Chucks for a screwdriver: what are there and how to choose?

The screwdriver is one of the most popular and demanded by hand power tool masters. The design of the tool is rather monotonous, but the cartridges used can be very different. What they are and how to choose them - in more detail in this article.

The popularity of this power tool is due to a number of its advantages, the main of which is its versatility. You can screw in (unscrew) screws, screws, self-tapping screws, using a wide range of different bits. You can, by inserting a drill, drill a hole both in a wooden product and in metal. There are other attachments that expand the range of application of the screwdriver. The next advantage of the tool is mobility. Having a removable battery, this electrical device can be used where it is impossible to turn on a conventional electric drill due to the lack of an electrical network.

In specialized auto repair shops and enterprises, pneumatic screwdrivers are often used. A feature of this option is the drive from a compressed air stream. For the tool to function properly, a compressed gas cylinder or compressor is required, which will supply air through a hose. The advantage of this product is its high productivity. If during a work shift you need to constantly tighten and unscrew many screws and nuts, a pneumatic screwdriver is indispensable.

The more common household appliance with a removable battery, whose performance is limited by the electrical capacity of the battery, is of course not intended for the industrial scale of the work performed.

The chuck is one of the most important parts of a screwdriver. He got the cartridge from his predecessor - an ordinary hand drill, and she, in turn, from a stationary drilling machine. Due to the requirements for the new tool, this part has undergone a number of design improvements.

A conventional chuck of a drilling machine, the main task of which is to securely hold the drill for a long timeoperating in constant mode turned out to be not very convenient for a hand-held mobile tool. Due to its high reliability, this type of chuck is very widespread, it can be successfully used for a variety of attachments, and a special wrench allows you to reliably tighten the knot. But the key is also the weak link of the whole structure. A quick replacement of a working tool is impossible with it, and an accidental loss of a key can stop work for a long time, since it will be impossible to remove or install a drill or bit.

The chuck for the screwdriver had to become no less mobile than the tool itself, intended for individual use.The design thought, as is often the case, went in one direction, but in different ways. As a result, several types of cartridges for cordless screwdrivers appeared, the common property of which was their functionality, speed and ease of use, i.e. replacement of working tools.

Industrial companies have mastered several types of cartridges used for their screwdrivers, some are interchangeable, others are strictly individual. Each species has a number of advantages, but none is devoid of disadvantages. This is probably why a single universal type of product has not yet been developed that would satisfy the desires of consumers and the capabilities of manufacturers.

Keyless chuck is simple in design: on the steel spindle there is a steel sleeve with a grooved for the convenience of holding it by hand. To tighten, you do not need a special key that requires constant attention. This is one of the most reliable and durable types of cartridge, but it also becomes unusable over time with active use. Round shank drills become more and more difficult to tighten as they begin to turn. Over time, the jaws that hold the drill will trigger. It is better to simply replace the product.

The self-locking chuck also does not require a special key. This is one of the most technically advanced cartridges available. It does not require the use of muscle strength to tighten it. A slight turn of the movable coupling is sufficient. Some screwdriver models use single sleeve chucks. Others have two swivel couplings. This type of chuck is most convenient for frequent changes of working nozzles, for example, when drilling alternates with screwing screws and you have to quickly rearrange the drill and bit. The main body parts of this chuck are made of tool steel, and the outer parts are plastic.

Chuck with hex shank (hexagon). As the name implies, the shank of this product has a hexagonal shape. This chuck also does not require a special key. This type of knot is widespread on mini-drills and for special engraving machines used in jewelry and bone carving. Also, special collet chucks are used for mini-drills and drills. With the help of such micro-tools, holes are drilled for mounting electronic boards.

The fastening of the chuck to the tool shaft is also different. It is not always possible to find a mention of this important design feature of your screwdriver in the instructions. With the inevitable replacement of the cartridge, you often have to deal with this difficult issue on your own. There are several types of fastening, as well as the cartridges themselves.

Threaded fastening is quite common. To remove such a chuck, you need to clamp the hex key of the largest possible size in it. Turning the key counterclockwise, it is worth unscrewing the chuck from the shaft. Sometimes quite a lot of effort is required to remove the knot. In some cases, you will have to resort to using a hammer.

There is also an old Morse taper mount. This method of connecting the cartridge and the shaft has been known since the end of the 19th century and is still quite widespread. The shaft has a taper such that the reverse taper must be on the chuck. The angles of the cones must match. A left-hand screw is also used to secure the assembly. On cartridges with such a mount, there may be markings: B10, B14, etc., from 4 to 45.

The numbers encrypt the size of the cone. The numbers next to it will indicate the shank diameter of the work piece that can be clamped by this assembly. The cones in the process of long-term work can rub quite tightly against each other. Often you have to use a hammer to separate them, and sometimes disassemble the tool itself, removing the drive shaft. Further manipulations will be much more convenient. Sometimes the chuck has wrench edges, this greatly simplifies the work.

The screwdriver chuck remains the most vulnerable part of it, this is due to the constant manipulations necessary to change the working tool. This main drawback of the site is caused by the very logic of its existence. It is impossible to avoid periodic replacement of the chuck during intensive use of the screwdriver. During the operation of the tool, the unit constantly experiences stress, which is difficult to combine with the mobility of its individual parts.

Chuck malfunctions are easy to identify. The first signal will be the frequent cranking of the drill, at first with a small diameter, and then more and more. Over time, in the process of work, bits may begin to jump out. In some cases, the centering is disturbed and the drill actively "hits", this phenomenon is not only unpleasant, but also quite dangerous, as it causes the drill to break. At high revs, a splinter of it can cause serious injury.

An improperly clamped bit can cause increased material consumption due to unintentional deterioration and can also cause injury when screwing in the screw. When choosing a new cartridge instead of a worn one, you need to pay attention to the factory markings.

How to choose a chuck for a screwdriver, see the video below.