Is this drill desireable ?

[ALLFAST]

Happy Friday GJ,

Is this type of drill useful ? I believe it is a Chicago Pheunamtic (or porter cable ?). This is not the one in question, but a very close random picture. It has the same outlet box and exact same handles. The one I'm looking at has no dataplate visible, just a serial number, 5-50 date, and a CP embossed on the body. The c is under the p. It supposedly works great and is a 1/2 in model.

The one in question needs a new cord and some cleaning/polishing.

Should I pass ? It's under $20.

TIA,
Shawn

 

[ALLFAST]

[PH

Almost forgot the photo.

 

[Musicinabottle]

I had a Sioux Falls nearly exactly like it. YES! Desirable!

 

[Musicinabottle]

I should say "Desired" if you don't mind a "momentary switch" (not variable) and most likely not reversible bull dozer drill. Not sure the speed but if it's in the neighborhood of 500 RPMs, then a longer handle is advised.

 

[Davefr]

It's called an "arm breaker" for a reason. Yes they can be very useful for boring large holes in timbers, mixing joint compound or other sack goods.

Make sure you rewire it with a 3 wire cord with green (ie ground) attached to it's metal case. A two wire cord can be very dangerous with these old metal cased power tools. (also a good idea to use a GFI)

 

[rsanter]

Thepple gear reduction. They are a good drill to have if you need that type of drill.
That is a cheap price.

Desirable? To someone that needs one yes. To someone that doesn’t...no

Bob

 

[PelicanPines]

I would make that into a lamp. To be clear... yes it's desirable... I just really like steam punk lamps.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

It's called an "arm breaker" for a reason. Yes they can be very useful for boring large holes in timbers, mixing joint compound or other sack goods.

Make sure you rewire it with a 3 wire cord with green (ie ground) attached to it's metal case. A two wire cord can be very dangerous with these old metal cased power tools. (also a good idea to use a GFI)

I have a John Oster that is similar from my grandfather. While drilling joists for electrical it suddenly had a mind of its own. Arm breaker is an excellent description as I just let it go and it wound the electrical cord around itself. The result was it unplugged itself wrecking the old cord. I had a new appreciation for these powerful non-variable tools.

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Just check the wiring. I have been zapped by a metal case circular saw.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

Can you say T-O-R-Q-U-E?

Best used after consuming a six pack, while standing on the "NO STEP" rung of a 10' ladder, while wearing flip-flops and Speedos...'Film at 11:00'

 

[cheesehead2]

Happy Friday GJ,

Is this type of drill useful ? I believe it is a Chicago Pheunamtic (or porter cable ?). This is not the one in question, but a very close random picture. It has the same outlet box and exact same handles. The one I'm looking at has no dataplate visible, just a serial number, 5-50 date, and a CP embossed on the body. The c is under the p. It supposedly works great and is a 1/2 in model.

The one in question needs a new cord and some cleaning/polishing.

Should I pass ? It's under $20.

TIA,
Shawn

It is a old Chicago Pneumatic. if it looks like that on. C/P look like this? Any numbers on the housings? If so they would start with a S before the number most times. .

 

[ALLFAST]

Thank you fellow tool nuts for your speedy responses....I'm in touch with cheesehead via email.

All advice to be heeded !

Shawn

 

[marinusdees]

It's called an "arm breaker" for a reason. Yes they can be very useful for boring large holes in timbers, mixing joint compound or other sack goods.

Make sure you rewire it with a 3 wire cord with green (ie ground) attached to it's metal case. A two wire cord can be very dangerous with these old metal cased power tools. (also a good idea to use a GFI)

Thousands have died as a result of these 2 wire cords. More from broken limbs from unrelenting torque.

 

[ALLFAST]

So this sounds like a good tool to bore holes in beams, and mix driveway sealant/paint in 5 gallon buckets !

 

[bushmechanic]

What is it?

It's something to sell to a guy making an independent science fiction film.

That thing could be the foundation of one hell of a prop!

 

[Sawdustmaker]

Drill like that kicked back on my FIL while he was drilling through a beam. Fractured two vertebrae (sp?) in his neck. Pass on it. It will hurt you.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

80 lb of concrete mixed on one go, or an *** kicking if you let go.

64

 

[Musicinabottle]

Drill like that kicked back on my FIL while he was drilling through a beam. Fractured two vertebrae (sp?) in his neck. Pass on it. It will hurt you.

That's why I mentioned lengthening that handle. That pipe is way to short, especially if you're on a ladder.

 

[Stadger]

Buy it! It's cool even if you just hang it on the wall.

 

[McFarmer]

I would make that into a lamp. To be clear... yes it's desirable... I just really like steam punk lamps.

I just did an image search for "steampunk drill lamps".

Fricken'ell some folks are talented. Gave me some ideas.

 

[davethorik]

I'd buy it as a dedicated mixer. I wouldn't use it to drill anything. Lighter drills burn up too easy mixing even small amounts of thin set, or floor leveler

 

[Musicinabottle]

I'd buy it as a dedicated mixer. I wouldn't use it to drill anything. Lighter drills burn up too easy mixing even small amounts of thin set, or floor leveler

I've mixed drywall mud thousands of times with my old Hole Hawg. It's great when you put water in the bucket and hit the trigger and the bucket spins between your feet!

 

[ALLFAST]

Ok, sounds like a good mixing tool and that's it. I will look for a gray B and D in the future.

 

[a40lover]

I have one my dad bought back in the 60s, used for $6.00. Its low rpm and will hurt you if not carefull. They work great for large holes.

 

[woody 73]

I have several of those "killer" Drills, great for mixing heavy materials like paint & cement. I would not fancy myself on a ladder but for drilling into railroad ties they are my go to drill.

 

[dutchgray]

I have a Wolf (English made) 3/4" drill, I need a bit of pipe for the 2nd handle as its missing and its too much without it, they made bigger ones, up to 1 1/2" rated in steel with morse taper sockets.

 

[Farmer J.]

I have a Wolf (English made) 3/4" drill, I need a bit of pipe for the 2nd handle as its missing and its too much without it, they made bigger ones, up to 1 1/2" rated in steel with morse taper sockets.

I have one of those too. Not used it for years, since the 3/4" drill bit got hung up in an RSJ and it flung me around and around the workshop until it stopped when the power cord came out, by then my thumb was across next to my little finger.. I then had to drive myself all bruised to hospital, one handed, with spiral fractures in every bone in my right hand.
I healed up ok, but the drill has never worked again..

If you use a pipe for the 2nd handle make sure it's a long one!

 

[Bockscar]

Reminds me of using a Bosch demo hammer on top of a ladder with a 6" core bit drilling through a basement wall....and the clutch didn't work

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[6PTsocket]

They don't have to be that big to bite you. I have an old Craftsman variable speed pistol grip, made by Singer. Pretty heavy duty. There was a trigger lock pushbutton on the left side of the trigger. I am left handed. I was using a hole saw. When the saw blade got hung up it rotated the drill, pushing the lock button into my hand, so the trigger would not release. I got banged around pretty good. I removed the button.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[JHuston]

I own five spade handled drills, the largest being a 70 lb,220 volt Thor that is rated for drilling a 2-1/2" hole in steel. It runs at 70 rpm, and puts out torque like a truck axle. When using a spade handled drill, you have to pay attention to the load you're putting on the bit, especially in metal, and back off the pressure before you break through. Pushing on one of those drills exacerbates the issue.
Like radial arm saws and shapers, it isn't so much that they are dangerous, it's that using them improperly is dangerous.
Congratulations on your find.

-James Huston

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have an old Craftsman 1/2" TRIPLE gear reduction, variable speed drill. It was made by DeWalt. It is only a bit larger than a typical 1/2" "pistol" drill. It is pretty slow (600 rpm) but man does it have torque. I broke a 1/2" drill bit and bent a 3/4" Silver & Deming ! Both cases, I though I broke my wrist (not using the side assist handle).

This is the DeWalt version.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I used my John Oster to drill the frame on my van to install a hitch. I simply jacked up the van placed the spade handle on the driveway. The slowly let the jack down until the drill had done the job. Worked great!

 

[larry_g]

The one I have is on a drill press stand. I mostly use it as a poor mans mag base drill. Clamp it to a fixed piece, like a frame, and go to town. It can be the right tool for the job if your smart and careful .

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Roberts210]

I've never broken my arm, but sure sprained my wrist and banged my left hand around using a similar one.

 

[Recordus]

Can someone explain WHY these old drills are so dangerous? I'm wondering why they are more dangerous than modern drills. I ask because I have been on a tear buying and partially restoring old, all metal drills, sanders and sabre saws.

Here's my latest (partial) restoration - it's a Cummins Model 333 1/2" drill made by John Oster. I don't think I would ever use this, but I love how honking big and torquey it is. It's 4 amps moving at 550 RPMs. I'm curious why this is more dangerous than my 15 year-old Milwaukee Hole Shooter, which is 5.5 amps but maxes out at 2,800 RPMs.


It was advertised in the late 1950s as "light" and i suppose it was compared to earlier, all steel drills, but it's a beast by modern standards. Cost $42.95 in 1959, which would be around $360 today.

Note the date stamped on the motor armature. I haven't taken many motors apart - was that a common practice?

 

[Recordus]

I don't mean to hijack this thread; I'll look for a vintage drill thread. But here is the next resto on deck - a Milwaukee #1100 1/2" drill. Completely frozen, cord chopped down, but it's a looker, as far as i'm concerned..and it's already grounded.

If I get this to work, it's even slower than the John Oster Cummins - 4 amps at 450 RPM's!

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

A hole hawg will break your arm too, it just puts you in a slightly better leverage position.
Metal case tools may be more likely to shock you if you are in the rain or something.
Cordless drills usually stop if you let off the trigger, but the big old ones have a lot of inertia.
I used a Milwaukee similar to that the other day, it drilled just fine.

 

[JHuston]

The risk of injury lies in the combination of a drill with no clutch, no variable speed, no reverse, a great deal of inertia ( as Ole Slewfoot just mentioned) and relatively little leverage for the operator. The latter is often solved in very large drills by extending both the switch handle and secondary handle to improve the mechanical advantage of the poor slob trying to drill the hole. The Thor I mentioned upthread is fully 4' from the tip of the secondary handle to the strain relief at the end of the switch handle and has a turnbuckle on the end of the motor for use in an "old Man " frame for things like structural steel.
Recordus, the 1100 was a mainstay of plumbers for decades. With the addition of a right angle attachment, it makes a pretty decent stud and joist drill, too.
-James Huston

 

[bob15]

Can someone explain WHY these old drills are so dangerous? I'm wondering why they are more dangerous than modern drills. I ask because I have been on a tear buying and partially restoring old, all metal drills, sanders and sabre saws.

Here's my latest (partial) restoration - it's a Cummins Model 333 1/2" drill made by John Oster. I don't think I would ever use this, but I love how honking big and torquey it is. It's 4 amps moving at 550 RPMs. I'm curious why this is more dangerous than my 15 year-old Milwaukee Hole Shooter, which is 5.5 amps but maxes out at 2,800 RPMs.


It was advertised in the late 1950s as "light" and i suppose it was compared to earlier, all steel drills, but it's a beast by modern standards. Cost $42.95 in 1959, which would be around $360 today.

Note the date stamped on the motor armature. I haven't taken many motors apart - was that a common practice?

Lower speed and much more torque than the higher speed, new drill.

Take a lawn mower engine that makes 20 hp @ 3600 erpm, it produces about 29 ft/lbs of torque. Now take an old JI Case VAC farm tractor that is also 20 hp and calculator the torque and you will get about 75 ft/lbs of torque because the engine is cranking over at a leisurely 1400 erpm.

Chainsaws are the same thing......Husky saws put out a lot of HP (low torque) but at high speeds (12-14k), whereas the old McCulloch's of the 70's had much higher torque numbers (and lugging ability) because they spun slightly slower (10k erpm).

 

[Roberts210]

These big old drills are not dangerous as long as you are using a drill bit less than 1/2" in size, but if you put a 4" hole saw in the chuck, and start drilling a 4" hole, it WILL be very difficult to control. Typically the hole saw will catch on something and the momentum will
throw the drill around and smash your hands into whatever is next to the hole before you can let go of the drill's trigger switch.