A Practical Guide to Craftsman 150 Drill Press Chuck Removal
The Craftsman 150 series is a common benchtop press, and the day you need to swap its chuck, whether the jaws are worn or you want a keyless one, you will find it held on by nothing but a friction taper. Craftsman 150 drill press chuck removal is a quick job once you know to break the taper rather than look for a bolt, and doing it cleanly keeps the next chuck running true.
On a Craftsman 150 the chuck sits on an arbor whose Morse taper wedges into the spindle, and the chuck grips that arbor on a shorter Jacobs taper. Removing it means driving a drift or wedges into the spindle slot to press the arbor and chuck out, or pressing the chuck off its arbor if you are only changing the chuck.
Short answer: unplug the press, lower and lock the quill to expose the spindle slot, then drive a drift key or wedges into the slot to press the arbor and chuck out. Support the chuck as it releases and keep tools off the ground taper faces.
Know your press before you start
The Craftsman 150 line covers several model numbers, such as 113-prefix presses, so:
- Note your full model number for the correct replacement chuck and arbor taper.
- These presses commonly use a Jacobs-taper chuck on a Morse-taper arbor; confirm yours.
- Some Craftsman heads locate parts with a taper pin, so watch for pins as you work.
- Decide whether you are removing the whole arbor assembly or just the chuck.
The tool that protects accuracy
A factory drift key works in the spindle slot if you have one. A drill chuck removal wedge set handles both the Morse and Jacobs joints and spreads force on the shoulders instead of the ground faces, which preserves the surfaces that center the chuck. It fits the JT33 and JT6 tapers common on these presses.
The honest drawback: the chuck drops the moment the taper lets go, so support it. Who should skip the wedges: anyone with a clean spindle slot and the correct factory drift.
Removing it, step by step
- Unplug the press.
- Decide: whole assembly, or just the chuck.
- For the assembly, lower and lock the quill to expose the spindle slot, then drive a drift or wedges into the slot.
- For the chuck alone, set wedges between the chuck and the arbor shoulder and press it off.
- Support the chuck so it lands soft, keeping tools off the taper faces.
- Wipe every taper dry and bright before refitting.
Break the taper, keep it clean
Removing a Craftsman 150 chuck is a friction-joint job. Note your model, decide which taper to break, use a drift or wedges on the shoulders, support the chuck, and reseat on clean, dry surfaces so it runs true.
Three takeaways:
- The chuck holds by a taper; break the joint, do not unscrew it.
- Note your 113-prefix model for the correct chuck and arbor taper.
- Support the chuck, protect the taper faces, and reseat dry.
FAQ
How is the chuck held on a Craftsman 150 drill press? By a Jacobs-taper grip on a Morse-taper arbor that wedges into the spindle. It is friction, not threads, so you break the taper to remove it.
How do I remove the chuck? Lower and lock the quill to expose the spindle slot, then drive a drift key or wedges into the slot to press the arbor and chuck out.
How do I find my exact model? Read the model number off the ID label, usually a 113 prefix on these Craftsman presses. Use it to match the correct replacement chuck.
The chuck alone needs changing, not the arbor. How? Set wedges between the chuck and the arbor shoulder and press the chuck off, leaving the arbor in the spindle.
The taper will not release. What now? Soak the joint with penetrating oil, wait, and try again. A seized taper needs time.
Why does the new chuck wobble? Usually a dirty or nicked taper. Clean all mating surfaces, inspect the arbor, and reseat before checking runout.
References
- Sears PartsDirect, Craftsman drill press parts and diagrams: https://www.searspartsdirect.com
- VintageMachinery.org, Craftsman drill press documentation: http://vintagemachinery.org
