Subject: Drill Press -- the one whose nameplate claims to have a JT#2-1/2.

I measured the runout of the chuck with a piece of 1/4" drill rod. It's
about +-.0015 or so, maybe .0025 total.

Some recent experience:
1. I drilled a #72 hole today .175" deep through soft metal and wood
with absolutely no problems -- a nice clean hole. I could see no wiggling
of the tip of the .025" drill bit which is just a HSS no-name bit from a
cheap set.
2. I tried drilling #85 hole in aluminum (clamped to the table) using a
"resharpened" carbide bit with 1/8" shank. Got about .1" into it before the
drill bit snapped at the surface. I could see the tip spinning off-center
before it entered the metal. It wasn't a large gyration and I'd visually
judge it to the about the same order of magnitude as the runout measurement
by comparing it to the diameter of the bit.

Q#1: We're all interested to see what taper this thing really has. That
means removing the chuck from the spindle. How likely is it that when I
replace it I'd wind up with significantly bigger runout than what I have
now?

If it's likely to be no different, I definitely want to do it because I
really need to be able to drill at least #80 holes and I'll likely need to
go to #85 or #90 in thin sheet metal (probably nothing thicker than .005"
brass).

Q#2: How plausible is it that I could reduce the runout by remounting this
chuck on this spindle? My intuition says no way, but I'm no expert.
Certainly if I could better what I have, I'd need to do nothing.

Q#3: How likely is it that I could improve this tool by replacing the
chuck -- assuming that it really is a JT#2?

I appreciate all of the help I'm getting from you guys.

Thanks
Norm