Jammed keyless chuck

[Benelly]

I have a Makita 1/2inch hammer drill, HP1501K, which has a keyless chuck. Today whilst drilling into some concrete with a 1/4 inch masonry bit the keyless chuck decided to hold onto the bit and has jammed in the locked position.

Is there any way that i can get the chuck to release the bit without destroying the chuck. The drill is still under warranty and i could take it in for repairs, however, i need the drill to complete the project that i am working on and cannot really afford to be without the drill whilst it is in for repairs.

Any suggestions on a work around?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards ..... Ben

[P©WÉ®T©©LMAN]

It depends on the reason why it has jammed the HP1501 is Makita's cheapest & lightest duty hammerdrill aimed at the home use to handyman market & does not come with the greatest quality chuck in the first place hence it's entry level pricing. We normally suggest an upgrade to our customers to at least the next quality level of chuck, showing all seven qualities we stock on the service counter lets them make an educated descision. Mind you putting a $50 chuck on a $75 drill is not the way to go either, we sell one Industrial 3/4" Keyless chuck that sells for $120.....a beauty to behold!

At our location we would replace the chuck if defective in five minutes or less while you wait & you would only have to sign on the dotted line if under warranty & be on your way, but I have heard some places say give us your information & we'll call you when it's ready....two to three days later if you are lucky, even if for some almost impossible reason we could not do it for you right away we would give you a loaner at no charge for however long it takes.

[Benelly]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the prompt reply and info on the possible solutions to my problem.

I assume from the info that the chuck cannot be serviced and will require a replacement. I am situated in Vancouver, BC, and hopefully the local service agents will be able to solve the problem just as easily as you say that you can or possibly offer me a loaner tool for the day.

It will be interesting to see what type of service i receive from the local service agents.

Cheers for now .... Ben

[Tom]

Ben wrote:> keyless chuck decided to hold onto the bit and has jammed in the locked

You might try placing the chuck in a vise, and breaking out the channelocks. Wrap a rag around it to protect it a little. Tom Work at your leisure!

[Matthias Mühe]

Hi Ben,

if the chuck is not broken internally, you may succeed in re-opening it by

- first flooding it with WD 40 and let it sit for a couple of hours

- second put a leather glove on and hit it with your palm (means sliding along tangentially in order to make it turn) in the direction it should open.

Regards Matthias

"> Is there any way that i can get the chuck to release the bit without

[Upscale]

Strap wrench?

[Dragon Breath]

I just solved the same problem about 3 days ago. I wrapped rags around the chuck and used pipe wrenches to get it open. I then removed the the bit and screw from the chuck (it was loose) and re-inserted it and the drill is working fine. A note of caution here. Mine was a "third" old, cheap drill which I seldom use and I wouldn't have been too excited if I had trashed it. I think you should take yours to the pros for a replacement if it's under warranty.

[J. Clarke]

There are also special pliers made for tighting plumbing trim and electrical connectors without buggering them up.

Work surprisingly well.

[Benelly]

Hi everyone,

Many thanks to everyone who replied to my intial query.

I ended up taking the drill into the local service agent here in Vancouver, BC, and the problem was resolved in two minutes. The agents managed to release the drill bit and stated that the cause of the problem was the excessive dust generated by the drilling into concrete that had got into the keyless chuck mechanism which in turn jammed.

They suggested that the chuck should be lubricated with graphite powder on a regular basis, (after blowing out all the dust from drilling), which should help to prevent the chuck from jamming.

I must mention that i was very pleased with the prompt and efficient service that i received at the local Makita service agents, located in Hammersmith Way, Richmond, Vancouver, BC.

The method used by the agents to release the drill bit was to hold the metal portion of the chuck, where the drill bit enters into the chuck, in a vise and then use a strap wrench around the plastic portion of the chuck, where you release the chuck by hand, and simply apply enough force to overcome the jam. Simple as that.

Regards ...... Ben

[P©WÉ®T©©LMAN]

Good to hear you got good service locally...we Makita guys tend to pride ourselves on fast & friendly service. :-) That's exactly the method we use to undo Keyless chucks if they are overtightened or compacted with concrete dust, normally no harm done but keep an eye on the chuck performance from this time on as sometimes the jaw threads can be slightly worn causing it to bind again, if used with concrete regularly blow out with compressed air occasionally, clean the jaws & lubricate lightly, like I said earlier the original keyless chuck on your model leaves a lot to be desired if not handled carefully.

Good luck

Jon~

[Warren]

Just a thought>>> I have a keyless chuck on a reversable drill motor. Some times when in reverse the chuck will loosen an bit drops out. If yours reverses try it in hammer setting with masonary bit on some concrete, may work. Warren

[P©WÉ®T©©LMAN]

Too late!

[Old Nick]

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 04:17:23 GMT, "Benelly" vaguely proposed a theory ......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Have to ask. Are you sure you have not locked the chuck? Many of them have a slidind cover that locks them.

[--={Flyer}=--]

This happens frequently at work with Albrecht keyless chucks used on our Bridgeport mills when drilling with reduced-shank drills like Silver & Deming types. We keep a C-clamp handy amd clamp around the chuck body and give it a little tug to release the chuck. Quick and dirty.

[CW]

The man asked how to fix a problem. I doubt he was asking for a sales pitch.