I am in the process of rigging up a horizontal drill press. It will be used exclusively for drilling dies from 7/8 14 bolts. The drill press head I am using has a JT 3 male for a typical JT 3 chuck. I have purchased two JT 3 chucks both in 3/4". I have looked a long time for a 1" chuck but the only ones I have seen are way past my budget. I don't recall seeing anything for less than $120. Whereas I bought two 3/4" chucks for under $20 apiece.
My plan was to run one of these chucks on the drill while running a cylindrical grinding wheel on a rotary tool against the inside of the jaws, taking them down until they will accommodate a 7/8" bolt.
What are your thoughts on this? As I said, the only thing that will ever go in that chuck are 7/8" bolts and it will only be used for drilling and reaming, no side pressure. And by the way I have a MT5 to JT3 arbor if anyone needs one cheap. Unless anyone thinks I can use it for something else, I will never have a machine that will use anything that big.