drill press runout

[W.C. Turner]

What can be done about runout on my crapsman?

Thanks,
W.C.

[aurelio alarcon]

What can be done about runout on my crapsman?

Thanks,
W.C.

What exactly is runout? Is this where the bit doesn't remain true? 'Cause that's what happened to my DeWalt drill. It was recomended that I get a new chuck.

[John Miliunas]

W.C., don't know if yours is the same as mine, but I have a similar problem on my C-man. I was able to take quite a bit of the slop out with the adjusting screw on the left side (as you're facing the drill) of the head. There's a large locking nut, which you have to loosen a bit, then a slotted screw in the middle, which needs to be tightened. That tightens up the whole shaft, which moves up/down. (Sorry for the layman's terminology here. ) At any rate, it helped mine, though now the actual up/down movement is somewhat more restrictive and not as smooth. For me, that's OK, because I can get a bit better holes drilled in my pen blanks. Still some runout and I think the best solution will be to replace it get rid of the C-man entirely. Unfortunately, that's not in the current budget. Good luck!

[Dick Parr]

John, thanks for the great tip.

I have always wondered how to get the runout out of mine but would forget to ask about it. Took a look at my DP and it had the nut and screw like you said and when I tightened it up, it's a little stiff but the play is gone.

Thanks again.

[John Miliunas]

Glad it worked for you, Dick! Wonder how/if it did anything for W.C.?

[David Rose]

John, you better measure that runout before you dump the old Craftsman. I haven't found a new DP with as little as my old C has. The C does have a Jacob's chuck and I keep the spindle adjusted just before snug. My 16 and 1/2" Delta has almost as little runout but if you bottom the quill against the stop it moves over about 20 thou. And Delta says that is within spec. There is no quill adjustment on this Delta.

David

[Billy Reynolds]

I had a problem with my 10" Craftsman Bench DP after the tapered chuck slipped on the shaft (arbor). I removed the chuck and reinstalled it with no apparent improvement. Using a dial indicator I checked the arbor and found only .0005 runout, looks ok. Checked the chuck next and found about .014 runout. Possible bad chuck?? Maybe chuck not seated properly. After close examination, it looked like the chuck was not seating correctly. Removed and reseated chuck again, unable to get chuck seated completely. Removed arbor and chuck and lightly burnished both. Put the arbor in freezer over night and next day heated the chuck in the kitchen oven to about 400 degrees. Seated hot chuck on frozen arbor, seated completely this time. Reassembled DP, checked and found .001 runout on chuck. Close enough for my needs. As for the adjustment on the side of the DP, I believe this is to adjust for back lash of the quill. You need to determine exactly where the run out is occuring, arbor or chuck? Hope this helps

[W.C. Turner]

OK, on the left side of the head is the location of the quill return spring. It has an inner nut & an outside nut, with several notches in the spring cap, & what appears to be a screw in the center, (but looks more like a sleeve, comprised of 2 pieces).

Manual says, "proper tension is achieved when quill returns gently to full up position when released from 3/4" depth". When you release your handle, does it it return "GENTLY"?

Now, just to the right of the quill return spring cap, is a small nut with a screw inside it. Nowhere in the manual is this nut & screw referenced. It's not mentioned in the manual anywhere, it's only shown it in pictures, when referencing other items. Does anybody know what this screw & nut is for?

[Dick Parr]

That is the screw and nut that John referenced. Loosen the nut and tighten the screw (it doesn't take much and really doesn't fell like it is moving, but it does) and then tighten the nut and try the travel. Good luck

[Jim Becker]

One other thing...reseating the chuck in the quill's taper sometimes reduces runout.

[Billy Reynolds]

W.C., Dick is correct. this adjustment is a very minute adjustment. This adjusts a dog that rides in a key way that is machined in the quill. This adustment is to take out any back lash of the quill. If you grab the quill and try to turn in either clockwiswe or counter clockwise and it moves, then this adjustment needs to be made. Just just want to adjust it where you can not rotate the quill back and worth. If you get it too tight you can actually eat up the dog or key way. You want to adjust it ever so slight, just enough to take out any back lash. If go get it too tight you will be able to feel roughness when you try to lower the quill. This adustment should not really have much if any effect on your run out problem. A dial indicator is the best instrument to use to tell you where the run out is occuring. I would suspect a bad chuck, improprely seated chuck, bad bearing in the quill or possible bent arbor. Hope this helps

[David Rose]

Billy, I think you covered any possible causes of runout. Everything else we mentioned is causes of play. Play "might" cause drilling problems. Runout "will" cause somewhat oversize holes in most cases.

David

I would suspect a bad chuck, improprely seated chuck, bad bearing in the quill or possible bent arbor. Hope this helps

[W.C. Turner]

That is the screw and nut that John referenced. Loosen the nut and tighten the screw (it doesn't take much and really doesn't fell like it is moving, but it does) and then tighten the nut and try the travel. Good luck

Yeah, I know, but, the manual doesn't mention what it's called, or, even what it's for. If it is for reducing runout, I would think the manual should address this.
My question once again, does anybody know the name of this screw & nut, and what's its intended purpose?

[aurelio alarcon]

Billy, I think you covered any possible causes of runout. Everything else we mentioned is causes of play. Play "might" cause drilling problems. Runout "will" cause somewhat oversize holes in most cases.

David

thanks for answering my question!

[Kurt Aebi]

W.C.

This type of adjustment will not appear in the Operator's Manual, but rather a service manual. They do this intentionally to keep people from over adjusting and possible messing up the part. They expect that you would take it to one of their service centers rather than adjust it yourself. If you do this adjustment, like Dick said, a little goes a lot. Just a slight tweak usually will be enough to take up the slack and help take out the runnout. If this adjustment doesn't work, it could go as deep as the bearings (I don't think this is the case, unless you have been trying to use it as a Milling Machine with lots of side forces being applied). Remember that Sears has a good price on these because their service fees are very high, that is why it doesn't appear in your operator's manual. Very much like adjusting the clutch on your car doesn't appear in th eoperator's manual, they don't expect you to do it yourself.