Drill Bits Falling Out of Chuck...

[jmbfestool]

What conclusions?  That the original festool chuck which came with the T15 is not to blame but the fact its because the drill comes to a sudden stop OR simply its a crap chuck end off and sounds like the porter cable is just as crap.    A chuck should hold a bit no mater how many times it comes to a sudden stop.   A ratchet chuck holds perfectly fine even when drills come to a sudden stop.       Festool clearly knew it was a problem because all new chucks are ratchet.  

Chill!   I was complaining about people coming to the false conclusion that since THEY haven't seen the problem, it doesn't exist.   And no, I agree with you....Drillbits shouldn't fly out of the chucks on ANY quality designed and built hand tool.     If a ratcheting chuck is the answer, then Festool should make right by early owners.    However, the chucks on my shop equipment are not the ratcheting type, and they seem to hold just fine.   

I am chilled.  Just the way I write I suppose comes across as crazy man!

Just thought you was another person saying its not the chuck but that newer drills have this electric stop causing the problem. 
It is annoying festool brought out the chuck on the T15 which was non ratcheting when other branded drills like milwuakee , dewalt, Makita, Bosch had ratchet chucks on their drills for years well before festool T15 was released yet festool decided not to have ratchet.    When I bought my first T15 drill I noticed it was non ratchet but thought nothing off it untill pretty much 80% of the time my drill bits fall out was very frustrating! No mater how tight you do it, it comes loose eventually.  Festool solved this later on with new chucks but I found this little unfair to have to spend £66 to get one my self.  So I have never bought one still haven't till this day. 

Saying that festool has been very fair with me with other problems I have had so I can't really complain! I always had good service.

Welcome to FOG by the way!   

 

[harry_]

I am chilled.  Just the way I write I suppose comes across as crazy man!

Ya think?! [poke] [laughing]

 

[fastbike]

If you're talking about the PC 12V Lithium compact, I can say that this is not my experience. I have used this drill for several years (several days a week) and have not had bits "fly out". They haven't dropped out either.

People are very quick to come to conclusions....   I don't own a Festool, but I came to this forum to see if anyone had a solution for the Porter Cable we just bought.  (Bits keep coming loose.)  I've used a lot of cordless drills with keyless chucks, as well as keyless chucks on milling machines and lathes, without any problem.   (I'm a machinist.)   On this compact drill, you can start and stop the drill a dozen times without touching the bit to anything, and the bit will fly right out.   I suspect the problem is the low mass of the motor armature, coupled with a very powerful permanent magnet.  The drill comes to such a sudden stop, tit shocks the chuck loose.  I'd bet if the chuck coasted to a stop like on an AC (corded drill), this would never occur.   

 

[jmbfestool]

I am chilled.  Just the way I write I suppose comes across as crazy man!

Ya think?! [poke] [laughing]

[tongue]

 

[fdengel]

Never had this issue with the (non-ratcheting) chuck on my C12.

The only complaint I have about it is the need to put it back on the drill to get the bit out of it if I removed the chuck with a bit still TIGHTened inside.

Other than that I rather like it.

EDIT: any chance the UK users have a slightly different model of chuck from the rest of us for some reason?

 

[jmbfestool]

I am chilled.  Just the way I write I suppose comes across as crazy man!

Ya think?! [poke] [laughing]

  [tongue]

 

[JayStPeter]

I haven't been keeping up with this thread much, but I've never really been impressed with the chuck on my TDK 12.  Prior to the TDK, I had a 12V Porter Cable that cost a whopping $80 on sale.  
I used the PC for I'd say 8 years.  I'm a hobby woodworker and avid DIY'er, so it gets use for everything around the house.  This includes drilling metal occasionally.  While the assertion that drilling metal is bad for chucks may be valid, the PC chuck is way better at holding bits for metal than the one on my TDK.  It stood the test of time better also.  If I compare the PC and TDK, the TDK feels way more solid overall.  Even the chuck seems to have more metal content than the plastic PC.  But, the PC holds both round and hex bits better ... quite a bit better.  The TDK has a little more power, but only a little.  The TDK wins on smaller size and accessory chucks.  For the last few years, the advantage of changing the chuck for centrotec hasn't been as significant as the drill chuck is extremely difficult to remove from the drill anymore.  The TDK would probably also win in build quality and longevity (other than the chuck), but like the PC I suspect batteries will end its life before the motor does with my usage.
There is an assertion by the OP that the problem is "operator error" and maybe I don't know how to tighten the bits.  I do tighten bits with the motor.  I did it with my PC and it worked fine, and it does on the Festool for smaller drill bits too.  When I know there is going to be more torque necessary, I'll tighten it more.  The PC has a nicer chuck for that as there is a large area you can grip and use two hands against each other to tighten the chuck.  You have to fiddle fart around with hex bits in the Festool where they tended to rotate into the correct position and tighten easily in the PC.  I immediately noticed my hex bits falling out and galling of drill bits when I got the TDK.  It took a bit of learning to figure out how to minimize that, and at this point I don't have hex bits falling out very often.  But, you just can't get enough power to prevent galling of larger drill bits.  The PC would about break my wrist when a bit caught, but the TDK just spins the bit out and galls it.  Maybe it's a safety feature, yeah .. that's it.
I don't think I will buy another set of replacement batteries for the TDK again with the poor function of the chuck just getting worse.  I don't see buying two batteries and a new style chuck for this one being a smart use of money.  Hopefully it'll last a couple more years so I don't have to make a decision anytime soon.  In the mean time, I've recently rediscovered that I have some pretty nice corded tools and have been using them more often when I know the TDK chuck is not going to cut it.  Maybe Festool should be honing in on the corded DW keyless chuck as it is very nice and strong.  Even on my 15 year old model.