How to Repair a Drill Press Spindle 

This is EXACTLY what I needed to know, and it's very helpful indeed. Very clearly done - both the descriptions and the camera work are excellent. Thank you!

Thanks! I have a SKIL model number HD3580 drill press, about 22 years old. Need to replace the both of ball bearings but, I didn't know it how. Tomorrow I am going to replace the both of ball bearings, because my drill press it's very similar the one you are worked on it. Thanks again for your help!!!

It'd be great if every other instructional video on youtube rose to the level of quality of this one here.

Brilliant! I had no idea how to remove and replace a bent spindle. I now have my old drill running again.

Thanks for this easy to follow demonstration on how to repair my press. I have been avoiding repairing mine, but now I can't wait to tackle it!!

Another great video Mark, clear concise and to the point. Is there anything you haven't repaired ? I enjoy watching all of these videos, just for my entertainment.

very decent informative video. Thanks, I got some good tips out of it. I don't know why everyone is complaining about ruining the bearings, you clearly state that hardly any of us is likely to have a hydraulic press, in which case your solution was adequate in my opinion in the absence of anything else. I have used this method without undue damage in the past. Thank you.

Thanks. Very well done. I wish all how-to videos were this good.

Clear instructions, just what I needed, thanx!

Great information, very helpful.

Enjoyed the video as my 10" press has developed a bit of runout. It is only .004 now, but that is barely acceptable. It is nice to have seen this if that runout gets worse and they usually do. It's what I get for pushing too hard against a drum sander.

Very good, I used to be wary of messing with the drill press, doesn't seem so scary now. I had not realised just what a simple but effective machine they are, Thank youy

nice method for tearing apart the spindle , quell , and chuck as well as the other parts like drill press handle... good to know about the nut on the side don't take it completely off until after the tension is released

Well done and informative. I should have watched this before I did mine. The band aid on my hand confirms that you can get a cut from that spring. And the way he uses the vice to get the spindle in and out is clever.

Thanks so much! though I have used Drill Presses for over 20-years...mostly one in school or other shops, I have never had to repair one. This was really helpful & I hope new quill & bearing helps to resolve my press issues. Thanks Again:)

Doesn't hitting the spindle end with a metal hammer distort it?

Mark congartulations for your video. It had been very useful as I'm about to buy a bench drill too old with wobbles in the axle and did not know how to repair it. I accept some constructive criticism rather safety tips. The balance is very positive Thank VM

Great!Couldn't have done it with out your help. Thanks, Ron

Great video, really helpful! thanks guys

Very helpful video. Thanks!

Thanks my friend with your explanation was very easy to make a change of spindle

Thanks for this, I have this same drill press and this video answered a lot of questions.

Thank you for this video. Exactly what i need.

I spent all morning trying to figure out why my new (to me) drill press handle felt like it was dragging....I had no idea it was the return spring. Thanks!

Great video! Very helpful but please use a Brass or a lead hammer for this kind of work, as You can damage the shaft by pounding on it with a hardened steel hammer!

Thanks. I was very happy to find your video, now I know I can repair my Drill press. I did not quite get how or if I must replace the Spindle or get it repaired. oops I think I just found out. Thanks again.

informative and very well done thanks

That's a very clear explanation, thank you.

@spelunkerd Thank you, and thanks for watching. -Mark

Very helpful! I will try to see how many of these apply to the bad bearings in my Grizzly 1200.

Nice presentation. It will save me a lot of time!

Can you do that over again? I missed some of it the first time. lol I've never had to mess with the spring- thanks- now I know.

Great job and video too. thanks

Thats awesome, I had no idea how to get the spindle off my cheap HF Chinese 5 speed. and the side load set screw orientation. Very nice, off to Grainger to order a lower bearing!

Thank you Mark very informative

Great video, very helpful! Thanks!

Excellent Video

Great video. Thanks a lot!

Great video!

Thank you, this is almost identical to my JDP-15m

Thanks for a great video; Can you make a video on how to repair a rocking quill on this same machine. thanks;

Very helpful! Does eReplacements have a spindle for a Bico Model 1703 drill press? Thanks, Dan Pace

great video may have to do this sometime thank you

eReplacementParts.com So I'm finding that my chuck/ spindle is angled to the rear, making for some lousy drilling. Could this be bearings, chuck, or spindle or all 3? Is there a way to check the spindle for runout bad bearings?

Very helpful , thanks

You have ruined the new bearings by hammering the race against the balls, it will now sound like lawnmower and be useless for any type of precision work. Bearing must be pressed on the shaft they are mating with.

hi there, my new drill press is making a strange noise when i use the handle movement downwards it seems to be coming from the inside of the shaft .do you have any ideas as to whats causing this .regards mel stenway. great video by the way ..

Hi Mark, I have found your video very informative and useful. I have purchased a drill press for the first time and would kindly request for your advise on cleaning the parts from the manufacturer protective chemicals/anti-rust (in the user manual they advise to wash it with kerosine) without specifying which parts. Also after cleaning, which parts should receive lubricant and what kind of lubricant? Is it ok to use normal machine oil or grease. Finally, is thery any kind of recommendation for the machine parts calibration and fine tuning which is normally are carried out after buying and installing a new drill press. Thank you. Best Regards Reslan Hawasli

Is that delta a precise press and which press you recommend is precise and true? Thx. Nice presentation too

I have the exact same spindle as the one you show that needs replaced. I have checked everywhere for one, even on your website, to no avail Any ideas where to get one? I keep checking Craigslist and Ebay for "lightly" used ones or new ones but no luck there either.

Do you know how to remove the front pulley from a Samona RDM 100A drill press? Can one use a puller, or is it threaded?

my old man's drill press has lateral play of the spindle, but not the quill. it's enough to wobble the Chuck when used. is this a bearing problem? or could the spindle be out?

how can I eliminate the side to side and front to back play in the quill of my drill press? is there an easy way to do it or do I need to shim the quill to remove the play?

ive seen lot for sale,im not sure if i would be able to replace parts on the older ones,right now im thinking about a new black and decker,its priced at just over $300.00.Ill buy one in the next month or so,

Thanks. Very clear.

We started to take apart our drillpress at local hackerspace because the spindle had a bunch of runout. I just wish we had found this video before trying to take everythign apart, would have been much easier ;D We're going to replace bearings and figure out what to do with the fact that the quill is sloppy against the body and moves forwards and backwards. It's a cheap drill press that we got for free and we couldn't find any set screws to tighten it down, but we'll figure out something :)

Thank you for the video Mark. I have a question with regards to replacing a chuck on a drill press like this where the spindle forms the taper for the chuck to be fitted on. If one has a chuck with a smaller taper would one have to replace the entire spindle with a smaller taper at the end? I received an drill chuck arbor for with a new keyless chuck, however my machine is the same setup as the one in the video and therefore there is no slot in the quill. I am a bit confused and any help would be appreciated.

yes could you replace a 3/8 chuck with a 1/2 in chuck on a power mate drill press

That was good I did not now that came out like that thanks

I enjoyed the video

great video but why no grease?

Where can I buy a spindle for my 10 inch press craftsman?

I typically will install the chuck onto the spindle before reinstalling the spindle into the quill. I'll put the spindle in the freezer overnight (or for however long I have if I'm in a hurry) and bake (yes bake) the chuck at about 400*F for an hour or so. This shrinks the spindle and enlarges the chuck very slightly. I then lightly tap the chuck onto the spindle and let them sit at room temperature until their temps equalize. At that point you're guaranteed to not have your chuck come off unless you're intentionally removing it with a pickle fork or the wedges. And even then it takes quite a bit more force than it normally would. As far as installing the bearings I'll use a piece of whatever size tube fits best to tap them into place while I stand it chuck end down on a piece of lumber.

Very informative. Thanks. Does anyone in network know where I can get a replacement part for an old Buffalo Machine Tool Drill press? it is metal piece that raises and lowers the tray

Great information. I assume you left out removing the pulley, because it's obvious? Isn't the pulley connected to the spindle with a set screw? Aren't he pulleys keyed? Perhaps just a comment is needed about them. Thanks.

Thanks for the heads up about the spring. Is there a version of this video that uses a shop press? What is the bearing preload?

*hammers the crap out of the bearing races*

but when you down the spindle there is Play in whole spindle,How much play must be there ?

The video was good to make repairs if needed. I'm looking at a Craftsman Drill Press Model # 103.24531. Can you use a Reversible Tapping Head on this press? Any information will be appreciated.

makes it very easy to repair

Hi I have a mini bench drill press 8500 RPM, yesterday I heard a pop while drilling, and the motor is working but the bit is no longer spinning. Any idea what is damaged and what I could do to replace? Thank you!

So if a replacement spindle is not available thru eparts online or anyone else because they are discontinued, how does one “straighten” a bent spindle that causes drill bit “ wobble?”. When I got the “Ryobi” drill press used, the spindle was so badly bent, that a drill inserted in a chuck would scribe a circle around half an inch in diameter. Bye judiciously turning the chuck by hand and stopping it at its most eccentric part of travel, and quilting the side of the chuck hard with a lump of 2x4 inch softwood, I have managed to bend the spindle in small increments back towards being straight. The wobble or eccentricity of the drill bit is now maybe 1.5mm at most, making the drill press useable again for drilling holes in steel for eg, by Center punching first, and setting the drill bit long in the chuck for maximum flexibility, it will Center on the Center punch mark and the flex in the shank of drill “absorbs” the remaining eccentricity in the spindle & chuck, to be able to drill somewhat accurate holes. Not so much however in wood, it’s difficult to be as accurate drilling wood. So I’m keen to try & rectify the bend in the spindle if it can be achieved by removing it & some how heating and straightening / truing it up? Would it be better to just turn a new replacement spindle on a metal Lathe maybe? Is it possible the quill was also bent at the time the spindle was bent by its previous owner? It’s frustrating not being able to buy replacement parts! If I could fix it, I’d keep it as a 2nd drill press and set it up solely to drill mortises in wood, and just buy a new drill press for accuracy drilling steel etc. Thanks in advance, for any suggested further remedy.

I have a craftsman 12 inch drill press, built similarly to this Delta. Is there any way to take out vertical slack out of the quill? I seem to have about an 1/"8 inch play. I do very light milling on aluminum parts and this 1/8" slack (up and down) makes it very difficult?

mone kira drill press has 3 bearings, two ball bearing 6202 and 6003 number and one single direction thrust bearing number 51103.i think this thrust bearing give it extra support while drilling :) but anyway your video is very educated but i can't understand why you hammer direct on the spindle even you want to change it.if steel is soft you can simply rivet it if i m not wrong.i think you can use atleast hardwood for spacer between hammer.

Very helpful information, thanks! I'm going to hit up ereplacementparts.com to order a new handle for my press solely because this video was such a big help.

Feel free to visit our website or check out the video description for more details on getting the part you need. Thanks for watching!

Hi,I have a BD dp600 drill press and the chuck fell off, shaft seems very short. At the top, front pulley, the shaft is about 2 inches above the pulley. I tried to tap it down but it won't move. How do I get the shaft down please? thanks, ED

Please Use Safety glasses and a brass hammer when hammering on the MT end!

ty sir

I found this video helpful, this is my comment.😉👍🏽

Need to be using a brass hammer or a brass drift pin to keep from deforming the ends of the shaft

thanks

very nice,ive been looking to buy a nice used one but i seem to get beet by some one who buys them and turns around and sell them for just about what i can get new

Where can I obtain a new spindle ?

The title says how to "repair" a spindle not replace it.

We'll done

Clarified a lot about how a drill press works, especially how to mount the darn chuck to the darn spindle!!

Eye safety!

Why is Mark not wearing safety glasses?

DIAL GAUGE???

Ten kriton

Dude, take a safely class! Where is your eye protection? Amazing.