Brazen Bull
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2024
- Messages
- 114
I bought two early B&D drills on ebay from two different buyers.
I always wanted one of these early "hexagonal era" of B&D drill. But why have one when you can have two?
The first one with the chuck key on the chain, im 99% sure it is the "Light-Duty" model, but I GUESS that Black and Decker might have dropped that naming at that plant at that time? It has the slim looking gearbox and the keyed chuck.
Light duty my ***. And what is with saying the two models up have ball bearings, I saw a tear down of this cheapie "light-Duty" model on Youtube,
getting restored, and it DID have ball thrust bearings in there.
I've seen other drills of this model with brass labels with a red background. I can see my light-duty one has a brass label with a black background.
This model was $500 in 2025 money and the Heavy-Duty mother was $800 in 2025 money!
What im looking at is the red one:
Because the label plate is smashed off, I have to be a detective.
I have been reading the old catalogs and glaring at modern photos people took of theirs, and I'm confused about a few things.
And in a few other pictures I see online, curiously I see other drills of this lineup with removed labels.
It is a brass plate pounded on with rivets.
-On the handle, it is thicker and beefier up at the top AND thick at the bottom. I found NOTHING anywhere to explain this.
In the 1927 catalog all three levels of drill have a thin part at the top and bottom of the handle.
-Why is it all cherry red? It looks like it was intentionally painted all over and naturally flaked off here and there over the years.
I have never heard B&D doing that.
Could a factory that had these in numbers paint them or ordered them custom painted for them?
Anyways I'm calling this one Big Red.
I love the key-less chuck and I think it is cool that you could order (as an option) the drill with a grounded cord, in 1927.
Most of these types, i've never seen any of them with a grounded cord. I guess most workin' Joes didn't think they needed them.
But I like that the professionals at B&D knew better in 1927.
Don't cry gentlemen, i'm just going to clean them up (not polish to a mirror finish!) wash the gears and bearings, re-grease and oil everything, possibly new brushes; and use these tools.
I always wanted one of these early "hexagonal era" of B&D drill. But why have one when you can have two?
The first one with the chuck key on the chain, im 99% sure it is the "Light-Duty" model, but I GUESS that Black and Decker might have dropped that naming at that plant at that time? It has the slim looking gearbox and the keyed chuck.
Light duty my ***. And what is with saying the two models up have ball bearings, I saw a tear down of this cheapie "light-Duty" model on Youtube,
getting restored, and it DID have ball thrust bearings in there.
I've seen other drills of this model with brass labels with a red background. I can see my light-duty one has a brass label with a black background.
This model was $500 in 2025 money and the Heavy-Duty mother was $800 in 2025 money!
What im looking at is the red one:
Because the label plate is smashed off, I have to be a detective.
I have been reading the old catalogs and glaring at modern photos people took of theirs, and I'm confused about a few things.
And in a few other pictures I see online, curiously I see other drills of this lineup with removed labels.
It is a brass plate pounded on with rivets.
-On the handle, it is thicker and beefier up at the top AND thick at the bottom. I found NOTHING anywhere to explain this.
In the 1927 catalog all three levels of drill have a thin part at the top and bottom of the handle.
-Why is it all cherry red? It looks like it was intentionally painted all over and naturally flaked off here and there over the years.
I have never heard B&D doing that.
Could a factory that had these in numbers paint them or ordered them custom painted for them?
Anyways I'm calling this one Big Red.
I love the key-less chuck and I think it is cool that you could order (as an option) the drill with a grounded cord, in 1927.
Most of these types, i've never seen any of them with a grounded cord. I guess most workin' Joes didn't think they needed them.
But I like that the professionals at B&D knew better in 1927.
Don't cry gentlemen, i'm just going to clean them up (not polish to a mirror finish!) wash the gears and bearings, re-grease and oil everything, possibly new brushes; and use these tools.
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