Removing chuck from Black & Decker drill?

[Graz]

These usually have LH threads don't they? Any suggestions for easy removal of a chuck? It's a BD163V (550 Watt).

TIA

[George]

Put the chuck key in the chuck and give it a sharp wack with a hammer in the anti clockwise direction

[Roger Mills]

Every B&D drill I've had has had a *right* hand thread on the chuck. [Otherwise it would be in danger of coming loose when drilling in the normal direction].

The best way of removing the chuck is to use the chuck key and a hammer. Insert the key so that it is in a horizontal plane on the RHS when looking from behind the drill (as per the illustration at

and give the end of the key a sharp downward tap with the hammer. It should then unscrew easily by hand.

Do you have a handbook for the drill? If so, it almost certainly tells you the same thing.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "George" saying something like:

Remembering to first check there's not a crosshead left-hand threaded screw down the bottom of the inside of the chuck. If there is and you fail to spot it and you unscrew the chuck firmly enough the screw will snap off. DAMHIK, IJD, OK.

[Graz]

Ah, I tried that and only managed to bend the chuck key.

[Graz]

That makes sense. I was possibly thinking of the screw inside the chuck (and this one doesn't have a screw).

Presumably with the chuck open as far as it will open?

Unfortunately, no handbook.

[Graz]

OK, please ignore earlier reply. I kept whacking it and it did unscrew.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I found that after about 10 years of doing this to change attachments, eventually the gearbox breaks (a splined shaft stripped). Changing attachments on drills is rather a thing of the past now though.

Doesn't make any difference -- you aren't putting any force across the chuck openening/closing mechanism, i.e. you aren't aiming to twist the chuck key, but rather to twist the chuck.

[Graz]

I thought the idea was to have the chuck as far open as it would go and then apply impact force to the chuck key in the direction of opening the chuck, if you see what I mean. That's what worked for me, anyway.

In any event, I was under the misguided impression that all Jacobs chucks were alike. The one that came off the drill had a half-inch threaded stub attached, the one I was hoping to replace it with didn't.

[The Medway Handyman]

Angle grinder.

Sorry, it was my turn :-)

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember [e-mail] (Graz) saying something like:

See if the stub unscrews from the chuck.

[Graz]

I thought of that - and perhaps it will - but I didn't want to risk damaging the thread. I assume it's a standard right hand thread, same as the stub itself.

[spamlet]

When you have removed it as others advise, treat yourself to a new keyless chuck. Preferably one of the 'click up' ones. Wonderful invention!

S

[A.Lee]

Got a link? I changed my Bosch chuck a few months ago as the bits kept coming loose, thinking the replacement Jacobs chuck at £35 would be better, but it isnt. Alan.

[spamlet]

Screwfix has them: they are more expensive than the ones with the black fluted aluminium front piece, that don't seem to have the click locking mechanism. Having said that, I have found the ordinary aluminium ones to be OK except when you have the hammer setting on.

As for where to buy. Screwfix if you are in a hurry. If you have more time, look in the cheapo tool shops, and even junk shops and skips. Loads of people throw these things away with perfectly usable chucks on, and you can build up quite a collection if you keep your eyes open.

I had been on the semi-lookout for a right angled chuck, for under the floorboards, and recently picked up one in Dunstable Discount, for the princely sum of £3.99 (Blue Spot 'Pro Series'). For that price it's probably not going to last, but for the occasional DIY use it will be just fine I'm sure. Even if the angle part of it packs up, I've still got a spare chuck that is a big step up from any that needs a key, even if it does come undone in hammering, because the key ones do that too - which is why they are always chewed up by desperate attempts to tighten them!!

At Screwfix, this is a clicky one:

if you click the link at this link, you will also see a number of cheaper models, some said to be 'universal' and suitable for hammer. I cannot vouch for these, as I have not had a look at them, but they will probably all be a step up on a keyed chuck, for convenience if nothing else.

Hoping you will never again have to suffer the turn the garage upside down looking for the key syndrome.

Cheers, S

[Graz]

Mine both have the key taped to the mains lead.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Thanks for the heads-up. I poped in and got one this morning when going past. Not been in to that shop for about 20 years, as it was all complete junk the first time I went in there. Warned the guy on the till that he'd been mentioned on the Internnet and there might be a rush! Also bought a tiny plastering trowel. Could have done with both items two weeks ago.

[spamlet]

I'm sure they will be glad of the publicity: it's hard to go in there, and not come out with tons of stuff 'just in case'!

Graz: I found that the little rubber holders for chuck keys always failed when you weren't looking, and that having one taped to the flex always seemed to be in the wrong place and getting in the way. And it was always a struggle to get the chuck tight enough with these anyway.

One further point: I should have noted that some chucks are male and some female, and for my B&D I also needed to buy a little converter armor from Screwfix. Be sure to check the thread sizes as well as the chuck sizes when upgrading.

Cheers,

S

[d2milleraz]

replying to Graz, d2milleraz wrote: Open the chuck like you were going to put in a large bit. Unscrew the bolt inside and remove it. Mine turns clockwise to unscrew, opposite of normal. Turn the chuck until a small hole in the chuck lines up with the notch on the top of the housing. Insert an appropriately sized allen wrench or something strong into through the notch and into the receiving hole. Also insert a chuck key where you usually would. Then twist the chuck off. (The allen wrench holds the shaft and pressing on the chuck key turns the chuck.) Mine unscrewed counter-clockwise (normal) and took a light blow with a rubber mallet to get it started.) A little unnerving until you've done it once.