Huge Drill with Tapered Bits

[flingwing1969]

I have an "opportunity" to buy a massive old-school drill that looks like a medium to large impact drill but is not, including a box of twist drills for it that go up to maybe 2" in diameter. I don't have a photo of the machine yet, but it has no screw chuck, instead, it uses tapered bits the end of which fit into a slot at the bottom of the chuck. Like this one:

This thing has to be a wrist remover, I can't imagine the torque it would put on you when you got to the bottom of a hole and the bit caught. However, I'm interested. There are maybe 20 bits with it. I'm friends with the seller and I can probably get the whole thing for $100 or so, maybe less.

What think you?

 

[WWIIjeep]

Those are "Morse Taper" drill bits. Very common for metalworking. You can get chucks with Morse Taper shanks, so you can use regular straight shank drill bits.

Whether or not the drill is a good deal depends on whether you think you'll be able to use it.

 

[454ragtop]

The drill you show looks like a common Morse taper drill, more commonly used in drill presses. Long as they are MT, and not some odd ball proprietary taper, or obsolete taper like B&S, and are HSS, and are in good shape, the drill bits alone are probably worth that, for use in a drill press. Also, if they are MT, you can easily add a chuck on a MT arbor, to use regular straight shank drills in that drill motor. The drill motor itself definitely sounds like an arm or wrist breaker though.
Jim
Oh, and we'll need pics too!

 

[flingwing1969]

The drill you show looks like a common Morse taper drill, more commonly used in drill presses. Long as they are MT, and not some odd ball proprietary taper, or obsolete taper like B&S, and are HSS, and are in good shape, the drill bits alone are probably worth that, for use in a drill press. Also, if they are MT, you can easily add a chuck on a MT arbor, to use regular straight shank drills in that drill motor. The drill motor itself definitely sounds like an arm or wrist breaker though.
Jim
Oh, and we'll need pics too!

Thanks. I don't have access to the motor for a couple of days. I'm thinking I might be able to fab up a press for mounting the motor in - I definitely DO NOT want to try to hand-hold that monster with anything but a 1/4 inch drill.

The motor looks a bit like this half inch conventional chuck drill, except MUCH bigger. I can't find anything on the actual drill motor I'm looking at. I decided I wasn't interested in it until I got home yesterday after dropping another $100 for clamps etc. Then I got to thinking about options. There are maybe 20 to 25 bits, some in need of sharpening most like new.

 

[flingwing1969]

Those are "Morse Taper" drill bits. Very common for metalworking. You can get chucks with Morse Taper shanks, so you can use regular straight shank drill bits.

Whether or not the drill is a good deal depends on whether you think you'll be able to use it.

Thanks. I can definitely use the large sized drills, at least occasionally. The motor is massive and might be of use if I can fabricate a press for it to work in - maybe find a drill press with a dead motor and adapt this hand held to it. I don't know the HP of that drill motor but it's no slouch, that's for certain.

 

[flingwing1969]

The drill you show looks like a common Morse taper drill, more commonly used in drill presses. Long as they are MT, and not some odd ball proprietary taper, or obsolete taper like B&S, and are HSS, and are in good shape, the drill bits alone are probably worth that, for use in a drill press. Also, if they are MT, you can easily add a chuck on a MT arbor, to use regular straight shank drills in that drill motor. The drill motor itself definitely sounds like an arm or wrist breaker though.
Jim
Oh, and we'll need pics too!

The drill motor looks about like this one, size and bulk, but all metal and old school, like that half inch I posted.

 

[flingwing1969]

Stands are available for certain models so fabrication should not be too much trouble. This one has a magnetic base and I imagine a $$$$$$ price tag.

 

[454ragtop]

Drill presses with MT sockets are very common, no need to fabricate anything. Most USA made drill presses of 17" or larger swing, and many imports, often as small as 13" swing have them.
HTH, Jim

 

[flingwing1969]

Drill presses with MT sockets are very common, no need to fabricate anything. Most USA made drill presses of 17" or larger swing, and many imports, often as small as 13" swing have them.
HTH, Jim

Thanks Jim, I see that. Just be cool to make a stand and press that could accommodate the big drill as well. I like a project.

I'm thinking about making an offer for the 20 or so drills and the motor - I know you haven't seen a picture of either, but I've seen them and I ran the motor and they are in great shape for being pretty old.

Anyone have an idea of a fair price for this old iron? Fair for both of us. Thanks.

 

[Steevo]

Just use it with the shortest extension cord you can, because when it grabs, and you start spinning like a top, trying to let go of it, the cord will wind up with you and pull itself out of the wall, ending the ride.
DAMHIK

 

[flingwing1969]

Just use it with the shortest extension cord you can, because when it grabs, and you start spinning like a top, trying to let go of it, the cord will wind up with you and pull itself out of the wall, ending the ride.
DAMHIK

Exactly! I don't plan on EVER actually drilling with that beast in my hands but I can sure see it as a mounted machine, clamped to a workpiece of with a magnetic base or on a drill press with decent swing. I think it can be adapted in a number of ways. Just looking for a decent price, don't want to overpay but again, this guy is a friend and the money is for the widow of the former owner, now 90 and blind. They have plenty of money to keep her comfortable, but it never hurts to have a bit more, does it.

 

[flingwing1969]

My friend just emailed me and offered the drill motor and all the drills for $40. Don't think I can pass that up.

 

[justanengineer]

Theyre worth whatever youre willing to pay at the time. You REALLY dont want to look up the new price of large MT drills if you need one, OTOH maybe you do. Realistically tho, if you get out to auctions, fleas, estate sales youll probably find you can pick up more MT drills for pennies than you can possibly haul home. Ive got a 26" Cman top box thats half or more full of MT drills ranging from teensy MT1's to ~1.75"'ish MT5's(?), doubt I have $20 in it total. Not that a drill is a precision cutting tool, but many machinists wont touch them used.

If you want to see a mag drill like shown above being used, abom79 on youtube has an oldie thats identical with the removable monster drill motor.

 

[flingwing1969]

Theyre worth whatever youre willing to pay at the time. You REALLY dont want to look up the new price of large MT drills if you need one, OTOH maybe you do. Realistically tho, if you get out to auctions, fleas, estate sales youll probably find you can pick up more MT drills for pennies than you can possibly haul home. Ive got a 26" Cman top box thats half or more full of MT drills ranging from teensy MT1's to ~1.75"'ish MT5's(?), doubt I have $20 in it total. Not that a drill is a precision cutting tool, but many machinists wont touch them used.

If you want to see a mag drill like shown above being used, abom79 on youtube has an oldie thats identical with the removable monster drill motor.

Thanks. We'll see what it does but I can really use the big drills - I'm always hunting for one in my drill drawers and usually not finding the one I want. I guess what I'm willing to pay is $40, eh.

 

[flingwing1969]

The drill is home, along with the MT drills (all genuine Morse), adapters for 3 to 2 and 3 to 4 and the original removal tool. someone put a two prong plug on it so I'll need to run a grounding plug - it is all metal, after all. It is a Snap-On Blue-Point model V28, 200 RPM gear reduction and it runs very smoothly. Kinda grubby, but it's quite nice. The drills run from 1 1/16 down. Here is the evidence:

 

[flingwing1969]

I can find zip on this drill motor on the web. Anybody have anything?

 

[454ragtop]

Did you try the Collecting SnapOn site? Might have something there.

 

[flingwing1969]

Did you try the Collecting SnapOn site? Might have something there.

Thanks. Heading there now.

 

[justanengineer]

JMO but get out the buffer and polish that drill up! That sucker's sweet, I love the classic lines...

 

[PugetDude]

JMO but get out the buffer and polish that drill up! That sucker's sweet, I love the classic lines...

^^^ +1 on this ^^^

 

[rsieracki]

i have a 3/4 chuck black n decker that had a similar housing... id bet black n decker made the drill for snap on or someone else made the same drill for both of them.. mine was a craigslist purchase when out of town. its works but i need to clean mine up and go thru it also.

congrats on the new old tool

 

[flingwing1969]

i have a 3/4 chuck black n decker that had a similar housing... id bet black n decker made the drill for snap on or someone else made the same drill for both of them.. mine was a craigslist purchase when out of town. its works but i need to clean mine up and go thru it also.

congrats on the new old tool

I've said it before, I'm a sucker for old tools. I went to the Collectingsnapon.com site and tried to register but their anti-spam is a PITA and it bounced me out after three tries. I was, however, able to search without membership and I found an extensive collection of Snap-On catalogs. I searched and found that the first appearance of the 7/8" Blue-Point V28 MT drill was in 1939 and it had disappeared from the catalog in 1946 - replaced by another model with a Jacobs chuck. Here's the '45 page:

 

[flingwing1969]

JMO but get out the buffer and polish that drill up! That sucker's sweet, I love the classic lines...

Thanks for the encouragement - Lord knows my wife doesn't share my passion for elderly iron (she has her own thing for old - and new - sewing machines).

I did a bit of clean yesterday. I found that brake cleaner really does a nice job of taking off the aged on grease and grime and, because it's designed to leave no residue, it did not harm to this all-metal tool - wouldn't do it on plastic without extensive testing first (NEVER USE IT TO DEGREASE METAL YOU ARE ABOUT TO WELD OR OTHERWISE HEAT).

The cleaner didn't touch the dark discoloration on the spindle end though so looks like brass brushes and buffing wheels are in order. Could be a nice job for the Baldor 3/4 horse grinder buffer the same guy sold me for $100?

 

[flingwing1969]

Here is a copy of the page from the '39 catalog showing the price for the drill at $73. A princely sum in 1939 equal to $1,238 today, adjusted for inflation. Don't think I'd buy one at that price, would you?

 

[sberry]

Great to collect, obsolete to use.

 

[larry_g]

Here is a copy of the page from the '39 catalog showing the price for the drill at $73. A princely sum in 1939 equal to $1,238 today, adjusted for inflation. Don't think I'd buy one at that price, would you?

I have the bench stand that is shown in your post with a similar Sioux drill motor. I have used it as a poor mans mag drill a couple of times. Clamp the base to what you are drilling and drill away. It worked for me.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[2oolhound]

You ****!!!

 

[flingwing1969]

I have the bench stand that is shown in your post with a similar Sioux drill motor. I have used it as a poor mans mag drill a couple of times. Clamp the base to what you are drilling and drill away. It worked for me.

lg
no neat sig line

Can't see why it wouldn't really, thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping to design mine to also act as a horizontal boring machine.

 

[flingwing1969]

You ****!!!

Thanks! The best of compliments from this forum.

 

[Fretters]

Great to collect, obsolete to use.

Not obsolete at all. Those type of drill still have their use and place. Most people these days are simply way too obsessed over the metal case aspect or the torque if it snags point. They're perfectly usable and useful, as always they were.

 

[flingwing1969]

Not obsolete at all. Those type of drill still have their use and place. Most people these days are simply way too obsessed over the metal case aspect or the torque if it snags point. They're perfectly usable and useful, as always they were.

Thank you John. I understand the point made by our fellow member but I do agree with you - I plan on changing out the grease, cleaning it up a bit (maybe) and using it for building my post and beam shop, away from my drill press.

I love the slow speed of this monster, how much larger the drill shanks are, and simply knowing that I can put this thing in my service, as was intended by those native son (to me) craftsmen/women (it was manufactured during WWII after all) who built it more than 70 years ago.

BTW - I spent quite some time with friends in Stokesley (North Yorkshire) a couple of decades ago - fond memories.

 

[Packard V8]

I spent a miserable, dangerous summer as a helper at Nashville Bridge in Bessemer, AL. It was a steel fabrication plant and motors that large were used to align-ream holes in three 1/2" steel plates joining two bridge sections. It was a two-man-job to guide and hold that while standing 40' in the air on a little platform.

FWIW, the catalog price on any one of those larger diameter drill bits is more than you paid for the whole shebang.

jack vines

 

[flingwing1969]

I spent a miserable, dangerous summer as a helper at Nashville Bridge in Bessemer, AL. It was a steel fabrication plant and motors that large were used to align-ream holes in three 1/2" steel plates joining two bridge sections. It was a two-man-job to guide and hold that while standing 40' in the air on a little platform.

FWIW, the catalog price on any one of those larger diameter drill bits is more than you paid for the whole shebang.

jack vines

I can assure you I will not be hand holding this beast and drilling metal - it will be in a stand if used that way. I may do some timbers with it, at least give it a try.

Thanks for the reassurance that I didn't overpay.

 

[Dennis Leigh Henry]

Very cool find and score. The Morse taper / drive tang drills are very common in industry. On the drill lines at Kelsey Hayes / Gunite that's all we used drill wise as well as tap drivers.. all had MT.

 

[flingwing1969]

Very cool find and score. The Morse taper / drive tang drills are very common in industry. On the drill lines at Kelsey Hayes / Gunite that's all we used drill wise as well as tap drivers.. all had MT.

Thanks.