Mill: Holding a router bit in a drill chuck -- bad idea

[homebrewed]

On occasion I've used my drill chuck to hold an end mill for doing "light" milling, because I didn't want to take the time to swap out the chuck for an end mill holder. It worked OK. Today I was using a 90 degree router bit, mounted in my drill chuck, to relieve an angle on a piece of oak trim that I had clamped on my mill. Everything was going OK -- until it didn't. Apparently the vibration, plus the side load, loosened the chuck in its taper, and it dropped onto the piece while it was spinning. It really messed up the oak piece I was milling, but, fool's luck, it didn't mar the vise or chuck as far as I can tell. Lucky me. Hopefully wiser now....a little, anyway.

 

[mmcmdl]

Yanked it off the arbor I suppose ? One of the first rules in a shop is never mill with a drill chuck , use a collet or end mill holder . Dangerous but you also destroy your chucks concentricity .

 

[homebrewed]

The router bit is the type that has a bearing on the end, for doing trim work. I think I had the bearing in too-close contact with the work, so it exerted a continuous sideways force on the bit, chuck and arbor. Since everything was rotating it basically wiggled the chuck right out of the arbor. Duh.

Lesson learned.

 

[benmychree]

I HATE it when that happens!

 

[KBeitz]

My factory made overhead router table come only with a chuck and can not be changed.
No problems so far....