Buffalo Post Drill No 65R chuck problem

[Andy Outdoor]

Hello, looking for my Buffalo drill post No65R. When ever I put a bit in the chuck it is a bit off center and has a slight wobble to the drill. I’m looking for any advise of where to purchase a new shank or if there is a chuck/adapter for this drill. Anything would be helpful. 

[George N. M.]

Andy, you may need a machine shop for this.  The old bits had a uniform diameter shank with a flat spot on it which was held in place by the set screw/bolt in the side of what we would call the chuck.  To adapt to a universal chuck (I don't recall the technical name.  It's someone's name.) you need a piece of steel the size of the interior of the "chuck" with a flat spot on the side for the set screw/bolt and then the proper male threads cut into it to accept the modern chuck.  I think that would have to be custom made or if you have the appropriate thread cutter in your shop you can do it yourself.  I doubt that such an adapter is commercially available but in these days of the internet I could be wrong.

To check whether everything original is lined up you need either an old drill bit which fits your original chuck or a piece of steel the right size and a centered point at the bottom to make sure it stays in one place when it is turned.  If it doesn't something may be misaligned in the original machine.  I wouldn't want to think about how to true it up since all that cast iron is brittle and doesn't like being moved about.

Others may have better or more detailed suggestions.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Frosty]

Jacob's chuck.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Latticino]

That is what I put on mine, and it works a treat.

[Andy Outdoor]

If you look at the fourth picture down the old chuck the is a small boar hole. I think someone tried to widen the hole but made it off center. I’ve tried a Jacobs chuck in the past but the “new off set boar hole” is about 5/8 of a inch making it very wide. I’ve thought about taking to a machines but the only thing I can think of is that the make the of center boar hole even bigger. It is a very nicely painted post drill I may just sell it and hope some appreciates the look of it over the function. 

[Latticino]

You may just be looking at an angle.  That type of chuck can have a tapered bore (maybe a #3?), and you need bits with a taper to fit tightly.  Of course you can get a Jacobs chuck with that same tapered shank, and that is what I used.  Of course the previous owner may also have tried to drill it out, which would make it only useful for one size of bit shank.

[Frosty]

Take the whole drill to the machinist so he can measure for an adapter to a Jacobs chuck. It'd make a pretty wall hanger but it'll be worth more if it's functional and a lot less likely to end up decorating someone's garden. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Got any Machinist Friends?    If it was mine I'd trade one some "brown pop" for having the bore trued up.

[Scott NC]

  Is the spindle on those hard to remove?  I have never owned one.  That hole does look off center from the photo.  Do you have measuring tools?  Seems odd somebody would drill it out.  

[Andy Outdoor]

I appreciate all the feed back fellas. The photo down the chuck is dead on, I could see how someone could interpret that I took at a angle but it is straight. I will look into taking to a machinist and see if they can mode for a Jacobs chuck. I do not think the spindle is hard to remove. I’ll just have to find out all the costs. Thanks!

[Michael]

I've got a 65R too.  what I did was find an old hand cranked breast drill with a big chuck and broken frame. A machinist friend of my FIL then turned the sawn off shaft of the chuck on his lathe to fit the "post drill chuck" on mine.  Endless garage and estate sales eventually produced a small set of post drill bits. The shaft sizes are all over the place though.