MILLERS FALLS PUSH DRILL

[chief38]

A few years back I inherited lots of tools from my Dad and one of the vintage items he had was a Millers Falls Push Drill #185A. I looked at it just before tossing it in my tool box and had not used it up until recently. I have all the modern drills and had little use for a manual push drill - or so I thought!

Recently I was helping out a neighbor by doing some electrical work at his home and I had brought my electrical tool pouch along with all my electrical tools. I threw this Push Drill into the pouch just in case I had to drill a few small holes (really just an excuse to try it out) and guess what - I did need to drill some holes and the damned thing was terrific!. No batteries, no extension cords and a few pushes and the job was done! The best thing is that it's only around 9" in length and weighs ounces - a lightweight compact small drill. Another long forgotten and neglected technology of the past.

Younger guys will look at this as an antique, but if you have one sitting in the back of an old tool box it might be worth lubing up and using once again. Replacement bits (and a modern version of the tool itself if you want one) are offered by a Company named Garrett - Wade and its a real handy small hole maker!

http://oldtoolheaven.com/driversdrills/driversdrillsimg/boringtool185Asm.jpg


Classic Push Drill: Yankee Push Drills, Yankee-style Push Drill - Garrett Wade

 

[Salty RI]

I used to have a few of them, I gave them to my son just a few months ago, I remember years back all electricians used them.

 

[Big Cholla]

I still carry two sizes of Yankee Push Drill/Screwdriver in my Carpenter's Tool Box. When the exact need arises the Yankee is priceless. Finding replacement drills and screwdriver bits is becoming problematic. ......

 

[THE PILGRIM]

My Dad had one. I think it was a Stanley.

 

[Dennis The B]

I've had one in my tool pouch for over 45 years, and it's been indispensable. My dad introduced me to them when he was a journeyman electrician. I think I paid around $15 for it at a local hardware store. A couple of years ago, I found two tubes of spare bits at another local hardware store, and bought both of them.

They were staples of telephone installers for years, but I seldom see them anymore.

When we moved to Michigan from Kentucky in 1982, we had to have an additional outlet installed for a phone, and the installer used a push drill. My ten-year-old son watched her as she worked, and noticed that the holes weren't being cut a fast as he thought. He chimed up to her, "You need to put more oomph into it, like my dad does".

 

[H Richard]

I inherited one from my father as well, it had the hollow handle with about a half dozen bits loaded in it. The bits had a straight "groove" in them rather than a spiral groove usually found on drill bits, and the one end going into the piece has a special cut on it to lock into place. I still have one of the very large screwdrivers.

 

[klondike]

My Dad used one and called it a Yankee Drill which may have been a brand name.

 

[Frank237]

We have relatives in the Deerfield/Greenfield Mass area. Way back 50 yrs ago we used to visit their tobacco farm. my Dad, who was a Carpenter/Cabinet Maker would visit the Millers Falls Tools, factory. They either had a store or some sort of outlet for sales. I still have a pair of those screw drivers.

I think back then they made quite a few traditional wood workers tools; planes, chisels, etc.

I always liked the trip up to see the relatives as it usually meant a new BB gun.

 

[shouldazagged]

One summer I watched my grandfather and his best fishing buddy build a fourteen-foot, half-decked wooden boat with two those. The whole job--drilling, countersinking, and driving the brass screws they used. Completely fascinated me at about age nine.

 

[Alpo]

They make adapters for them things, that take 1/4 inch socket shanks. And since every type of screwdriver and drill bit now comes with a quarter-inch shank, so they can be used in cordless drills, you get one of these adapters and you're set.

Straight, philips, torx, sockets, drills, don't matter. They are all out there.

Hex Adapter for Yankee® Screwdrivers - Lee Valley Tools

 

[BigBill]

They make adapters for them things, that take 1/4 inch socket shanks. And since every type of screwdriver and drill bit now comes with a quarter-inch shank, so they can be used in cordless drills, you get one of these adapters and you're set.

Straight, philips, torx, sockets, drills, don't matter. They are all out there.

Hex Adapter for Yankee® Screwdrivers - Lee Valley Tools

I used these as a cabinet maker in the 70's.

 

[arjay]

I remember the journeyman using those when I was the helper boy

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

Have used these forever-- at least one is even older than the one pictured-- They STILL have a place on my workbench/tool box. Mostly replaced by cordless and rechargable things these days but my Stanley still can get the call in todays world. I also have what I believe is the FIRST codless drill-- Black and Decker, a rather large thing but ran across it a couple weeks back, along with the charger-- still charges up and works.

 

[chief38]

I suppose you could call these the "cordless drill" of its time!

 

[SPEEDGUNNER]

I still carry two sizes of Yankee Push Drill/Screwdriver in my Carpenter's Tool Box. When the exact need arises the Yankee is priceless. Finding replacement drills and screwdriver bits is becoming problematic. ......

I have an old Yankee push drill but over the years some of the smaller bits have gotten lost or broken. Any suggestions where to find replacements would be appreciated.

 

[Alpo]

Ratcheting Screwdriver Bits - Lee Valley Tools

 

[Bkreutz]

I have an old Yankee push drill but over the years some of the smaller bits have gotten lost or broken. Any suggestions where to find replacements would be appreciated.

If anyone carries them it will be these guys Fine Woodworking Tools I'm kind of a neanderthal woodworker as I don't think any hand woodworking tools made after WWII are worth a damn. Most of my stuff is from the first 20 years of the 20th century.

 

[jtcarm]

You've touched on one of my other weaknesses: vintage hand tools.

Miller Falls turned out some awesome ones back in the golden era of hand tools.

Their planes (woodworking) were fully the equal of the vintage Stanley's. Back when I did neander-woodworking, I had a Millers Falls #84 rabbet block skew plane. Awesome for trimming tenons.

Dunno what happened to my Dads old push drill.

Interesting fact: the grip Ruger MK I autopsy based on a hand drill previously designed by Bill Ruger when he produced tools. Google to find pics.

 

[Drm50]

I still carry one in my tool pouch. Mine is a Stanely, with bit
storage in the handle. Handy for pilot holes when hanging
light fixtures, ect. When cleaning out the garage last summer
I found out I had accumulated 40+ planes. Every thing from
thumb planes to Door planes. Bought a lot of them at yard sales.
Some new in the boxes. No one uses them anymore either.

 

[chief38]

I have an old Yankee push drill but over the years some of the smaller bits have gotten lost or broken. Any suggestions where to find replacements would be appreciated.

I have the link in my original post above. Garrett - Wade has the replacement bits.