Bought the original cordless drill...

[Idaho45guy]

My folks drove their new Jeep out to my little town for lunch at the local cafe. After lunch, my mom wanted to browse the antiques store. I had never been in it since A) I'm a man, B) antiques shops always smell funny, and C) I really have no use for $100 glass candy dishes or overpriced junk from yard sales.

But... But... This shop had a man section full of old junk. Old traps, decoys, fishing stuff, hubcaps, sporting goods, and tools. Piles of tools!

They had a dozen or so of the old hand drills. From $10 to $20.

I picked out one that had a cast iron shoulder brace and was in remarkable condition for being made around 1900 or so. I couldn't believe how cheap it was! I couldn't believe how smooth it was and just how high-quality and sturdy it appeared.

I went online to find similar drills for sale and they are all from $25 to $40. Cheap for such a cool and useful piece of history.

It will go on my wall as decor, and if the apocalypse happens, I will have a drill...

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[Omega]

They are great drills albeit a bit slow, but you get good control of the speed.

[NoZombies]

Here I was expecting to see a bow drill... Those old brace drills do a decent job when used within their limits.

[country gent]

I use one of the old crank drills for lapping occasionally, nice low speed I can work the lapp back and forth and control it well. They are handy tools to have in the box.

[kenyerian]

Still use mine !

[Outer Rondacker]

Man that is not the original. The drill bit with a wood handle is the original. Still a good tool though. I use all of mine.

[jonp]

You have no idea how many old axe heads I've bought and refurbished in shops like that. Those old hand drills are priceless.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

As Jeff Cooper used to say before he got Steyr to make his Scout rifle, I've got mine! Miller's Falls, and it was cheap to buy, but expensive to get across the Atlantic. I spray-painted it, black for the body and red for the large wheel. The chuck, for tapered-square wood bits, was pretty useless, but I replaced the spindle with a half-inch straight mandrel for a key-tightened engineer's chuck. It has been so long that without going out to my workshop I can't remember whether the chuck fitting is screw or Jacobs taper.

[crowbuster]

very nice

[Preacher Jim]

You caused me to look at my hands. When I was young I had to drill 250 3/8" holes in 1/4 " plate with one of those. I still hurt when I see one of those and it's been 65 years ago.

[beemer]

What brand is it, like BiS I like Millers Falls tools. I have one and a small Stanley hand crank drill that my Dad gave me 60 years ago, I still use it sometimes just because. Sometimes you have to rescue and old tool.

I am afraid you have started down a path of no return, now you need a proper set of auger bits.

I hit the local one fairly often. I found a nice complete Bair 12 ga. loader for $25.

[lead-1]

It has the original shoulder thing that goes up, hope no one bans them drills. We had those in woodshop class back in the late 70's, our teacher wanted us to use some manual tools like those drills, hand planes, chisels and and cabinet scrapers.
In reality they wanted everyone to finish the year with all their fingers, lol.

[Idaho45guy]

It's a Millers Falls...

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[poppy42]

It’s called a brace

[JimB..]

It’s called a brace

I thought a brace was the the other one, rounded cap and offset handle. Hate the picture functionality here so can’t post it but try this http://lumberjocks.com/Brit/blog/24957

[GOPHER SLAYER]

The problem with old tools such as the one pictured is that they made so many. The phone companies bought them by the thousands. They even had one designed to drill in corners. I bought my last brace drill in a yard sale for a dollar. The same thing is true for tools used in the kitchen such as a meat grinder, every household had one. I too pick up very old hammers and hatchets with the idea of putting new handles on them but the handles are very hard to find in Southern California and when you do they want more for it than a new hammer. I will post pictures of some of the old tools to this post later. This is a picture of some of the old tools I referred to. I guess I should describe some of the items pictured. The upper left tool was used to make chair legs. It was used in the type of brace next to it. The large ax head was used to trim logs to make them square and also to remove bark from logs. Next to the ax are two hold soldering irons. Next to them is a shoe cobbler's hammer. Next is a weird pair of pliers and I have no idea what they are used for. Next is an old ball peen hammer that I would love to find a handle for. Next is a hatchet with claws. Next is a roofing hammer used with shake shingles.

[Wayne Smith]

Among others I have a 6" brace and bit - really good for screwing deck screws - I almost kept up with the guy with the electric drill motor. I was younger then, too!

[jonp]

As Jeff Cooper used to say before he got Steyr to make his Scout rifle, I've got mine! Miller's Falls, and it was cheap to buy, but expensive to get across the Atlantic. I spray-painted it, black for the body and red for the large wheel. The chuck, for tapered-square wood bits, was pretty useless, but I replaced the spindle with a half-inch straight mandrel for a key-tightened engineer's chuck. It has been so long that without going out to my workshop I can't remember whether the chuck fitting is screw or Jacobs taper.

My grandfather built an entire house with cupboards and all with Millers Falls. Years later of course, I used to deliver to the old Millers Falls plant in....Millers Falls! Not sure what they made there but it was next to a canal and you had to pull into the alley between the plant across the road and the canal and back across the road into their loading dock.

Pepere swore by them and had an entire tool chest full of drills, saws etc. They were absconded with, unfortunately. I keep an entire set of hand tools like that at my camp to use and have some at the house for when the power goes out

[15meter]

I use my brace regularly, mostly for the leverage to get out stuck screws. You can really lean on it to keep bit from camming out of the slot. I have several square shank screwdriver bits. For the Phillips, torx or Frearson screws I use the right hex bit in a hex bit holder that chucks up well in the brace square drive chuck.

On good braces the chuck also has a direct drive mode as well as a forward and reverse ratchet mode.

Put in a few hundred screws in a cedar over white oak framed sailboat. Without the ratchet mode it would have been miserable trying to get the screws in that were immediately adjacent to the cradle the boat was sitting on. The brace gave me a great feel as the screws started to draw up. Nice and tight and no twisted off screws:drinks:

[retread]

The problem with old tools such as the one pictured is that they made so many. The phone companies bought them by the thousands. They even had one designed to drill in corners. I bought my last brace drill in a yard sale for a dollar. The same thing is true for tools used in the kitchen such as a meat grinder, every household had one. I too pick up very old hammers and hatchets with the idea of putting new handles on them but the handles are very hard to find in Southern California and when you do they want more for it than a new hammer. I will post pictures of some of the old tools to this post later. This is a picture of some of the old tools I referred to.
Wow. I haven't seen a pair of safety wire pliers since I got out of the Navy in 1971. Brings back memories!

[lightman]

Thats a nice old drill! I remember seeing one like it in my Grandfathers shop as a kid.

[Bulldogger]

I always linger at flea markets and antique shops when I see those old hand drills or any well-made antique tool. I got lucky a few years ago and grabbed a large hand drill for only $14, as it had one tooth missing on the large wheel. Was no problem to make a couple of quick small beads on it with my flux core welder and dremel the extra metal off until I had a new tooth. It hangs in my garage, and I'm happy to have it though I've only used it once i think. If I see a brace drill at a decent price, I will grab it too.
Bulldogger

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Wow. I haven't seen a pair of safety wire pliers since I got out of the Navy in 1971. Brings back memories!

retread, Is that what they are? Pray tell us, what are they used for? I spent 37 years in the phone company and I don't remember ever seeing a pair of those before. I also spent three years in the Navy and didn't see them there either. Of course I spent all my time on the boats in San Diego.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Saftey wire pliers are still much in use today especially in the aircraft and racing world. The current Marine Corps General tool box includes a pair as standard issue for some of the ground equipment. There are probably a bunch of videos on U-tuB on the pliers in action.

Long story short the pliers clamp onto the two ends of a wire loop and when the handle is pulled the wire is tightly twisted. Fasteners can be connected or tied off to a solid part to minimize loosening in high stress applications and provide a visual reference that the fasteners are still tight.

I still have a pair and have used the wire/twisting for quick low pressure hose clamps or to Frankenstein together plastic bumpers after repeated contacts with high curbs. They also work well as small vice grips for thin parts.

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[GOPHER SLAYER]

Thanks for the explanation. I have had those for years with no idea what they were used for.

[jonp]

It has the original shoulder thing that goes up, hope no one bans them drills. We had those in woodshop class back in the late 70's, our teacher wanted us to use some manual tools like those drills, hand planes, chisels and and cabinet scrapers.
In reality they wanted everyone to finish the year with all their fingers, lol.

My shop teacher was missing a thumb. It was a great reminder

[jonp]

Thanks for the explanation. I have had those for years with no idea what they were used for.

Your not the only one. Thanks for the explanation

[Shopdog]

We call them,eggbeaters.A "brace" is different.Look up brace and bit.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Gopher slayer needs to go into spokeshaves. That is just the tool you need to make axe handles from a pretty inexpensive piece of ash, hickory or even oak. eBay really is a priceless resource. On it I found a replacement for the blade cracked from the side to one of the adjustment holes, for the Stanley all-metal spokeshave I inherited from my father in 1953.

I won't be buying an axe any time soon, but every few years I re-handle the little one we found lost in the back of a closet in a house we moved into in 1959. But on eBay there is a seller in Bulgaria, of all places, who makes reproductions of old broadaxes etc. So often in those countries they say "We joined the European Community,, so how come we aren't rich yet?" But a few of them have got it made doing things of value. Well, assuming they know there is something besides mild steel, anyway.

[15meter]

It’s called a brace

Look up breast drill, that is what this is.

[abunaitoo]

I have a few braces. Some need repairs. Some were my fathers.
I remember him using them before he got an electric drill.
Also when he needed to make big holes.
I've used them a few times.
They do work very well.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Collectors who will stand tools on a shelf forever are the greatest enemies of those who want to renovate them and use them the way they were intended. Over and over again, as with muzzle-loading firearms, we see just how well those people knew the technology at their disposal.

[DoubleAdobe]

I would have to agree with that, BIS. If a tool or implement etc. is too far gone to use, yeah, hang it up as a decoration/conversation piece.
But if it is still functional, use it or pass it on. Just my thinking.

[Idaho45guy]

Collectors who will stand tools on a shelf forever are the greatest enemies of those who want to renovate them and use them the way they were intended. Over and over again, as with muzzle-loading firearms, we see just how well those people knew the technology at their disposal.

So now I'm a bad person for appreciating the beauty and quality of a 100yr old tool by using it as decor? LOL.

Didn't think I'd be called an "enemy" for finding an old tool in an antique shop and actually liking it... But this is the internet so I suppose I should be used to the most random comments.

[JimB..]

So now I'm a bad person for appreciating the beauty and quality of a 100yr old tool by using it as decor?

Didn't think I'd be called an "enemy" for finding an old tool in an antique shop and actually liking it... But this is the internet so I suppose I should be used to the most random insults.

As an old tool user (ie galoot) I am sometimes discouraged by the fact that the value of old tools is driven up by collector demand. In many ways it is becoming more and more difficult to learn about old tools because good examples are hoarded away in collections and those for sale are priced beyond the reach of many.

Now I’m a capitalist so I accept this as the way of the world. I rejoice in my good fortune when I find something I need at a fair or better price, and I bemoan that things are not always as I would have them. You found something you like, enjoy it however you want, you don’t owe anyone jack squat.

Just my $.02

[Idaho45guy]

I amended my comment to reflect the light-heartedness in which I took the previous posts. I don't really think anyone was trying to insult me for appreciating the beauty and quality of antique tools.

[lightman]

Saftey wire pliers are still much in use today especially in the aircraft and racing world. The current Marine Corps General tool box includes a pair as standard issue for some of the ground equipment. There are probably a bunch of videos on U-tuB on the pliers in action.

Long story short the pliers clamp onto the two ends of a wire loop and when the handle is pulled the wire is tightly twisted. Fasteners can be connected or tied off to a solid part to minimize loosening in high stress applications and provide a visual reference that the fasteners are still tight.

I still have a pair and have used the wire/twisting for quick low pressure hose clamps or to Frankenstein together plastic bumpers after repeated contacts with high curbs. They also work well as small vice grips for thin parts.

219598

A good safety wire job is a thing of beauty, almost like art. It also requires a bit of thought. I've never done it but I've been around aircraft enough to appreciate a good job.

[metricmonkeywrench]

I don't want to hijack the OP thread on safety wire pliers, there is probably enough interest for a stand alone post. I may start one tonight...