Chuck key for Fobco pillar drill ?

[sarabande]

Yet another request for advice ..

I went into the workshop for the first time in a fortnight, having decided to change to a keyless chuck and also to a Morse taper as it's difficult to find a keyless with a JT6 taper for the present arbor.

I adjusted the depthguage clamp to expose and remove the taper but cannot see any slot, only a knurled knob seemingly holding the arbor to the spindle.

Aha, says I, remove set screws holding KK and arbor will drop out ready for measurement checks etc.

Except that the screws holding the arbor seem to have been driven in and the set screw heads mangled.

Before I apply brute force and sheer ignorance, what's the best way to proceed to remove the knurled piece pls ? Drill them out ?

Alternative suggestions to include employing the local witch doctor welcome. If drilled out, will the knurled knob be re-usable ?

PS The scars on the arbor taper are NOT mine but historical. Despite the apparent rough treatment, the run out is very small, but it all supports a decision to move to a new Morse taper arbor.

 

[earlybird]

Your KK is a chuck removal collar. The hole is not for a set screw but takes a C spanner to screw the collar downwards and thus push off the chuck. With the chuck already off, you will have to grip the drive pulley to see if it does screw down. It might be seized on the thread.
Also, I suspect that you haven't got a removable MT2 arbor but the most usual arrangement, ie with the JT6 chuck mounting integral with the spindle, otherwise there would be a removal slot visible when you extend the quill. That could constrain your choice of new chuck. There's lots on Fobco Stars on Lathes.uk site here although the chuck removal feature doesn't seem to be described so it may not be universal. (Fobcos were made for decades). My Fobco has it.
(Edited after investigation).

 

[sarabande]

Thanks EB. I have spent an oily hour taking off the KK, whose JT6 taper is - as you suggested - integral with the spindle.

All now put back together, belts tightened, and running more smoothly. Now to find a new 34 T6 chuck or a good replacement, as the present one is far from a smooth progression from open to shut.

At least everything is now running smoothly and I have progressed to knowing zilch to knowing where zilch is. It is fascinating working on proper engineering; a bit like my series Landrovers - a 7/16 spanner and a hammer. Who knows, I might even get to use i properly this week.

 

[earlybird]

Glad to hear of progress. Can't beat British old iron! Before chucking money at a new chuck, (sorry!) you might try dismantling and internally cleaning the old one.
Google will show how to dismantle with a vice and a hammer. It'll never restore to "as new" but it might suffice for your needs. Nothing to lose.

 

[sarabande]

Oh boy ! I have just sat through a couple of videos Nothing to lose, and I might even save nearly £60 buying a brand new one.

Stand by for my photos of all 96 parts of the chuck spread out on a bench. It beats mowing the lawn....

thanks !

 

[Beneteau381]

An adjustable pipe wrench on the keyed part and one on the bit with the holes in will allow twisting to mimic the action of the chuck key. Liberal lashings of GT85 or such like will bring it back in to servicable condition

 

[rogerthebodger]

Oh boy ! I have just sat through a couple of videos Nothing to lose, and I might even save nearly £60 buying a brand new one.

Stand by for my photos of all 96 parts of the chuck spread out on a bench. It beats mowing the lawn....

thanks !

I look forward to you step by step dismantle and rebuild as I have a chuck to fix from my bench drill.

Winter so no lawn mowing even if I did it.

 

[Birdseye]

I have an elderly Fobco Star bench pillar drill, in need of some TLC. In particular, the chuck will not turn to open the jaws for the bit.

I have soaked it in penetrating oil, and read that sometimes gentle persuasion with a brass hammer will free reluctant parts. Some heat will also be applied from the Leinster air torch.

Also, the chuck key appears to have evaporated. I have measured the pilot hole dia as 7.1mm, but it is likely that the chuck is imperial ? (Possibly a Jacobs chuck ?) Any suggestions as to how to find the number of teeth required please, or do I order 7mm keys with varying teeth numbers till I find one that fits ?

I bu66ered the chuck of my mains electric drill so I googled how to remove it ( easy - there is a screw deep inside) and being a cheapskate replaced it with an £8 effort off ebay. Astoundingly this works way better than the origibnal and looks like a decent bit of engineering. Personally I wouldnt struggle with the old kit.

 

[penberth3]

I bu66ered the chuck of my mains electric drill so I googled how to remove it ( easy - there is a screw deep inside) and being a cheapskate replaced it with an £8 effort off ebay. Astoundingly this works way better than the origibnal and looks like a decent bit of engineering. Personally I wouldnt struggle with the old kit.

Was it left hand thread?

 

[DownWest]

Was it left hand thread?

Expect so, as most drills have reverse now and they only put those in to stop the chuck undoing itself in reverse.