Unlikely hand-tool usage

**pmcgee** · 4th March 2012, 07:53 PM

Up until yesterday, I believe this little item would have been described as my least favourite tool in the shed ... other than the RB10.
I only got it by accident really.
I didn't like it - it felt tinny and light - and it seemed to jump cogs.

But it earned its keep yesterday.

I have a cement mixer I have been fixing up - it had suffered significant neglect by a previous owner. The first photo is of a shaft that had worn - it should have been a solid cylinder, but the bucket was allowed to droop and droop.

The shaft was re-created for me, and the metal bushes it runs in. Re-assembled and heavily greased. The only thing that remained was to attached the large pulley. This had also been left to grind metal away, and had lost (I'm guessing) about 10mm from the boss - turned into iron filings by friction.

I needed to drill and tap a hole (17/64") for the new bolt (8M). Just one problem - without a drill-bit shaft extension - the rim of the pulley interfered with getting a vertical hole drilled in. I couldn't use either pedestal drill, the electric drill or either cordless drill. Grrrr.

I came across the little Leytool in the shed and thought I might manage to put in a 1/8" hole to at least start the hole and start into the shaft.

Well the pulley is cast iron, the boss is about 10mm thick, and that small hole drilled in a minute or so. "Hmmmm" he thinks to himself.

So ... I tried stepping up through the bits I had ... 11/64", 3/16", 13/64", 7/32", 15/64", 1/4", and finally 17/64".
It wasn't too painful, and the hole was done within half an hour.
Just had to remember there was no reverse on this drill - if you didn't want the bit to come loose

End result: hole tapped, pulley on ... clunky little mixer back in service

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 5th March 2012, 06:44 AM

As they say, every dog has it's day.

**dakotax3** · 5th March 2012, 10:31 AM

Never under-estimate the tools of yesteryear. We used those little hand drills (and brace & bits for the bigger stuff) all the time when I was on the tools fulltime. Today, whenever I come across an abandoned screwdriver, no matter what size, I introduce it to the grinder and put a sharp point on it. It then becomes a bradawl and is usually several hundred dollars cheaper than a cordless drill, and far quicker & convenient. I now have a collection of them for various size and length screws. Super satisfying.

**mike48** · 5th March 2012, 05:06 PM

Hi

I had one of these in the workshop never being used, but on a campervan trip to WA, in remotish Karajini Nat Park, I needed to drill some holes to fix my side entry step plastic moulding, and had nothing.
Lucky me; the guy in the next camp spot plus one had a battery Bosch drill (and half his workshop).

I now keep the little Leytool drill in the van, (sits next to the soldering iron and digital voltmeter), as it packs flat with the handle removed, and it is relatively small.
Have used it on the road a few times for little jobs.

Had to overhaul and tweak it a bit though. As I remember, the design is inherently not ideal (needs tight manufacturing tolerances to run freely), but it is unique for a small hand drill in that it has a real thrust bearing.

cheerio, mike

**Christos** · 6th March 2012, 07:14 PM

I love it beautiful stories.

**jimbur** · 6th March 2012, 09:07 PM

Remember when manufacturers like Black and Decker would give you useless accessories like a drill powered circular saw. Some forty years ago I actually used the saw when I was stuck. I ripped down a piece of English oak from both sides to give me a four foot long half inch thick four inches wide piece. Slow and smell of burning the whole way but it got me out of trouble. The saw was thrown out but the oak is still on a chest and the drill still gets used occasionally.
Cheers,
Jim

**mike48** · 7th March 2012, 12:23 PM

Hi everyone.

I got a little curious about my Leytool drill and pulled it apart to see it "au naturelle".

I have renewed my respect for the tool, and now feel my comment on the design is wrong.

So as to not hijack this thread, I made a newie.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/l...3/#post1455521

cheerio, mike

**andrewr79** · 10th March 2012, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by pmcgee

... other than the RB10.

What's wrong with your RB10?. Mine holds the door open perfectly, maybe yours has a fault...

**pmcgee** · 11th March 2012, 04:16 AM

Originally Posted by andrewr79

What's wrong with your RB10?. Mine holds the door open perfectly, maybe yours has a fault...

And I laughed and laughed and laughed ...

**pmcgee** · 11th March 2012, 04:28 AM

BTW ... how's this for $3 today?

**mike48** · 11th March 2012, 08:52 AM

Aaaah!

A Dixion two speed 1/2 inch chuck hand drill?

I committed the cardinal sin (was that venial?) of selling mine at our house cleanup garage sale a few years ago.

Rule 101 - never sell tools!
But! When you are as old as I am, you just have to clean up occasionaly, and turf out spme old stuff.

Well made as I remember.

cheerio, mike

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