T-15 drill chuck

J

J.C.

Member
Joined
May 4, 2010
Messages
16
I can say I've had just about enough of bits falling out of my drill.  I know the problem has been discussed here before and as I recall, the newer drills are suppose to now have ratcheting chucks but I don't think anyone had a defiant answer on the part number for the ratcheting chucks.  Anyone know what I need to order for me to be sure to get a ratcheting version?  I can't have anymore bits falling out onto customers floors.    [scared] [mad]
 
I always thought that all the T-15s came with a ratcheting chuck.  Maybe that was just the NA versions though.  The part number is 496905 - the description is a BF FX-13.  It is available as an accessory thru any dealer.

Peter
 
Oh dear!  

Yes!  What makes me angry that its £66 for a new one  and the time the T15 was released ALL decent drills had ratchet chucks BUT Festool Decided to make theirs a NON ratchet and to top it of they decided to make it the WORST non ratchet chuck on the market.    I personally think when they changed the chuck on the drills when they found out their chuck where CRAP they should of ATLEAST ATLEAST offered discount to the current T15 owners to get the newer version!

A few times I have felt like throwing my chuck as far as I could, see how far I could throw it but then I thought £66  £66 £66 to replace it sod da they are not getting my money for something crap they made!

Here is a video of Kreg and how his drill bit dropped out  makes me laugh but then cry as thats what happens with mine all the time!
 
Sorry I couldnt find it!  Found it now though!

About! 1.20  in the video  the Festool T15 chuck shows its true colours! CRAP! Mine does that ALL the time no mater how tight I tighten it after a a few holes it will eventually fall out

 
jmbfestool said:
Oh dear!  

Yes!  What makes me angry that its £66 for a new one  and the time the T15 was released ALL decent drills had ratchet chucks BUT Festool Decided to make theirs a NON ratchet and to top it of they decided to make it the WORST non ratchet chuck on the market.    I personally think when they changed the chuck on the drills when they found out their chuck where CRAP they should of ATLEAST ATLEAST offered discount to the current T15 owners to get the newer version!
Click to expand...

My sentiments exactly. Paid alot of money for a premium product that had a flaw and now Festool wants you to pay more money to correct a flaw that shouldn't have been there to begin with.
 
It can certainly be a cause of some embarrassment.  You drill a hole, turn around to talk to someone and the bit falls out of the drill.  What can you say?  Sorry, my $600 drill came with a $2 chuck.  [huh]  I've been putting it off but I really have to do something soon before I end up chipping a tile or ruin someones freshly refinished hardwood floor. 

Don't get me wrong, I love my festool tools but they do leave you scratching your head sometimes.  The two big things that get to me are the drill chuck and the outlet in the vacuum cleaner.  I don't know if they use the same outlet in all their lines of vacuums but I know the outlet in my Midi is cheapest feeling outlet I have ever used.  The outlets in the bargain bin at the cheapo depot are better.  It hasn't yet but I'm sure it will just be a matter of time before it has a melt down. 
 
i was glad when they replaced my t15 for a t18 because they swapped the chuck too. SSSSSSSSSSooooooooooo much better now
 
Deansocial said:
i was glad when they replaced my t15 for a t18 because they swapped the chuck too. SSSSSSSSSSooooooooooo much better now
Click to expand...

Thank you for rubbing it in!

Jmb
 
Using a cordless drill--any cordless drill--with a Kreg pocket-hole jig is a problem. The RPMs are not high enough to eject the chips, which clog the flutes and make the bit difficult to withdraw. Couple that with a weak chuck grip, and the bit is on the floor! Definitely not good if the point of the (expensive) pocket-hole bit breaks off, damages the floor, or both. Kreg recommends a drill speed of 2000-2500 RPM. which is a lot higher than any cordless drill I know of. The Festool is one of the quickest, at 1500 RPM. This is a no-load maximum, and the normal load, plus a weak battery, plus too much feed pressure equals packed flutes and a stuck bit. Perversely, it's better that the chuck lets go--otherwise the withdrawal effort might disrupt the clamp position. Drilling pocket holes with a (corded) Milwaukee 3/8" drill at 2000 RPM is a very different experience. But--the convenience of cordless means most of us will use these drills anyway, and take our chances. In the video someone posted on this thread, we see a guy working on a built in. The speed is way too low, the feed pressure is way too great, the bit is not ejecting the chips, and the chuck lets go. None of this excuses a poorly-designed chuck, but it's worth keeping in mind.
 
Nick C said:
Kreg recommends a drill speed of 2000-2500 RPM. which is a lot higher than any cordless drill I know of. The Festool is one of the quickest, at 1500 RPM.
Click to expand...

It is not available in the USA, but Festool has a sister company named Protool, they make cordless drills with 3800 rpm.

Nick C said:
The speed is way too low, the feed pressure is way too great, the bit is not ejecting the chips, and the chuck lets go. None of this excuses a poorly-designed chuck, but it's worth keeping in mind.
Click to expand...

Speed and feed pressure have no real influence of importance on the old Festool chuck holding or not. The only way to be sure it holds is to tighten it ultra-super-duper tight.
 
496905

By the way, the previous chucks hold fine if you give them that last securing twist by hand. You can't just run them up using the motor.

Tom
 
Tom Bellemare said:
496905

By the way, the previous chucks hold fine if you give them that last securing twist by hand. You can't just run them up using the motor.

Tom
Click to expand...

No they don't Tom!!  I have used mine for 3years and they do not hold fine no mater how tight you do them even with this last secure twist by hand.  You only gain a little bit more time by doing it as tight as you can but eventually the chuck let's go and your bit falls out. 

I have had other drills and never had this problem and they didn't even need this "final secure twist by hand" as just running them up with the motor works fine never had a bit fall out. So why does festoons old chuck need this " final twist by hand" which still does not work any way.

It's simply a pile of crap and you can't make excuses for it.  IT DOES NOT HOLD!

Jmb

 
I agree with jmb, just running them up with the motor holds fine on all other drills I have used, and that "final secure twist" is not just a slight nod as one might want, but you have to go all Hulk Hogan on that thing to get it tight enough not to let the bit slip.
 
Gent's:

I don't know if I got lucky or what? I have one of the first T 15's with its original chuck and haven't had bits drop out and I've used both small and bit bits. I've never owned a drill that would hold bits properly by just running up the chuck using the motor and a stopped hand so maybe my expectations are different.

When I first used drills, there was no such thing as keyless chucks (at least to my knowledge). I was taught to run it up snug with the motor and then tighten the chuck with the key, REAL TIGHT. I've always done the same with keyless chucks.

A while back, I made this video while trying to convince myself that I wasn't nuts in thinking my chuck doesn't spit bits. Like I stated above, maybe I got lucky...

Festool Non-Ratcheting Keyless Chuck

Tom
 
Alex said:
I agree with jmb, just running them up with the motor holds fine on all other drills I have used, and that "final secure twist" is not just a slight nod as one might want, but you have to go all Hulk Hogan on that thing to get it tight enough not to let the bit slip.
Click to expand...

I love that!

Dam right!
 
Tom Bellemare said:
Gent's:

I don't know if I got lucky or what? I have one of the first T 15's with its original chuck and haven't had bits drop out and I've used both small and bit bits. I've never owned a drill that would hold bits properly by just running up the chuck using the motor and a stopped hand so maybe my expectations are different.

When I first used drills, there was no such thing as keyless chucks (at least to my knowledge). I was taught to run it up snug with the motor and then tighten the chuck with the key, REAL TIGHT. I've always done the same with keyless chucks.

A while back, I made this video while trying to convince myself that I wasn't nuts in thinking my chuck doesn't spit bits. Like I stated above, maybe I got lucky...

Festool Non-Ratcheting Keyless Chuck

Tom
Click to expand...

Its what I said in my post above doing the ''final secure twist'' only gives you a little more time before the bit drops out.   Your only doing it for a short time and it WILL drop out again.  I went Hulk Hogan on my chuck many of times and the chuck would drop at least twice  if I was using it all day all the time.    Any way back to the point when did the T15 come out about 3years ago???   Well I had a drill 6 years ago which had a ratchet chuck so festool had 3 years at least (as im sure ratchet chucks came out more than 6years ago) to make their chuck ratchet.    The main point is you should not need to be going Green to tighten the stupid chuck up!    

I like working fast and I like to zip out my bits and stick another bit in with out the need of firmly grasping the drill to loosen and tighten every time.    Simple solution I just buy a new £66 pound ratchet chuck but I aint doing that.   It was obviously a problem thats why festool now send a ratchet chuck with all the new drills.

JMB
 
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