Drill chucks hold rotating bits and can hold other rotary tools, with keyed or keyless options. Keyed chucks require a removable key, while keyless chucks use a sleeve. Chucks can have up to six jaws, with self-centering chucks being common for home power drills. Self-centering chucks use a rotating collar to move the jaws together and have a self-tightening feature.
A drill chuck is the part of a drill that holds the rotating bit. Drill chucks are designed to hold the bit tightly and not loosen even when there is high torque. They can also be used to hold other types of rotary tools, such as screwdrivers or rotary spades for making large holes. Drill chucks can be keyed or keyless, depending on user preference and tool requirements.
A keyed drill chuck requires a removable key to open and close it. The key is a T-shaped tool that is inserted next to the chuck. When the chuck key is turned, it moves a gear that rotates the collar around the jaws to open or close them. A keyless drill chuck works on a similar principle, but instead of a key, the user rotates the chuck with a sleeve at the end of the drill to open and close the jaws. Some people prefer keyless chucks, especially for home power drills, because the key to the chuck is easily lost. However, a keyed chuck can hold the bit more securely since it provides more torque and can be hand-tightened more efficiently using less force.
Some drill chucks have up to six jaws, depending on the thickness of the surfaces the drill is to penetrate. The more jaws a chuck has, the stronger it is. You need four jaws in a drill chuck that will hold a square bit. Most home power drill chucks have three jaws and are self-centering. This means that the three jaws move in and out evenly to grip a round workpiece and hold it straight. Chucks with independent jaws are used to hold oval drills, or in specialized jobs that require great precision in centering the drill.
A self-centering chuck works with a rotating collar much like a nut. The wires inside the collar are angled so that when the collar is turned, a movement is created that moves the jaws together. This design is very beneficial for a drill because it allows the user to open and close it easily, but it will not open easily from the torque of the drill. Some drill chucks have a self-tightening feature that is designed to tighten when the drill suddenly encounters a surface that requires more torque.
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