. Oh well, got Chevies too. Next bought a small drill press for my cabin, no key. No problem, got a jar full. Not ONE fits, the 4 way sorta does. Marketing ploy? Conspiracy?
Been there too often! sometimes a drill bit that fits snugly into one of the key holes in the chuck & a screwdriver levered against it in the teeth of the chuck can get me by until I can find a proper chuck key. Did you ever notice these problems only occur when you're in a hurry & all the places that MIGHT have one are closed?? LOL!
Somehow, when I was young, I learned how to recognize one 14'' or 15'' wheel (well, at least the ones I needed) from another by the various characteristics of design. Has served me well so far. The drill press is the later, chinaman model, takes an almost metric key ….
I ran a toolroom for many years and I kid you not; one of the most reordered items were keys for Jacobs chucks. What the f#@k do people do with those things? And here is a good one, did you know that Jacobs chucks are now made in China.
Ebay item (they do have some listed cheaper) that takes the guess work out of checking lug bolt patterns. 123744889055 Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Been there done that on the chuck key thing. From having to repair one, the casting on that table on the drill press is pretty weak and too much pressure will break it right were it bolts on. Handy little bugger if you treat it right though.
I bought one of those 4 way keys for my bench top Craftsman press after I or the Grandson misplaced the key. I ended up carefully grinding down the pilot shaft to fit the chuck, and it works OK if you hold it just right. I'll probably find my key when I move my toolboxes, if I ever get around to doing that....
Put a tether on that chuck key and attach the other end to the drill press. What about a drill chuck with at least 2 different size pilot holes and spacing?
I bought a keyless chuck for my drill press and my old craftsman aluminum case 1/2" hand drill. Now I never have to look for the fucking chuck key.
Maybe just me but I've never found a keyless drill chuck that worked well, always wound up slipping sooner or later. I keep chuck keys (along with a few common size bits) with the cordless tools in their travel cases and tether or otherwise keep within reach for the other tools. Taping the key near the plug end on corded stuff pretty much forces me to unplug 'em when changing bits and pretty much avoiding unexpected start ups. For over 50 yrs a jackknife has lived in my left pocket and for over 40 a small 1/4" wide 10' tape in my right, I feel naked without 'em. Ed
I've got one of those recoil tethers for a CB mike on mine now, pull it out, use it, it recoils back and it's there next time you need it. I've seen the same thing in a retractable keychain.
The Jalopy Journal
