DeWalt Drills, How to replace the chuck on your DeWalt drill

Like the song Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band says “Time keeps on slipping, into the future”. That something that’s demonstrated in the rust buildup on your DeWalt drill chuck. The older The drill the more rust occurs and eventually that trusty old drill will need a little love in the form of replacing the chuck. Fortunately chucks are just about the easiest thing to replace out of all of the components on your cordless drill. Lets go through how to repair your drill step by step and after you are done with reading this you will be able to not just salvage your own tool, but help your friends know how to as well!

Chucks have several different ways of being fastened to the spindle of the drill. These methods include; pressure fitting the chuck to the spindle, using threads to fasten it into place or using a key to drive the chuck. The most common way of attaching a chuck to a drill is threading the chuck onto the drill then using a reverse thread screw to fasten it in the center of the chuck into the spindle. This is the method that is covered in this walk through.

The first thing you want to do is remove the DeWalt battery. If you are using a corded drill This prevents the motor from accidentally moving the spindle when you are removing the chuck. After stopping the power from flowing lock the trigger so it can’t compress. The trigger lock mechanism is right above the trigger.

Now open the chuck so that the leaves are fully retracted into the chuck. Use an Allen wrench to remove the screw from the center of the spindle. This screw is whats called a “reverse thread”. This means you will have to twist it clockwise rather then counter clockwise to remove it. This will probably take a little elbow grease because most of these screws use thread locker to aid in keeping the chuck in place.

Once you have removed the reverse thread fastening screw insert a larger Allen wrench into the center of the chuck. Something like ¼ in should do the trick. Now extend the leaves of the chuck to tighten it around the wrench. Using a hammer you will want to tap the wrench to help loosen the chuck from the spindle. Once loose grab the bottom of the chuck and twist counter clockwise to unthread the chuck its self from the spindle.

Follow these steps in reverse to fasten the new chuck to your drill. Now you’re a professional Dewalt drill repair specialist. Easy peasy!

The importance of maintaining your DeWalt planer.

Though not as adorable as a brand new puppy, that dusty old Dewalt planer sitting all by its lonesome in your shop also needs a little love every now and again. This isn’t new information, just common sense most of us already know. But there are some other things that you may not be aware of but are equally important to maintaining the life of your Dewalt as well as insuring that you get nice clean trims from whatever it is you’re planing down.

First it may not be the blades that is causing that uneven cut. The infeed and outfeed extensions are secured by adjustment bolts. The vibration of the machine can sometimes cause these bolts to change position leading to an unbalanced cut. The best way to check this is to lay a straight edge across the planer bed and the extensions. If you do have a extension that is off kilter this can be adjusted by two small bolts located under the extension its self. These bolts are quite sensitive so patience is the key to getting it to align correctly.

Now that the infeed and outfeed extensions are aligned it’s time to check the infeed and outfeed rollers. A lot of planers use rubber rollers to decrease the level of impact on softer woods. After a few years these rollers can harden and become deformed. Check to see what type of roller is in your machine and maintain it accordingly. If it’s harder then oak you might need to consider swapping them out for some new OEM Dewalt parts. Perfectly round genuine rollers are key to getting a solid straight cut with minimal trothing on your project

Now that those items are out of the way it’s time to take a peek at the blades. You can rotate a lot of blades to the opposite side. You will want to remove the blade housing and pull out the blades. Most planers come with a magnetic hook that allows you to replace the blade. This is to avoid the sharp knife edges and soft fingers coming into contact with each other. If your razors have already been rotated it’s time to replace them with some brand new Dewalt Blades. If you decide for new knives or refurbished ones, it is important to remember to clean and wax the knives before you reinsert them into the tool. This helps to remove friction between the blade and your cut to eliminate the scoring that the blades that can sometimes leave on harder woods.

Now you’re almost done! Keep that wax out because you’re going to be using it on a lot more then just the knives. Grab some noncorrosive cleaner and wipe down the table and extensions to remove any excess dust and build up inside the tool. Those little deposits can also cause imperfections in your trim. After you clean it grab your wax and coat the bed and walls. This helps to allow your pieces to slide easily through the cut and can also help reduce the black heat impressions left by the table. Buff the table and extensions  and you’re ready to attack that next project with what will seem like your brand new Dewalt planer.

DeWalt Carbon Brush Replacement

Have you ever noticed that after long term use of your DeWalt your tool starts to act a bit sluggish? Don’t worry, it happens to the best of tools but luckily for every tool owner it’s a fairly easy repair. Most of the time when you are losing power in your motor it’s the result of worn carbon brushes in the motor of your tool. Carbon motor brushes are easily one of the most commonly replaced  DeWalt parts.  This is because carbon brushes are what are known as wear items. Like chalk on a chalkboard over time the brushes slowly get worn down and limit the electricity transfer to the armature.  Worn brushes are common causes of stop and go motor function, reduced electric braking and reduced motor power. Some of the indicators of worn brushes is excessive sparking from the motor or the smell of electricity in the air after use of the tool. Replacement brushes are usually inexpensive and will help your tool will run as if you put in a brand new motor!

Carbon brushes consist of three main parts. The carbon block, the electric lead and the brush spring. This is often sold as a complete assembly but you will need to check the schematic of your tool to make sure. You can do this by searching the model number of your tool or referencing the owners manual on the DeWalt parts breakdown list. Brushed are tool specific and dependent on several factors that include the density of the carbon length of the lead and resistance of the spring.

Brush replacement is important to life and power of every tool. make sure you change your brushes like you change the oil on your car. if you take care of it regularly and love your tool it could easily last you a lifetime.

For all of your DeWalt Parts and finding a  replacement brush for your tool I recommend using ereplacementparts.com