The care and feeding of Yankees

[tombear]

Mines made from a nice piece of very hard beech, most of the paint I got off with the wire wheel on my grinder.

some good info on them here

http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Which-Sta...do-I-own-131B-130B-135?ugid=10000000013264096

need something to screw now!

atb

tom

 

[joe.ford]

Just remembered to get the other Yankee from the Shed.

It seem's to be different from the other one. It's not made by Stanley.

It has a diamond with the letters "ERV" inside. And "Varney" next to the diamond. And has 1955 stamped on the shaft, apparently it's older than I thought

 

[Mesquite]

I must dig out my one from my tool store...

I had one my grandfather left me when I was 15 but some scroat stole it in a break in 20 years. It was replaced by insurance but that never quite had the same feel as my grandfathers one

 

[British Red]

I expected maybe three replies to this thread. I'm delighted that so many other people like these old tools!

 

[joe.ford]

I expected maybe three replies to this thread. I'm delighted that so many other people like these old tools!

I'm sure if we try we could even get it up to 3 pages

 

[tombear]

Has anyone used one to get a viable ember on a hearth board in lieu of a bow? Seams to spin fast enough.

i wonder if you could make one completely out of wood, less the spring?

One of my more bizarre ideas I guess.

i'll gt my coat

Tom

 

[demographic]

There's drill versions about as well, never seen one but know they exist.

Millers Falls used to make em.

Some Millers Falls handplanes are worth keeping an eye out for as well but be aware that there's some crap ones amongst em and that their numbering system isn't the same as Stanley and Records handplanes, its actually quite sensible as the number is just the length of the sole in inches for many of the bench planes

 

[ForgeCorvus]

Like Yankees, must try and get myself a couple (Used my Dad's..... Now my brothers nicked them )

I've got one of these though, excellent for putting lots of small (1/8 or less) holes into thinish stuff
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-V...lectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item257832ccaf

 

[demographic]

Like Yankees, must try and get myself a couple (Used my Dad's..... Now my brothers nicked them )

I've got one of these though, excellent for putting lots of small (1/8 or less) holes into thinish stuff
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-V...lectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item257832ccaf

My wife has an Archimedes drill that she got for her jewellery making, I go straight for the cordless usually but bought this a while ago from my local secondhand place.

 

[British Red]

Nothing wrong with a good breast drill! I have one in the toolshed. That ones a beaut

 

[ForgeCorvus]

Hey, we had one of those (one fast gear and one power gear)
We fitted it with a ratchet handle from something and used it to drive screws.... Really long ones without pilot-holes (the kind of work the Yankees found hard)

Called it 'Steely-Dan'

 

[tombear]

Thats a hell of a drill! Much more the item than my Stanley on which you have to move the cranking wheel to change from high to low gear.

Since the roofs now on and the new guttering is up and as the place is drying out ive been checking all my tools and reoiling and derusting as required.

Heres all my hand powered drilling stuff less a small archimedes drill thats waiting to be restored and a adjustable bit thats gone walkabout.

Nearly everything was from carboots except the 1" scotch eye auger off eBay and the footprint handrill that was in a closing down sale if I remember right. The Stanley breast drill was peanuts as is unused army surplus, I was one happy bunny that day!


Not used the big augers yet except to try them out.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Some great looking augers and forstner bits there!

 

[demographic]

Nearly everything was from carboots except the 1" scotch eye auger off eBay and the footprint handrill that was in a closing down sale if I remember right. The Stanley breast drill was peanuts as is unused army surplus, I was one happy bunny that day!

Local secondhand tools place usually has quite a heap of breast drills, of various manufacturers and types.
Have seen the Stanley ones where you press a button on the side to change gear from high to low in there sometimes as well.

 

[tombear]

Cheers!, all the Fostners came in a old cigar box, slight surface rust that polished off, didnt even need sharpening and the guy actually apologised to me for having to charge me £3 for the lot! All old Sheffield makers.

The big drills I'm changing to Jennings pattern as I find 'em as my old woodwork teacher never rated the centre bits and passed on his prejudice. To be honest I've never been able to tell the difference when using them.

Theres a sort of small handrill with the gears cased inside and a spade grip that is moulded from aluminium that I am looking for. The only ones I have seen so far have been corroded to death but the design would make a great winder for the rubber motors on the kids planes. I've a rather posh dedicated winder with a counter but they ainr getting to grips with that! If anyone sees one Id be gratefful to hear where!

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

All have far more "soul" than my latest drill (kindly bought for me by my good lady)


Bosch Pillar Drill by British Red, on Flickr

That said, the Bosch meets certain needs of mine (very slow speeds, gearing and controllable speed without moving belts)

Strange but I can enjoy both the quality and durability of traditional tools and the precision afforded by modern engineering!


Drill Vice by British Red, on Flickr

 

[demographic]

Cheers!, all the Fostners came in a old cigar box, slight surface rust that polished off, didnt even need sharpening and the guy actually apologised to me for having to charge me £3 for the lot! All old Sheffield makers.

The big drills I'm changing to Jennings pattern as I find 'em as my old woodwork teacher never rated the centre bits and passed on his prejudice. To be honest I've never been able to tell the difference when using them.

Theres a sort of small handrill with the gears cased inside and a spade grip that is moulded from aluminium that I am looking for. The only ones I have seen so far have been corroded to death but the design would make a great winder for the rubber motors on the kids planes. I've a rather posh dedicated winder with a counter but they ainr getting to grips with that! If anyone sees one Id be gratefful to hear where!

ATB

Tom

Got a picture of one? Manufacturer? Can keen an eye out if you want.

The local place turns up all sorts of interesting gear, recently there was a smaller version of my geared Metabo breast drill but as I already have masses of tools I figured that I need the space more than the thing that fills it.

 

[bilmo-p5]

I think Tom means something like this...

 

[demographic]

I think Tom means something like this...

Not seen one of those there yet but I'll keep a lookout for one.

 

[tombear]

Thats exactly the sort I mean, they make great winders if you ditch the chuck and weld a hook to the spindle, unfortunately the chucks not strong enough to hold a hook with a big rubber motor with a few hundred turns on it. The last thing you want is a big metal hook flying off towards who Evers playing the part of a stooge and hanging on to the plane.....

sadly the only ones I've seen so far have been really heavily corroded and the gears have been sticky. Also the ones I've seen have been riveted together in such a way you obviously weren't meant to take it apart.

ATB


Tom

I think Tom means something like this...