Thread: Hand Powered Drills

Chips I agree with everything you've said, although I do think that it's difficult to bend or break a modern HSS bit without a good deal of effort.

I think it comes down to the old argument about tool specialization. For the majority of tasks, the wood doesn't care whether you use a single well-tuned Stanley jack plane with a few spare irons or the entire Lie Nielsen bench plane catalogue. However, you will. The difference lies in the amount of time, skill and frustration you can commit.

An eggbeater is better for drilling small holes, being specialized for that task. But for a first purchase, and assuming that the desire is to spend as little as possible initially, a brace seems a more logical choice for the reasons given.

Of course ideally you'd have an entire stable of different braces, bits, and drills. And I've no doubt that after a few years, almost against your will, you will end up with just that...

''. . . although I do think that it's difficult to bend or break a modern HSS bit without a good deal of effort.''

Oh Eddie, how i wish that were true, ive had many an apprentice that have no trouble at all breaking them, repeatedly ! i reckon their have been some days where its cost me hundreds of dollars just in busted drill bits, the little ones are broken with such regularity if it wasnt for the money it cost me i'd hardly notice it (thats more often with them using small power drills though a brace can do it easier)..long auger bits or masonry bits occasionally get bent but snapping the small HSS bits is common...i hate hearing it! snap! = cha ching, cha ching


what does an egg beater cost nowadays, a good second hand one probably about $30 i'm guessing, something like that for a brace as well i suppose, maybe $60+ for a top model brace i'm guessing, its worth 30- 50 bucks to have a tool better suited for smaller drill bits, false economy to use a 10 inch brace for small holes i reckon


cheers
chippy

I picked up an hand drill on the weekend for $2 at the local flea market. Sure it's not a Stanley, but with a bit of a clean and oil, it runs fine (2 pinons even).

Originally Posted by Sparhawk

I picked up an hand drill on the weekend for $2 at the local flea market. Sure it's not a Stanley, but with a bit of a clean and oil, it runs fine (2 pinons even).

yeah, i figured there would be some bargains around but didnt want to propose people should expect to get them for nix (takes away the pleasant surprise when you do manage a bargain), not that i am familiar will all the different makes and models, only the ones i have really or if i recognise one that looks similar, one i have but dont particularly use looks like the first pic (i'll have to check what it is), i have a Yankee i think it is, its quite good and also and old miller falls, its always been good, just one gear but has a little wheel to keep the main cog in place, as i say its always been reliable. i prettied it up some time back, prob should have left it but it was looking pretty horrible...the reason i mentioned $30 was the other day i was at the market getting some veggies and coincidentally i saw one just like mine (old MF) for sale, all the paint was gone but otherwise in good condition, i thought huh, how about that, same as mine, i considered buying it for a milli second (to fix up like i did mine) but then thought why do i need another, duh


cheers
chippy

I picked up a very nice Stanley 803 for $12.99 last week. Just wondering if there is an easy way to find the date of manufacture?

I agree that vintage hand drills can often be had for cheap - because they were once exceedingly common. The only issue is that I'm not sure of what's available to OP in China.

However (to Russell) if you do decide to go looking for a vintage eggbeater rather than a brace, try and find a model with two pinions, closely mated gears and handles that don't wobble. Commonly the rivet that attaches the small handle has become loose, which is tricky to repair.

hand drills are useful in the workshop of course and around the home too, but they were still a genuine workhorse in cottage work, first or second fix up until about the early to mid eighties for us and then out of habit through to the 90's, the preferred tool to a power drill in many instances (still is of course) for me because you didnt have to drag around a cord or perhaps have jenny running, she makes too much noise! cordless drill tech was in its early days and they had some drawbacks, low voltage and power, a charge didnt last overly long and once the drill had done some hours, been recharged a number of times and the batteries didnt want to take a charge at all anymore they were basically designed as a throw away item , just too much mucking around for my tastes back then, not to mention wasteful, i hated throwing away a drill just because the batteries were worn out, use to make me think would you throw away you vehicle if the petrol ran out ..cordless drills now are very cable and versatile, not to mention one handed use but they still annoy me how they keep changing the power/battery specs ever few years so you need to upgrade and ditch your old drill, although its easier and cheaper to get your old battery pack refurbished with replacement cells nowadays


cheers
chippy

and a few braces I've collected over the years (including one which was my grandfathers). So didn't think I would need any more.
Was in an antique shop and picked up this one to have a look at. A "Fleetway Clipper". It only had a single pinion but that pinion had two sets of teeth. Puzzled me for a while as my first thought was that the pinion may have been a common one for multiple models of drills. And then I realised. There is a little release button which allows you to shift the drive/handle/cog to a different position. It's a two speed hand drill.

So I bought it )

IMG_0035.JPGIMG_0037.JPG

Pictures show the condition straight out of the shop. The shop owner charged $20, which isn't the $2 bargain others have got, but it didn't break the bank

Regards
SWK

nice swk, some of these drills have quirky unique design eh!, like they were always trying to build a better mouse trap

I got some similar to them too, they are what i call breast drills, but you can lean on em with your knee or what ever, their different to hand drills; hand drills are lighter duty (accurate use wood and thin steel etc) and the breast drills more heavy duty use, some are built like tanks and geared much more compared to that one you have..ive seen people throwing away the larger type breast drills (they can be beasts and merely looking at them makes you think you have serious work ahead to do)..i guess they arnt that popular with the revival hand tool crowd that make nice items or furniture in small workshops and most people doing large work or projects will often opt for power drills


cheers
chippy

These are the three hand drills I've had for a number of years (must get around to renovating them nicely .. but they work well as is) ..

A small Yankee North 1530A (had different speeds), and larger Millers Falls #2 and #5 ..



They are all useful for small, delicate work, such as hinges. Being able to turn by hand means that the bit can be drilled deeper a fraction at a time.

I use braces far more frequently. The sizes most used are an 8" throw (for screws) and 10" (for medium wide augers). When I bored the round dog holes in my bench top (3 1/2" European Oak), I used a 12". The torque produced by this leaves a power drill for dust.

One of the most handy tools is a brace set up with a countersink.

North 2101 ...



I love these things. I've even made two of my own.

Regards from Perth

Derek

amazing coincidence Derek, those are the same models i use! i have larger 2101 braces as well thou for the odd occasion i need the extra oomph and a different (brand) smaller tiny one that i like for driving delicate screws and such, also a chrome miller falls brace with red plastic thats very capable

Hi Chippy

Great minds ...

.. also a chrome miller falls brace with red plastic thats very capable

You wouldn't have this one would you?! If so, I HATE you!!



That's the Miller Falls "Buck Rogers" model. Highly sort after - I'm not a collector of the BR tools, but they really are such fun.

As it happens, I also have a Miller's Falls brace. A 12" Rose Brace that dates to 1867. I think it is just beautiful ...





Regards from Perth

Derek

no its not that one, mine has clear red plastic, that one looks solid red, it dark out at the moment so i cant check it, i'll have a look tomorrow, its on the tip of my tongue but i just cant remember whats its model is called, has some sort of french sounding name to it i think (even though i'm sure its a miller falls), but i might be wrong....



cheers
chippy

Perhaps this one?



Link: Millers Falls Bit Braces: Barber, Amidon, Parsons, etc.

Regards from Perth

Derek