Ruminations, Philosophy, and Workshop Antics.......... #9: Yankee Push Drill

Yep, remember those too. Looks like you have a nice well cared for yankee drill, thanks for posting.

-- Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement.

Timbo:
Thanks, the crazy thing, is I actually use it, not frequently, but from time to time….........

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

Timbo:
This was a double, but I would like to thank you for the old hand drill post, lot of memories there….........

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

I have seen similar drills. This one looks very well made. I have to admit that I was much more interested in your tool tote and the idea of using in the shop. I, like many others have my small hand tools neatly (or not so neatly) organized in drawers and cabinets. When I’m working on a project these small tools are pulled out as needed, but rarely put back as readily. They are left sitting on work surfaces and therefore get knocked onto the floor every time I do a pirouette. This tote is an excellent way to avoid that problem. This is another one of your unique ideas that I will be unashamedly copying very soon. Thanks much for this idea.

-- Mike, American in Norway

I was liking the tote also Mike, hey Jim, what is the box on the left of the tote and are those little drawers on the bottom? I have been thinking about making some type of holder for chisels but maybe this is what I actually need. Jim I think you’ve started something here.

Please check this post: http://lumberjocks.com/topics/12331

-- Good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement.

jim ,
i’ve had one since the sixties ,
it rusted shut , but since seeing all the renovations here ,
will get it out and fix it up .
i realy loved it before cordless .

i also have the big push screw driver .

thanks for the remind .

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

Makes me feel young, all you gentelmen talking about how drills worked before electricity. In the 60’s and 70’s I was just a kid borrowing dad’s tools and leaving them in the back yard to rust. That drill looks awfully small, what was the biggest bit it would take 1/8th inch?

-- Bob Kenosha Wi.

Man Jim, that brings back memories…........everything was a slotted screw at the time and pushing into a slotted head screw with a slotted head bit took some getting used to. I had my share of dings from to much pressure and the slotted driver sliding off the screw head and marring a good face. Now that I think about it, Famo Wood wasn’t in my vocabulary and the local lumber yard had a putty that really didn’t take stain back then, what a mess…........I still have my 2 Stanley’s, both worked in their day, but thank goodness they no longer see the light of day… :^) ......Neil

Thanks all for the comments:

Mike: Tim got me into a blog item on the tote. It is posted and more detail is there. These should be very unique and customized items, and mutable as well.

David: Kind of fun seeing the old things. The one I have is a well built Stanley, and hasn’t rusted at all. I had one of the screwdrivers, but I think it went the way of my hand drill, i.e. to my brother and into a house fire.

Bob: The largest bit I have is 11/64, but I think I might be missing the 3/16” one.

Neil: Times change, and not always for the worse. Slotted screws, I still have a bunch, I do hate, for exactly the same reasons. Hmmm, I still have some bits for the Yankee screwdriver, maybe I better look around….....

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

I think I still have one of those in my shop too. Used it all the time in my early years of cabinetbuilding. Must get it out and start using it more often.

-- Jerry--A man can never have enough tools or clamps

That’s what I need is a bundh of those totes, but they’d probably all be empty and teh tools piled to eye level on the bench ;-)

I remember those Yankee screwdrivers, I still use one a little, but normally have the battery drill because of other tasks going at the same time.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

Jerry
Things definitely do change. My use of the push drill is very occasional, but still convenient, and takes up very little room.

Topo
Here yah, hard to keep putting tools back where you belong….....I’ll give you a little of my OCD for free (-:

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

I’ve got a Yankee push drill as well and I love it! It’s great for drilling pilot holes so you don’t have to fiddle with the power drill, and it doesn’t have to charge. Love the tool box as well.

botanist:
Thanks for the comments. It is nice to see an old tool in use, and a pleasure to use it as well.

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

I have an old Yankee that was my Dad’s. It was one of my favorite toys when I was a little boy.

They both look like they’ve been used a lot.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1