The chuck on my drill press will only hold bits down to a 5/32" shank,
but I often have to drill smaller holes.
So, I found out that if you put heat shrink tubing on the last 1/2" or
so of the shank, it holds fairly well in the chuck.
As long as you center punch the hole the drill bit will follow.

Neat idea, I have used electrical tape for the same purpose in the past.

I now have a drill chuck and shaft I took out of a junked 3/8 drill that I just chuck in the larger chuck...it goes down to about nothing.

Phil

Cal. If you want more acuracy you could cut some brass shim stock to apropriate width and length then wrap it around the bit letting the excess stick out between the chuck jaws, or If you have a lathe, or A pal with one part off some pieces of 3/8" round stock at1/2" lengths drill the needed size hole through then slit down the length of the piece to the hole with a coping saw insert bit into it and insert both in your drill chuck and tighten, A simple collet that works great, make A set of them for future use...Hope this helps Clifford B)

I am with Phil on this one. I have a spare 3/8th and a 1/8th jewelers chuck. Pop one in and good to go.
Ken.

I agree about this also but options are always nice ;)

great ideas all, guys. Seems to be yet another example of "Where there's a will, there's a way!" "Improvise, adapt. and overcome"

They make a micro chuck that allows very sensitive hand control for small drills these are put in your regular chucks. I have used these in both manual and cnc mills

Micro-Sensitive Drill Feed Adaptor - Micro Drill Adaptor with Albrecht Keyless Chucks
http://www.nolansupp...alse&specs=True

Just wrap them in paper. Then you don't have the stick mess when it spins in the tape or shrink wrap. And if you use pretty thin paper (rolling papers) it will actually be pretty concentric to your drill chuck.

Do yourself a favour and get one of these little chucks for small drill bits.
I have had this one for years and it will hold the smallest drills you can find.

Bob

you can also find a used or broken hand held power drill that chucks down small and rip out the chuck and shaft assembly out, and chuck that in the drill press, i saw where some one did that before. I had the same problem and I found a chuck that didn't have the post, just female threads on the chuck, and turned an adapter to screw into it and chuck in the drill press. i have another one that my dad wants me to adapt for the drill press in the garage. The small chucks are very nice to have, as you can use them in any drill that will hold the shank (3/8 inch on the one i made),the drill press, cordless drills, etc.

Ed Steinkirchner