Hand Drill

[Vono]

Hello all

I was tinkering in the garage earlier & needed to do a spot of drilling.

I couldn't be bothered to go get my cordless DeWalt out of the house so dug this out from under the bench it's an old 2 speed J A Chapman breast drill.

It was surprisingly nice to use. Heavy quality old thing.

As this is potentially another collecting "rabbit hole" I may disappear down , any info' or knowledge anyone has on these things such as good & bad makes, things to look out for would be much appreciated. Also what's the difference with the "continental" enclosed types, they any good ?

Cheers

 

[zx9]

I am sure @The_Yellow_Ardvark will be along some time soon to give you the low down.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Hello all

I was tinkering in the garage earlier & needed to do a spot of drilling.

I couldn't be bothered to go get my cordless DeWalt out of the house so dug this out from under the bench it's an old 2 speed J A Chapman breast drill.

It was surprisingly nice to use. Heavy quality old thing.

As this is potentially another collecting "rabbit hole" I may disappear down , any info' or knowledge anyone has on these things such as good & bad makes, things to look out for would be much appreciated. Also what's the difference with the "continental" enclosed types, they any good ?

Cheers

View attachment 285575 View attachment 285576

I am sure @The_Yellow_Ardvark will be along some time soon to give you the low down.

Those drills are good.

Just check the following.
Jaw springs.
They are nigh on impossible to get replacements.
The chrome on the chuck can go flaky. They are sharp and the cuts will fester.
The gear change on the Stanley is good, but can get stiff with dirt etc.
You can't use the gear change or the chuck for working out the age, as they flipped back and forth.

Stanley are the most famous, but Erwin and Marples made their own.

The enclosed gear type are good.
I have both. The open gears will trap loose clothes or fingers.
But the encased gears one the grease can harden over time. This makes them nosey to use. Again check the chuck springs.

Neither are fast in drilling holes but they work and do not go flat.

 

[Cobbler]

I would like as many pounds as holes I’ve drilled with one of those when I was in my teens working for an electrician, that & a Rawplug jumper! I hope I never have to use one again.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Hello all

I was tinkering in the garage earlier & needed to do a spot of drilling.

I couldn't be bothered to go get my cordless DeWalt out of the house so dug this out from under the bench it's an old 2 speed J A Chapman breast drill.

It was surprisingly nice to use. Heavy quality old thing.

As this is potentially another collecting "rabbit hole" I may disappear down , any info' or knowledge anyone has on these things such as good & bad makes, things to look out for would be much appreciated. Also what's the difference with the "continental" enclosed types, they any good ?

Cheers

View attachment 285575 View attachment 285576

Ahh, a two speed. I have a "Millers Falls" one which looks almost identical. Can't see from the photo, but does yours have a bubble level in the chrome shaft ?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Ahh, a two speed. I have a "Millers Falls" one which looks almost identical. Can't see from the photo, but does yours have a bubble level in the chrome shaft ?

Millers Falls pre date Stanley.
Stanley brought them out.
Their legacy is the Orange paint used on the Stanley drills from then on.

 

[8ob]

From the days when a chippy turned up on a pushbike with a tool bag strapped to the crossbar, with that bag of tools he managed to first and second fix, pitch a roof and fit a kitchen

 

[Vono]

Those drills are good.

Just check the following.
Jaw springs.
They are nigh on impossible to get replacements.
The chrome on the chuck can go flaky. They are sharp and the cuts will fester.
The gear change on the Stanley is good, but can get stiff with dirt etc.
You can't use the gear change or the chuck for working out the age, as they flipped back and forth.

Stanley are the most famous, but Erwin and Marples made their own.

The enclosed gear type are good.
I have both. The open gears will trap loose clothes or fingers.
But the encased gears one the grease can harden over time. This makes them nosey to use. Again check the chuck springs.

Neither are fast in drilling holes but they work and do not go flat.

Good stuff ta for that, much appreciated

 

[Vono]

Ahh, a two speed. I have a "Millers Falls" one which looks almost identical. Can't see from the photo, but does yours have a bubble level in the chrome shaft ?

No mine doesn't have the bubble level in it.
My next one might though

 

[Hitch]

From the days when a chippy turned up on a pushbike with a tool bag strapped to the crossbar, with that bag of tools he managed to first and second fix, pitch a roof and fit a kitchen

I remember the council repair man coming round with a bag like this when i was a kid, donkey jacket in the winter, brown over coat thing rest of the time, like Mr Griffiths from Grange Hill.
Do anything, from fit a new immersion element, to a new back door.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Ahh, a two speed. I have a "Millers Falls" one which looks almost identical. Can't see from the photo, but does yours have a bubble level in the chrome shaft ?

My Millers Fall Drill.
The paint is as close as you can get with modern paint. With out the expense of paint matching.

Mine has the 3/8" chuck. But you can get a 1/2" versions.

 

[Mick Annick]

From the days when a chippy turned up on a pushbike with a tool bag strapped to the crossbar, with that bag of tools he managed to first and second fix, pitch a roof and fit a kitchen

Did you know my grandad?

 

[Mick Annick]

Did you know my grandad?

Hé cycled everywhere, tool bag like that on a rack, and by all accounts was a pretty good chippie

 

[8ob]

Hé cycled everywhere, tool bag like that on a rack, and by all accounts was a pretty good chippie

They managed very well with what they had, I remember the chippy that lived next door showing me a yankee screwdriver when they first came out, pure witchcraft

Bob

 

[Mick Annick]

They managed very well with what they had, I remember the chippy that lived next door showing me a yankee screwdriver when they first came out, pure witchcraft

Bob

I’ve just passed my grandfathers Yankee screwdriver to my nephew, first one in the family to show any interest in wood bothering, funny lad...

 

[brightspark]

From the days when a chippy turned up on a pushbike with a tool bag strapped to the crossbar, with that bag of tools he managed to first and second fix, pitch a roof and fit a kitchen

its not a tool bag its a joiners bass

 

[Alan Reynolds]

I've got an enclosed two speed and an old two speed with an auger bit type chuck. Found three single speed hand drills too. I just can't part with them.

 

[Vono]

View attachment 285594

My Millers Fall Drill.
The paint is as close as you can get with modern paint. With out the expense of paint matching.

Mine has the 3/8" chuck. But you can get a 1/2" versions.

That's seriously cool.

 

[Vono]

I’ve just passed my grandfathers Yankee screwdriver to my nephew, first one in the family to show any interest in wood bothering, funny lad...

Yankee screwdrivers are cool. I have three of those from a previous obsession

 

[Vono]

I've got an enclosed two speed and an old two speed with an auger bit type chuck. Found three single speed hand drills too. I just can't part with them.

No chance of any pics is there?