Replies

1. 
   gypsycatfish | Oct 23, 2004 04:48am | #1

   Dave,

   That is the normal way.  Many machine tools are set up like that.  The taper is a strong connection. Just open your chuck all the way so the the jaws are below the surface, then crank down onto a piece of wood to press the two mating surfaces together. It should not fall off unless the tapers do not match, they are dirty or there is a burr on one of them. Look at both parts of the chuck for any sign for scuffing on the mating surfaces.  If you see no scuffing, and they are clean and it still falls off after a moderate amount of mounting pressure, I would return it.

1. 
   dpalbrit | Oct 23, 2004 08:11pm | #2

   Thanks. comforting to a novice.  I tried a flat 1/2"bit - better.

1. 
   sharpblade | Nov 03, 2004 01:23pm | #3

   Once a little rust develops in there it will stick just fine :-)

2. 
   chipo | Nov 11, 2004 07:34pm | #4

   Did you thoroughly clean both mating surfaces? The assembly instructions for my recently-purchased Grizzly drill press emphasized the importance of cleaning the chuck and the arbor shaft with mineral spirits (both were coated in machine oil). They also said to assemble them by retracting the jaws and tapping the end of the chuck with a wooden mallet. I didn't trust this method either, so I gave it a couple of solid whacks and it hasn't fallen off yet.

3. 
   mike4244 | Nov 12, 2004 05:51pm | #5

   The chucks are attached with a morse taper. Open the jaws as far as they will go.Use the levers to press chuck into spindle, then take a 2x4 or block of wood and hold it on bottom of chuck.Take a fairly heavy hammer and smack the 2x4 dead center where the chuck is above. This will work if the taper hole and the taper spindle are clean.If they are dirty the chuck will fall out when you turn the machine on.

   mike