Centrotec tools have axial play. Why?

[Yoggoth]

Hello. This is my first message here.
Just bought a Festool 576931 Organizer set with Centrotec tools, including wood drill bits, long driving bits and a magnetic bit holder.
They all have an axial play in the Centrotec chuck. About .15 mm for a magnetic bit holder, .35 mm for long driving bits. In average .25 mm, which I believe to be .01". This can seem tiny, but it feels unsatisfying.
I have also adapted mechanical Wiha bit holder to work with the Centrotec chuck. No play.
This is because Centrotec tool have a groove which is too wide, and a groove in my Wiha holder is (probably too) narrow.
But why it is too wide? Any reason for that?

I am considering selling those Centrotec tools while they are still new and unused, and buy some other good quality non-Centrotec tools and converting them like I did with my Wiha holder. It will take my time, but will be cheaper and will have less play. Those Centrotec tools I have costs like 2- or 3- week salary here in Ukraine, quite expensive.

 

[six-point socket II]

Well, no one here can help you with your feelings about the purchase.

In the end, do they show exzessive runout while actually being used to drill holes or fasten screws? Does it negatively impact the quality of your work?

If yes: return or sell.

If no: keep.

If you're unsatisfied - for whatever reason - return or sell.

I can only speak for myself, but I'm using Centrotec for years now, not once did I feel the need to check/measure runout. They are high-quality drill bits doing what they are supposed to do. At least for me.

As to why, this is, to this day, the best explanation/ introduction to Centrotec on the web by [member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]


Kind regards,
Oliver

PS: If your location is truly what it says, stay safe & God bless! Слава Україні

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I agree with Oliver. If this is actually affecting your work, abandon for what works best for you. But for hand-held activities, that tiny bit of runout is pretty much overridden by our hands moving all over the place. 'Nature of the beast. Now runout on a drill press is a totally different issue...

 

[Yoggoth]

Do you (both) call "axial play" as "runout"? By axial play I mean moving forward and backward, by runout I mean that the tool or shaft does not rotate exactly in line with the main axis.
I like Centrotec tools for having both low runout AND convenience. Still it can be made even better.

Made a new discovery just now.
Look a a photo, the smallest bit has smaller chamfer. Had noticed this because this bit can not be inserted into the chuck. No way. A small file will help, of course.

 

[six-point socket II]

Ok, understood. The bits move forward and backward when locked in the chuck. Even less of an issue/ no issue at all if you ask me.

I just checked/verified with my drills. With regular Festool drill/drivers there is a tiny bit of back and forth movement, if I gently force it. I can clearly feel the balls of that bearing moving/working against spring tension and then going back. So if I do not "force" it, the bits are perfectly seated and stay in position.

However, if I take my Festool percussion drill/driver instead, I can move the bits a tiny bit back and forth freely. But that is expected/ by design.

Again, I don't see any issue with it.

That the 3mm bit can't be inserted into the chuck is strange but somehow possible I guess. So that one would need to be replaced.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[AlexThePalex]

A good design of a quick change system for drills requires some play between the parts. If not, you will have stuck parts very quickly. If there is no accounting for small tolerances, the smallest bit of rust, dust, or iron/stone shavings will make it impossible to remove the bit.

The movement might be noticeable during free run, but is gone once you apply pressure on a bit during use, so it has zero influence on the precision of your work.

 

[tomktest]

I totally hear you on this. If the point of centrotec is precision then it should be precise as possible. That said, I made most of my own centrotec bits with a drill press and grinder and on a few of them I made them too tight so they can be quite difficult to remove from the chuck. I've also had standard 1/4 hex bits stick in holders before which can be quite frustrating.

If someone made a nice 1/4" fast fix hex chuck I'd buy it in a minute and ditch centrotec completely. Someday if I ever buy a lathe....