Power Drill and Small Drill Bits

MegaMan001

I recently got the Dewalt DC970K-2 Power Drill (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RLR0EY/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). 

When using a smaller drill bit, a 1/8th inch, the bit kept slipping in the keyless chuck and wore out a small notch where the drill bit was, is this a huge issue or something I'm going to have a problem with down the line?

Slo

If you're going to continue using small bits, I could only imagine the notch getting bigger. Push down less hard, let the drill do the work, and make sure the chuck is always as tight as possible.

MegaMan001

I tightened it by hand, not the keyless motor as the instructions said that would make the chuck too tight. I'm still under warranty, so I think I'll give a call to my local Dewalt service place and see what they say.

Cabezone

I'm a little confused with your problem but have a lot of experience with this type of drill. Set the torque so the drill won't slip and all when tightening any drill bit is the most basic advice I can give. These drills are designed with the manual laborer in mind so they expect a certain amount of hand strength.

Cabezone

I'm not sure what "chuck too tight" means, I've never actually cracked open the instruction on one of those drills. I always use the motor to tighten, for speed.

DevoutlyApathetic

I think he's saying that the shank of the drill wasn't all the way past the jaws of the chuck and the blunt end of the drill left an impression in the jaws. Which probably shouldn't happen if he was just HSS bits.

Tighten it more if the drill is spinning and use less torque, especially on smaller drills. Once it starts spinning it isn't going to stop until you tighten it.

Donovan Puppyfucker

The problem here is probably that the chuck is too big for the drill bits you're trying to use. I use a smaller drill with a 3/8ths inch chuck for any drill under 1/4 inch, and my Dad's old handdrill with a 1/4 inch chuck for any drill bit under 1/8th inch. A 1/2 inch chuck just isn't designed to grip small drill bits.

What are you trying to drill into?

knitdan

You might want to get an adapter for your smaller bits. It'll be about a 2 inch piece that you put into the chuck, with a hex female end to hold the bits. They're not very expensive.

That's if you can't swing the cost of another (smaller) drill to use your smaller bits on.

MegaMan001

@Knitdan and @chrishallett83 hit the nail on the head, I read up on some forums and it looks like the bits I was using were too small for the keyless chuck on my drill. It worked for like the first 30 seconds and then just rotated around the drill bit and left maybe a 1/32nd indentation on each of the three chuck arms.

I'll just pick up a hex drill bit adapter for the smaller bits I have - it's maybe 10 bucks.

At least I know I don't have to get anything repaired.

I was drilling holes into the steel frame of my Pull Up / Dip Station to hang a cross pipe for close grip overhand pullups.

Anyway, this can be locked, no permanent damage to the chuck and an easy 10 dollar solution. Thanks for all of your help.