Was lucky enough to get hold of a Millers Falls No. 12 breast drill to feed my growing need to attempt restoration of old drills – you fellows have created a monster! With heaps of clues from the oldtoolheaven website I am pretty happy that it was made in 1917 – green drive wheel and breast plate, knurled nobs containing ball bearings to take up play, markings on the level and on the chuck etc. It was in pretty good condition, just not running smoothly due to heaps of ball bearings gone “missing in action”. Tip for anyone doing up this drill; get a good supply of 1/8” ball bearings before you start. They scatter near and far – usually far! Now all back up and running and I can’t believe how smoothly it runs for a single pinion drill. It won’t grip anything smaller than a 1/8” bit due to the diamond shaped Lelands jaws, but with that size drill I wouldn’t use a smaller bit anyway. It’s been a great learning exercise and that is my third restoration – now looking forward to number 4 (and it’s all your fault!)

Millers Falls No12 Breast Drill (before) (2)_tn.jpg Millers Falls No12 Breast Drill (before) (3)_tn.jpg Millers Falls No12 Breast Drill (before) (4)_tn.jpg Millers Falls No12 Breast Drill a(during) (1)-Edit_tn.jpg
Millers Falls No12 Breast Drill a_tn.jpg Millers Falls No12 Breast Drillc(after) (2)_tn.jpg Millers Falls No12 Breast Drille (after) (6)_tn.jpg