Drill Bit Stuck in Drill – How to Remove It

If your drill lacks maintenance, there may be times when the drill bit got stuck in the chuck. Knowing how to deal with it is important, so you will know what to do if it happens. So how can you remove a drill bit stuck in the drill?

If your drill bit gets stuck in your drill, you can try the following:

  1. Apply Lubricant or Rust Remover
  2. Apply Force Using Pliers Wrench or Vise Grips
  3. Use the Power of the Drill

There are different ways to get a drill bit un-stuck from the drill. All of them aim to loosen the chuck, the part that holds the bit securely on the drill. You will need a screwdriver or wrench to force the chuck to loosen in certain cases. The moment it does, you may remove the drill bit.

Read on to learn more about what to do when a drill bit is stuck in the drill. You’ll also know how you can prevent it from happening again.

How to Remove a Drill Bit Stuck in Drill

drill bit stuck in drill

If you have neglected to care for your drill, it can get stuck in the chuck for good. It may also happen if you just left the drill bit in and forgot about it. In either case, you need to do additional methods to get it out without seriously damaging your tool:

1. Apply Lubricant or Rust Remover

Spray the Inside with Rust Remover

In most cases, drill bits get stuck in drills because of rust buildup in the chuck. If you don’t regularly lubricate your drill, the chuck can get stuck due to the rust. To get the chuck moving smoothly again, you can try spraying the inside with some rust remover. Once the chuck moves smoothly, it can release the drill bit.

Wait a Couple of Minutes to Work

Using the tube attachment, give the inside of the drill chuck some sprays to loosen the rust buildup inside. Wait a couple of minutes for the stuff to work. It will also lubricate the mechanism, promoting ease in loosening the chuck.

2. Apply Force Using Pliers Wrench or Vise Grips

If the chuck is not budging even after removing the rust, you need to apply more force. In this case, a table or bench vise and a pliers wrench will be helpful for this job:

  • Secure the drill on your bench vise.
  • Make sure to place a rag in the vise to prevent damaging your drill.
  • With the drill secured on your workbench, clamp the pliers wrench around the chuck.
  • Force it to turn counterclockwise and use your weight to put a lot of pressure on it.

If the pliers wrench is not working for you, you can use a vise grip instead:

  • Lock the vise grip around the chuck and try to force it to turn.
  • Use a rubber mallet to give the chuck a good jolt if needed. This should loosen the chuck enough to enable it to turn easily.

3. Use the Power of the Drill

You will need a pair of good work gloves for this one:

  • Flip the direction switch on the drill so that it will spin counterclockwise.
  • Put on a thick work glove on your non-dominant hand.
  • Grab the chuck tightly and then pulse the drill a couple of times to loosen the chuck. After that, you can make it let go of the bit.

How to Normally Get a Drill Bit Out of a Drill

Removing the drill bit is pretty easy if you use a normally-functioning drill. Here’s how:

1. Drill with a Keyless Chuck

  • If you have a drill with a keyless chuck, you can grab the chuck in one hand.
  • Use the other hand to grab the drill’s handle in the other.
  • Twist the chuck counterclockwise while holding the rest of the drill firmly. This should cause the chuck to loosen and let go of the drill bit.

Where Is the Chuck?

If you are a first-timer in using a hand drill, the chuck is the part that holds the drill bit in place. The frontmost in a drill is the specific part holding the drill bit. It is best to do this trick over a desk to avoid accidentally losing the drill bit.

2. Drill with a Keyed Chuck

If you have one of the older models of hand drills, you will need a key to loosen it. It includes those with an older style of the chuck. The chuck key is always included with every old-fashioned drill. If you happen to lose yours, you can buy these keys in any hardware store. You can also check out the manufacturer’s website to see if they sell them:

  • To use a key to remove a drill bit, locate the part of the drill that has a small indentation. This indentation is just the right size for the key.
  • Insert the key into that hole. Make sure that the “teeth” on the key line up with those on the chuck.
  • Twist the key counterclockwise. This will cause the chuck to loosen and let go of the drill bit.

Again, how to remove the drill bit stuck in a drill? To get the drill bit stuck out of a drill, you have to loosen the chuck or the part that attaches the drill bit to the drill. To do this, you can apply a rust remover, use a pliers wrench or vise grip, or use the power of the drill itself.

How to Remove a Broken Drill Bit Inside the Drill

drill bit stuck

Did the drill bit break off inside the drill, and the broken piece is firmly stuck inside? The only way you can take it out is by removing the chuck. Here’s how:

1. Secure the Drill in a Vise

You will need a large hex wrench, bench vise, and a rubber mallet. First, fix the drill onto the bench vise. This will give you more leverage and free both your hands. You can put a rag in the vise before clamping on the drill to prevent it from getting damaged.

2. Put a Large Hex Wrench in the Chuck

Next, loosen the chuck and insert one end of the hex wrench. Tighten the chuck around the hex wrench. You need to use a large and heavy hex wrench because you will be hitting this later.

3. Remove the Chuck

Try to turn the chuck counterclockwise using the long end of the hex wrench. To make it easier, insert the end of the hex wrench into a steel pipe, providing you with leverage. Alternatively, you can use a hammer to hit the end of the hex wrench. This should jolt the chuck into loosening. Once the chuck turns, you can loosen it the rest of the way by hand.

4. Pluck the Broken Drill Bit

Once the chuck is loose, use a pair of pliers to pull the shorn-off piece of the bit out of the drill. Be careful when doing this, though. The reason is that the sheared drill bits are extremely sharp.

How to Remove Drill Bit Stuck in Wood

Here’s another scenario. While you are drilling into your wall, the chuck, for whatever reason, decided to let go of the bit. Now, you are dealing with a drill bit protruding out of your wall. How do you fix this problem?

Do not panic just yet, as you can easily fix this. The length of the drill bit shaft protruding from the wall should be enough to provide you with enough leverage. This should help in unscrewing it out of the stud. Grab the end of the drill bit using a pair of pliers and then twist it counterclockwise. 

You should also follow these steps:

1. Locate the Bit from the Other Side

The first thing you need to do is pinpoint the exact location of the stuck drill bit. You can do this using several ways. One is to draw lines perpendicular to the hole and intersect them on the other side.

2. Drill Towards the Stuck Bit

Upon locating the bit, use a smaller drill bit and start slowly drilling until you reach the jammed drill bit. Do this step slowly, or you might damage the smaller bit when you hit the stuck one.

3. Push the Stuck Bit Out

Now, insert a metal rod that can fit through the hole and pound it through using a hammer. This should be able to push the stuck drill bit outside.

Getting a whole drill bit unstuck is easy. However, if the drill bit breaks, it will be more complicated. The same is true if only a little is visible of the drill bit stuck in a wall. Furthermore, you can only do this if you can access the other side of the wall you initially drilled through. 

Meanwhile, if you cannot access the other side of the wall, you need to cut your losses. Get an angle grinder. After that, carefully cut the drill bit as close as possible to the wall. You can then put filler and paint over it.

Cleaning, Oiling, and Maintaining a Drill

how to get a drill bit unstuck from drill

To prevent drill bits from getting stuck in your drill again, you must maintain it properly. Aside from preventing stuck drill bits, it will also lengthen the service lifespan of your drill significantly. One of the tasks you should not forget is oil the drill, especially the chuck.

Here’s how you can do it:

1. Choose Your Oil

You can use any mineral oil on hand or the specific lubricant recommended by the drill manufacturer. You can usually find tool lubricant in most hardware stores.

2. Lubricate the Chuck

Open the chuck as much as it can go. Place a couple of drops of oil into the chuck. Then close and open the chuck all the way several times. If it seems difficult to twist, add a couple more drops of oil. Do this until the chuck is easy to open and close. 

3. Clean Excess Oil

Next, take a rag and wipe away any excess oil from the chuck. You can also use a cotton swab to dab away the excess oil from inside the chuck carefully. This is important because too much oil attracts dust and debris, which, after a while, jams up the mechanism. 

4. Use as Normal

You can then attach a new bit to the drill and let it work for at least 30 seconds. This should help get the lubricant flowing into the mechanism of the drill. After this, you can continue using the drill as you usually would.

Also, remember that you need to remove the drill bit from the chuck after every use. Wipe away any dirt and debris on the drill before stowing it away. 

Conclusion – Drill Bit Stuck in Drill

If your drill bit gets stuck in your drill, you can try the following:

  1. Apply Lubricant or Rust Remover
  2. Apply Force Using Pliers or Vise Grips
  3. Use the Power of the Drill

You can use several methods to get a drill bit un-stuck from your drill. This should depend on the kind of drill you have and the severity of the situation. Aim to loosen the chuck, which is the part of the drill that holds the bit in place.

You don’t have to replace your drill right away just because a drill bit got stuck. It might look difficult, but it is quite easy. You do not even need special tools. However, prevention is always better than cure, so maintain your drill properly to prevent this thing from happening again.