# Chuck adapter for a small electric drill **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361 "2016-11-01T14:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/1 "2016-11-01T14:23:39Z")
I have a Black & Decker 1/4" drill (inherited from someone who didn’t want it). Bought myself a “magazine” box of drill bits and then found that the larger bits won’t fit in the chuck. I recall seeing chuck adapters: you’d stick the stem of the adapter into the original native drill chuck and tighten it down; the adapter had a 1/2" and could accommodate the larger drill bits. Next time I was in Home Depot I went looking for one, none in stock, person with the Home Depot apron on seemed to think they used to have them and did the “well if we had them they would be around here and I don’t see one either” routine. Tried Ace Hardware, nothing there either. Am I misremembering about the existence of such chuck adapters? Know where to find one? I gather that I could perhaps swap out the native chuck for a 1/2" model, although I’m unsure about size compatibility and etc. I like the idea of the chuck adapter better, since the existing chuck is quite nice and gets a good grip on those sewing-needle diameter tiny drill bits. Or I could buy a different drill entirely, which I’d probably do if I needed the functionality very often, but mostly I don’t. Just every now and then I need to drill out a larger hole than the largest bit that this drill can natively accommodate. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/2 "2016-11-01T14:30:42Z")
There are a number of different things on eBay called “chuck adapters.” Without seeing your drill, I don’t know which one is exactly what you want, but it looks like the price range is $6-12, so you can probably find what you want for less than a new drill will cost. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/3 "2016-11-01T14:49:14Z")
You can also buy reduced shank drill bits like [these.](http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/reduced-shank-drill) May be a cheaper solution if there are only a couple of sizes you want to use. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/4 "2016-11-01T14:58:32Z")
Amazon has a few. [Here’s one](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051AE85W/). It’s advertised for use with impact drivers but it will work with a 1/4-inch chuck. However, before you get this, you should consider if your 1/4-chuck drill is even powerful enough to do meaningful work with large bits. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/5 "2016-11-01T16:10:46Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > However, before you get this, you should consider if your 1/4-chuck drill is even powerful enough to do meaningful work with large bits. This would be my concern as well. A drill with a 1/4" chuck isn’t likely to have enough power for a larger drill bit. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/6 "2016-11-01T16:29:53Z")
How much wood can a wood chuck drill, if a wood chuck can’t chuck wood? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/7 "2016-11-01T16:55:54Z")
^ Who let you in? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/8 "2016-11-01T17:24:40Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This would be my concern as well. A drill with a 1/4" chuck isn’t likely to have enough power for a larger drill bit. Probably fine for drilling wood and other soft materials. I have a drill press with a big chuck but I try to get 1/4" shaft bits anyway so I can use them with a hand drill when needed. You do have to remember that with big bits if you lean on it you might wreck your 1/4" chuck instead of just having the bit break as happens with smaller bits. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/9 "2016-11-02T19:30:45Z")
> [@Duckster](#): > > How much wood can a wood chuck drill, if a wood chuck can’t chuck wood? I think you meant "How much wood can a wood drill drill, if a wood drill can’t chuck drills? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-adapter-for-a-small-electric-drill/770361/10 "2016-11-02T20:17:53Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You do have to remember that with big bits if you lean on it you might wreck your 1/4" chuck instead of just having the bit break as happens with smaller bits. That would really put you in a drill pickle.