# First time disassembling an Albrecht chuck



## Technical Ted (Dec 2, 2018)

In a recent purchase I picked up 6 Albrecht chucks, all in very nice shape. There were 3 1/16'-1/2" and 3 of varying smaller sizes. A very nice score!

Anyways, one of the larger had a #2MT shank. I decided to use that one on my lathes that have #3MT tail stocks, so I ordered a new shank. From my research, it looked to me like the best way to remove the existing shank was to disassemble the chuck and press it out. So, I started to look for tips on doing this.

I found this: http://www.machinistblog.com/rebuilding-an-albrecht-drill-chuck/ which I believe might be from @mikey ? If so, I want to thank him very much for the very useful instructions. There is no doubt I would have put grease on the internal threads if I had not read this post. 

Everything went smoothly and now I have a #3MT shank on my nice chuck!

Ted


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## mikey (Dec 2, 2018)

Yup, that's me and you're welcome, Ted. Glad it came in handy!


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## middle.road (Dec 4, 2018)

Oh man, one has to disassemble them?
I want to put an R8 on my 5/8" that has a straight shank...
My luck at dis-assembling drill chucks and getting them back together, is '0' for many...


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## BaronJ (Dec 4, 2018)

A pair of taper wedges comes in handy, often with help of a "G" clamp and hammer.


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

middle.road said:


> Oh man, one has to disassemble them?
> I want to put an R8 on my 5/8" that has a straight shank...
> My luck at dis-assembling drill chucks and getting them back together, is '0' for many...



Dan, why not just leave that straight shank in there? If it has to come out, there are many ways to get an arbor out of an Albrecht, like the wedges that Baron pointed out, or a ball joint fork or whatever. You only have to take an Albrecht apart if it is malfunctioning, damaged or if you have to get an arbor out that is totally stuck. Luckily, getting it apart is not hard to do and it is a good opportunity to clean it out and make sure everything is in working order. 

Besides, you need one in the win column, right?


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## Aukai (Dec 4, 2018)

Is it safe to spray LPS 2 to the outside of the chuck, or will this lead to oil getting inside?


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

Sure, no problem. Just don't spray into the chuck.


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## Aukai (Dec 4, 2018)

Thank you, high salt environment at my house. LOL


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## Jubil (Dec 4, 2018)

This used to be a "dumb question" I'm sure, but not anymore because I'm asking.Why not get oil inside the chuck?

Chuck


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

An Albrecht keyless chuck relies on the threaded spindle inside being oil-free so it can lock down on a bit and stay locked. If oil gets in there the bit will come loose and spin. That's why so many ebay chucks are so hard to disassemble. Folks think cranking down on the hood will keep the bit from spinning in the chuck but it won't. You have to take the chuck apart and clean the oil out of the spindle threads.


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## Technical Ted (Dec 4, 2018)

Originally, I was considering putting an R8 on one of my chuck too, but decided against it. One currently has a short 1/2" straight shank. I like this better since it doesn't take much clearance to put it into a collet to use it. My Jacob's chuck has a R8 and I usually end up having to crank the knee way down to have enough room to put it into the spindle. The short 1/2" shank in the collet works great and holds well so I'm sticking with that.

I didn't have the wedges and didn't want to buy them so I decided to disassemble the chuck to push the arbor out. This also gave me the opportunity to clean it out good and re-grease the balls. The arbor popped right out with my arbor press. 

If you make the two clamps mikey describes in his write up disassembly is pretty easy.  The hard part is holding the pieces so you can unscrew them. With clamps made out of aluminum it's a piece of cake.

Ted


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## Jubil (Dec 4, 2018)

mikey said:


> An Albrecht keyless chuck relies on the threaded spindle inside being oil-free so it can lock down on a bit and stay locked. If oil gets in there the bit will come loose and spin. That's why so many ebay chucks are so hard to disassemble. Folks think cranking down on the hood will keep the bit from spinning in the chuck but it won't. You have to take the chuck apart and clean the oil out of the spindle threads.




Thanks Mikey,. I'm thinking of spraying some mineral spirits in mine cause it's almost new and I don't want to disassemble it. Not sure if I have sprayed wd40 in it or not but I want it to continue to work properly.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 4, 2018)

Technical Ted said:


> Originally, I was considering putting an R8 on one of my chuck too, but decided against it. One currently has a short 1/2" straight shank. I like this better since it doesn't take much clearance to put it into a collet to use it. My Jacob's chuck has a R8 and I usually end up having to crank the knee way down to have enough room to put it into the spindle. The short 1/2" shank in the collet works great and holds well so I'm sticking with that.


I totally agree with that.  Not just for chucks, for all kinds of tooling.  The straight shank can be pretty short, all the clamping force is at the tapered bottom end of the collet.  A shank 1/2" diameter and 1 1/2" long works just as good at not slipping as a full length one does.  Having more different tooling with the same size shank helps even more.  Leave the collet, change to another tool with the same size shank.


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 4, 2018)

I would have a package of (the correct size) bearing balls ready before dismantling the chuck, the bearings in the chuck have a bad habit of jumping out and rolling in the deepest darkest place in your shop where they may never be seen again. DAMHIKT.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 4, 2018)

Jubil said:


> Thanks Mikey,. I'm thinking of spraying some mineral spirits in mine cause it's almost new and I don't want to disassemble it. Not sure if I have sprayed wd40 in it or not but I want it to continue to work properly.


You are better off to take it apart per the instructions in the link in post 1 of this thread, written by Mikey.  Albrecht chucks get ruined by not being correct inside, and it is not really a big task to service them.  It is very likely you will need the special aluminum clamps to hold the chuck body and the shroud.   Makeshift tooling for that will tear up the finish and can damage the chuck.  Mikey's instructions are right on correct, better than the Albrecht instructions.


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## Bob Korves (Dec 4, 2018)

Ken from ontario said:


> I would have a package of (the correct size) ball bearings ready before dismantling the chuck, the bearings in the chuck have a bad habit of jumping out and rolling in the deepest darkest place in your shop where they may never be seen again. DAMHIKT.


Do the disassembly with a oil pan or other container below the chuck to catch everything that comes out.  Make sure a full complement of 25 undamaged balls goes back in place when reassembling the chuck.  Not one less, not one more, the exact correct count.  I think the count is the same for all Albrecht chucks.


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## Technical Ted (Dec 4, 2018)

Bob Korves said:


> You are better off to take it apart per the instructions in the link in post 1 of this thread, written by Mikey.  Albrecht chucks get ruined by not being correct inside, and it is not really a big task to service them.  It is very likely you will need the special aluminum clamps to hold the chuck body and the shroud.   Makeshift tooling for that will tear up the finish and can damage the chuck.  Mikey's instructions are right on correct, better than the Albrecht instructions.



Yup, I agree... and I was lucky. The balls stayed in place when I took things apart. But, I did follow mickey's advice and made sure I was over a shop towel. This would keep them from bouncing around if they did come out.

Being my first usage of Albrecht chucks, I was surprised on how little pressure you need to tighten down the chuck on a tool to hold it in place. I just snug them up and they hold tight! 

I'm REALLY starting to love these chucks!

Ted


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

Yeah, and they get tighter as they encounter the cutting forces when drilling. Then just a twist of the wrist and the chuck loosens. Totally awesome design!


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

Jubil said:


> Thanks Mikey,. *I'm thinking of spraying some mineral spirits in mine* cause it's almost new and I don't want to disassemble it. Not sure if I have sprayed wd40 in it or not but I want it to continue to work properly.



Please don't do this. It isn't necessary to spray anything inside the chuck. Mineral spirits may leave deposits inside and you want the spindle threads clean and dry. If you did spray WD-40 in there or if the chuck malfunctions, take it apart. As Bob says, not hard to do.


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## EmilioG (Dec 4, 2018)

I purchased the Albrecht removal tools for the arbors. They make arbor removal a snap. 
You can probably make them. 

Also, you can press out Albrecht chucks like Jacobs. It’s threaded hood comes off with the aluminum clamps as in Mikey’s Blog post. 
Awesome write up. 


Having a good vise is also key. Boring the clamp holes is best. You need a nice round hole.  Out of round clamps just don’t work as well.  I clamp them right at the top thread area on the knurls.  Good luck.


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## mikey (Dec 4, 2018)

I tore apart one Albrecht 1/2" chuck in preparation for putting on my drill press. For some reason, I dropped all the ball bearings on the garage floor. It took over an hour to find all of them and I was ****** at myself. Then I moved to my shop and during the course of cleaning and reassembling that chuck, I dropped all 25 bearings three more times - three - for a total of FOUR times!

I did this before writing that article on rebuilding Albrecht chucks and now you know why I said to be careful and work over a shop towel. Spending hours trying to find that last ball bearing is enough to make you say colorful words!


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## ddickey (Dec 4, 2018)

You can also use two dowel pins and a vise to get certain arbors out, MT5's and maybe 4's.


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## Technical Ted (Dec 5, 2018)

mikey said:


> I tore apart one Albrecht 1/2" chuck in preparation for putting on my drill press. For some reason, I dropped all the ball bearings on the garage floor. It took over an hour to find all of them and I was ****** at myself. Then I moved to my shop and during the course of cleaning and reassembling that chuck, I dropped all 25 bearings three more times - three - for a total of FOUR times!
> 
> I did this before writing that article on rebuilding Albrecht chucks and now you know why I said to be careful and work over a shop towel. Spending hours trying to find that last ball bearing is enough to make you say colorful words!



I was lucky... (knock, knock, knock on my wood desk) and didn't drop any balls. It certainly helps when you've been given a heads up on what to expect. I lifted the shell off keeping the body upright and they stayed in place. There was also enough residual grease to help hold the balls in place. I then flipped the piece over and tapped it on my shop towel and the balls came out without bouncing all over the place. 

Putting them back in with a pair of large tweezers was a piece of cake. The new grease held them in place like glue.

It sure helps when you do some searching on-line to find resources like mikey's post and there are also some decent YouTube videos as well. 

I wouldn't hesitate to take another one apart now after seeing how easy it is. 

Ted


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## ddickey (Dec 5, 2018)

The integrated shank Albrechts have I believe 42 balls.


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## Jubil (Dec 5, 2018)

mikey said:


> Please don't do this. It isn't necessary to spray anything inside the chuck. Mineral spirits may leave deposits inside and you want the spindle threads clean and dry. If you did spray WD-40 in there or if the chuck malfunctions, take it apart. As Bob says, not hard to do.



The chuck hasn't malfunctioned as yet. I have sprayed the outside with wd40 and Fluid Film to prevent rust and knowing me I may have sprayed inside. (My shop is uninsulated and drafty as an old barn). Looks like I'll learn to service an Albrecht chuck soon. Thanks again.


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## mikey (Dec 5, 2018)

Nah, as long as the chuck works well, just use it. When it starts to act up, take it apart at that time. Oil on the outside is fine. You might give Camellia Oil a try. It was used to preserve fine Samurai swords for hundreds of years; should protect an Albrecht chuck in Texas!


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 6, 2018)

mikey said:


> You might give Camellia Oil a try. It was used to preserve fine Samurai swords for hundreds of years;


I wonder if a cutting oil would work better on Samurai swords!


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## mikey (Dec 6, 2018)

Ken from ontario said:


> I wonder if a cutting oil would work better on Samurai swords!



Not sure about rust prevention but it might allow the sword to cut cleaner!


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## EmilioG (Dec 8, 2018)

What is the procedure to disassemble an Albrecht chuck with the integrated arbor? I know that the knurled top ring presses off and from there, I imagine that the narrow section underneath this ring can be clamped with an aluminum clamp. I think these integral shank chucks require a bearing
clamp. The automotive two piece type. We have one at work (integral R8 Albrecht 1/2") that I'd like to put new jaws in.


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## ddickey (Dec 8, 2018)

A bearing clamp sure would make it easy. I made my own out of an aluminum piece, then just tapped around and slowly tapped it off. After that mostly the same. The spindle assembly will slide back off past the R8 collet. This is where you'll find the 42 bearings.


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## Z2V (Jul 14, 2021)

ddickey said:


> You can also use two dowel pins and a vise to get certain arbors out, MT5's and maybe 4's.


Excellent idea. Two #29 drill bits worked just fine on a JT33.
Yeah, I know this is an old thread but it worked.
Thanks


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## JRaut (Jul 14, 2021)

mikey said:


> An Albrecht keyless chuck relies on the threaded spindle inside being oil-free so it can lock down on a bit and stay locked. If oil gets in there the bit will come loose and spin.



WHOA! Mind blown!

I've got 3 different eBay special Albrecht chucks that I use all the time ----

1/2" capacity chuck on an MT2 arbor for my lathe;
1/2" capacity chuck on an R8 arbor for my Bridgeport; and
3/8" capacity chuck on a 1/2" straight shank for smaller/sensitive stuff.

I disassembled each of them, cleaned each of them, and used Dow Molykote *molybdenum grease to lubricate the spindle threads**.

Seems like I better add "Disassemble and Clean Albrecht Chucks" to my whiteboard.


*Edit: They sure do spin smoothly though!


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