Drill Chucks for Lathe Tailstocks: A Concise Overview

A drill chuck for a lathe tailstock is a critical accessory that enables precision drilling operations on a workpiece held in the spindle. Unlike the headstock, which rotates the material, the tailstock remains stationary and supports tools like drill bits, reamers, or taps via a chuck mounted to its quill. These chucks are typically mounted using a Morse taper (MT) arbor, which mates with the internal taper of the tailstock quill—commonly MT2 or MT3 in light to medium lathes.

Metal Lathe Tailstocks

On engine lathes and other full-sized metal lathes, drill chucks are used for precise center drilling, boring, and tapping. Accuracy is paramount, so users often choose chucks with low total indicated runout (TIR), ideally <0.0015". These machines typically use MT2 to MT4 tapers in the tailstock. For heavy-duty operations, chucks with hardened integral arbors are preferred to minimize slippage and ensure axial alignment. The tailstock is often advanced with a handwheel and locked in place, providing a stable platform for high-pressure drilling.

Mini Lathe Tailstocks

Mini lathes (e.g., 7x14 or 8x16 models) are commonly used by hobbyists and light-duty machinists. Their tailstocks usually accept MT1 or MT2 arbors, and the overall rigidity is lower than on industrial machines. For this reason, it’s important to use a lightweight, compact drill chuck with good balance. Keyed chucks provide better grip at low torque, but keyless chucks are popular for convenience. Because the machines are small, precision in chuck alignment is especially important to avoid deflection or misdrilling.

Wood Lathe Tailstocks

Wood lathe tailstocks also accept drill chucks, mainly for boring holes in turned wood pieces (e.g., to create lamp bases or bowls). Tailstocks often take MT2 tapers, and the quill is advanced manually, sometimes with less precision than on a metal lathe. Runout tolerance is less critical, but grip strength matters—particularly for large Forstner or spade bits. Keyed chucks are generally better for this application. Woodturners may also use extended or specialized chucks to handle softer materials without tearing grain.