clam plate problems

[kc_]

look above and you will see the plate I made. I also drilled indents for the set screws and locktited them in.

[Spider1]

I got mine going. I made the threaded adapter that I mentioned on my other thread and set it up. Spent this weekend drillin holes and icing fish. This thing works great as long as you can get the dang chuck off or adapt it like I did to work with the chuck on.

[jonr42]

Sounds good, my hammer drill is a little taller. Im waiting to hear back from Ridgid reps. I guess I will have to do the modifications to the plate. The eye bolt on the trigger being small and rubber coated seems to be why its sticky. I was thinking of using a ball socket linkage end that will piviot with angle. Glad you figured this out, definitely frustrating. If you file the angles on the bolt right that goes in chuck it wont wobble, thats what i was worried about. Great idea, thanks for the info

[Spider1]

yeah, my trigger sticks in the rubber eye bolt too, but not too bad. I'll work with it. The flats are easy, when you make the adapter color the non threaded part with some ink from a sharpy then close it in the chuck lightly, then pull it straight out. It will leave marks that you can use to guide yourself with when you file them. I put mine in a vice with the marks top dead center and made sure to keep my file flat and I checked the thickness of each flat with a set of calipers to make sure they were even.

[jonr42]

Yea!!! I finally won the war with getting my Ridgid hammer drill chuck off. First i tried a Snap on 1/2" air impact gun, No luck. Then I trial a 3ft breaker bar and a mini sledge hammer with the drill in a vice. Finally I used a blowtorch to carefully and slowly heat the inside of the drill chuck. I put a 1/2" allen in the chuck, and pulled on the breakerbar. There was a small "snap" and the chuck spun right off. I couldn't believe how much of a difference the heat made. I used hardly any pressure at all, I was shocked when it broke free!! After fighting with it all weekend, I am so happy that I finally have the drill on the Clam plate! The trigger works nice and smooth, and now that the chuck nightmare is behind me I love the weight and function of this setup! Cant wait to try it out this week. Thank you to everyone  for all of you help and advice. Im glad I found this website! Fish on     

[NHGunowner]

I broke my Hitachi drill IN HALF trying to get the chuck off for my clam plate. I did the allen wrench thing and hit it harder and harder until snap! Handle broke off.
So I figure eh, it was several years old, that chuck had probably siezed on there.
I go buy Milwaukee M18 fuel kit ( awesome freakin tools btw) and have a go at the chuck. Not happening. I'm already marring up the case.  I know an independent tool repair place in town. He did the allen wrench thing, really had to work it. Didn't charge me even. There was TONS of thread locker on there!
I have a second one also, I brought it in to another place for warranty service, same thing. We had a 6' bar on it in a vise.

Oh, I LOVE my Clam plate. 6" Lazer will drill 2" a second, and do it all weekend on a single battery. It's remarkable.
I am fitting an adapter for my 8" Nils, can't wait.

[NHGunowner]

Oh, I should note, while the left hand thread screw was easily removed from the drill originally,  it somehow seized solid in there with the clam adapter. I have extensive tools available and noting  will get that screw out. Best I can figure it deformed into the adapter and is stuck.  I can't even drill it, it must be hardened. So I have a Milwaukee permanent on my Clam. Turned into an expensive package.
I would recommend NOT putting the screw in and see if it works.

[Spider1]

jonr42, good news. Glad ya got the thing off. I tried heat but it wouldn't do it, I was afraid of melting the dang drill into a puddle on the workbench, lol! Maybe I just gotta go for broke.

NH, the screw keeps the chuck from spinning loose while running in reverse.

[ready2fish]

Oh, I should note, while the left hand thread screw was easily removed from the drill originally,  it somehow seized solid in there with the clam adapter. I have extensive tools available and noting  will get that screw out. Best I can figure it deformed into the adapter and is stuck.  I can't even drill it, it must be hardened. So I have a Milwaukee permanent on my Clam. Turned into an expensive package.
I would recommend NOT putting the screw in and see if it works.

should work, just don't use reverse

 you might using a new screw without lock tight