Drill Press Chuck
The drill press chuck is the part of the drill that is used to hold the drill bit securely to the drill. There are two main things to consider when looking at the chuck: size and type.
There are two main sizes of chuck: 3/8” and 1/2”. The size of your chuck will determine the largest size of a drill bit shank that can fit in the drill. The 1/2” chuck will generally come with a more powerful motor that is necessary to drill those large holes.
A 3/8” chuck is most likely all that is needed for most drilling purposes. This is why getting a cordless drill with a 3/8” chuck. Get a corded, more powerful drill with a 1/2” chuck for when the occasional large job does come along.
There are two type of chuck to secure the drill bits-either keyed or a keyless chuck. Keyed chucks require a separate chuck key to tighten down the jaws of the chuck and secure the bit. This type of chuck is more often found on older style drills, but will hold the drill bit more securely than a cheap keyless chuck.
A keyless chuck requires no extra tools to secure the bit, but the bit is more likely to slip in the chuck when drilling tougher jobs if the chuck is poorly made.
