# Keyless drill chuck stuck open



## HeathRobinson (14 Jan 2008)

Hi all,

I'm still new to woodworking and have just notched up my first tool casualty. For ages now I've had one of those B&Q ''performance" branded cordless drill / drivers. I was drilling on maximum torque and speed with a 10mm bit, the maximum bit size for the chuck and that drilling went well. 

I then needed to switch to a skinnier drill bit so used the old trick of holding the chuck and running the drill to open the chuck and release the 10mm bit that I'd just finished using. The bit released and I placed the skinnier bit into the chuck and used the trick of holding the chuck and running the drill to close the chuck again. This time though the chuck was not closing! The chuck is now stuck in the completely open position. Silly me for using the largest bit allowable and then using a drill set on maximum torque and speed to open the chuck. I should have done it by hand. Maybe I'd be safer with a keyed chuck.

So that's what I thought I'd do. Replace the chuck and all would be well when the new one arrived but that idea went downhill pretty fast when I tried to turn the philips head screw that mounts the chuck to the drill and the head stripped! The person who invented this screw head type is a major source of frustration in my view. :lol:

So now I am unable to replace the chuck and my drill that is otherwise in perfect working order is unable to receive any bits because the chuck won't close.

Any ideas of what I could try to loosen the stuck chuck? I have attempted a little WD40 to loosen it but that hasn't had much effect. Maybe you know of a way that I could remove the stripped philips head screw that is holding the chuck in place. 

Any advice would be appreciated,

Simon


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## halken (14 Jan 2008)

have a look at this it might help you get the damaged screw out

http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/productli ... mover.html


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## paulm (14 Jan 2008)

If I remember correctly the screws that locate chucks to drill bodies are reverse threaded so they don't loosen in normal drilling mode, so you would have to turn in the opposite direction to normal to loosen.

May not be of much help to you now though, sorry !

Cheers, Paul.


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## HeathRobinson (14 Jan 2008)

Thanks Halken 'n Chisel.

Having another go at it now I've got an ordinary slotted screw driver that fits very nicely into the remains of the philips design screw. It even turns it! I'm turning in reverse to normal considering that the screw probably has a reverse thread on it like you say Chisel. However I've been turning for some time now with no movement at all. Printed on the chuck is "24UNF" - which I think must be the thread information for the screw I'm turning but I am certain I have turned quite a few times now and it hasn't budged.

update: ahhhh *censored* the screw driver is turning in it's handle! So my turning is doing nothing. :lol: New screwdriver required!


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## Racers (14 Jan 2008)

Hi, Simon

If the screw is stripped the chuck will still be held on by the thread on the chuck, the screw is only to stop in coming off in reverse. Try undoing the chuck if the screw is striped it should come off, you should have flats on the chuck which you can fit a spanner on and then give it a wack with a hammer to free it.

Pete


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## HeathRobinson (14 Jan 2008)

Hi Pete, 

Unfortunately there are no flats but it is definitely threaded on. At the back of the chuck is written "Hand - Lock". So I'm guessing its not on there very tightly. Just need to find a way to stop the spindle spinning when I turn the chuck to unscrew it.

Never the less. I've been thinking - this is a drill that takes 5 hours to charge it's one and only battery fully and then provides service for about 30 minutes before needing to be recharged again. It was starting to drive me around the bend as a result. Looking at drill / drivers with better performance with regard to their recharge times and useful life from a single charge I see they are mostly around £100! What on earth are we paying for?

Maybe I'll replace this all with a better quality screw driver set and an egg beater style hand drill. . No power problems then and with fewer things to go wrong I'm probably better off. I know I'll eventually need a powered drill again so I put a wanted notice on freecycle and would ya know it. Someone has offered me their drill.

Thanks for your help guys.


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## Jake (14 Jan 2008)

HeathRobinson":2cnkuqd1 said:


> Looking at drill / drivers with better performance with regard to their recharge times and useful life from a single charge I see they are mostly around £100! What on earth are we paying for?



I think you provided a partial answer to your question just there, also chucks that don't break under normal use, etc, etc (going through each part of the tool part by part).


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## Racers (14 Jan 2008)

Hi, Simon

Just grab the chuck and reverse the drill (use a glove).

I have up graded my cordless drills as there are some bargains to be had as most people want Lithium-Ion powered tools so the old Nicad ones are cheap I got this one http://www.itslondon.co.uk/pd_MAK6270DW ... Driver.htm
and a http://www.itslondon.co.uk/pd_MAK8270DZ ... olOnly.htm so two drills 3 batterys for £100+VAT.


Pete


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## Maia28 (14 Jan 2008)

Racers":3jfkykh4 said:


> I have up graded my cordless drills as there are some bargains to be had as most people want Lithium-Ion powered tools so the old Nicad ones are cheap I got this one http://www.itslondon.co.uk/pd_MAK6270DW ... Driver.htm
> and a http://www.itslondon.co.uk/pd_MAK8270DZ ... olOnly.htm so two drills 3 batterys for £100+VAT.



Some good deals on there, thanks Pete. I have just purchased one of these:
http://www.itslondon.co.uk/pd_MAK6347DZ ... olOnly.htm
which should work with the batteries for my combi drill. At 80Nm torque thats seems a bargain. Seems like a pair of 3.0 Ni-Mh batteries can be had for £60 on ebay as well.

Simon, once you have bought a decent cordless, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with the cheapie  

Andy


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## Digit (15 Jan 2008)

If the Allan socket screw that holds the chuck stripped its flats you should be able to drill the head off then remove the chuck then the Allan screw. (subject to you having another drill to drill the head off of course!)

Roy.


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