Shopsmith Forums

Hey everyone I am new to these forums but I have had my shopsmith for a couple years now. I am wondering if anyone has found a cheaper keyless drill chuck for the 5/8" headstock? I have found plenty different kinds on Amazon and eBay but I am having issues finding one that will directly fit or finding the right adapter. Well let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks for your help Kevin

I don’t have any experience with it, but it looks to me like the ShopSmith keyless chuck is made to the same standards as their Mark Vs, which last for over a half-century. It would be made to fit perfectly like any other device they make for that shaft. It is a little pricey, but I would guess that it’s not made in China.

https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... _chuck.htm

Some comments on the Shopsmith keyless chuck in this thread starting here. Recently I was switching back and forth between drilling pilot holes and countersinking the shaft for lag screws, not a big deal on my drill driver. If I needed to do that on the drill press I'd use 2 chucks and switch those.

Blacknorce wrote: ↑Sat Oct 16, 2021 2:26 am Hey everyone I am new to these forums but I have had my shopsmith for a couple years now. I am wondering if anyone has found a cheaper keyless drill chuck for the 5/8" headstock? I have found plenty different kinds on Amazon and eBay but I am having issues finding one that will directly fit or finding the right adapter. Well let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks for your help Kevin

While I haven't tried any of the eBay or Amazon keyless chucks, I am surprised to hear you say they won't fit. I researched these a couple of years ago and thought they looked like they would work. Which ones are you looking at? For example, the one at the link below looks to have an adapter built in that should mate to the 5/8" spindle of a Shopsmith machine. The Shopsmith keyless chuck is fantastic. I finally bought it when it went on sale one time. I don't regret the purchase even though it costs too much. IF you can wait for it to go on sale, I think it will be around $100 or so from Shopsmith. This knock-off one on eBay is $75, but if you are going to spend $75 on it, why not wait and get the real thing from Shopsmith for $100, i.e. they aren't that far off in price when it is on sale.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/263586815988?_ ... %3A2334524

https://www.ebay.com/itm/352374657840?h ... SwFOZbGSsZ

The Shopsmith version is currently $129.99: https://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cat ... _chuck.htm

The ones on eBay look very similar, possibly from the same source. One of them claims a 3/4" grip which may be of value to some. I agree with RFGuy, the Shopsmith version on sale does seem like a good deal since it comes with a warranty.

Interesting that this is so heavy, it weighs in at 3-1/2 lbs. So it should be sturdy enough to hold drum sanders and carbide burrs and other such utility tools on top of drill bits. It is long though, 6" end to end. Comments indicate that it's mounted in a 5/8" arbor of some kind that must account for that additional length and perhaps a good deal of the weight.

So not something I have a serious need for but I can see the appeal. If you have no chuck this would be as good of start as a conventional keyed chuck.

edma194 wrote: ↑Mon Oct 18, 2021 10:40 am Interesting that this is so heavy, it weighs in at 3-1/2 lbs.

It is a beast - definitely heavy to the point that I am careful installing it but not so heavy that I think I will drop it necessarily. It is a huge chunk of steel, which combined with the machining to create it is why it costs so much. My Rohm keyless chuck that I bought for Milwaukee cordless was $50 and only has maybe 1/10 of the steel in it compared to the Shopsmith keyless chuck. I don't like paying the high price for it either, but I don't think you will find this product for less than about $80 unless it is used.

I bought the Shopsmith version this past year. I don’t regret one cent of it. It is a beast, a machined beauty. One downside, it will not work on all situations, so don’t get rid of the SS standard one. You will still need it with the SS mortiser.