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Let's see your vintage drill bit indices

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d42jeep

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Hey all, while kicking around PDX area last Saturday, I found a Huot drill bit index, in fractional sizes. Was quite pleased, cuz I think I have three in numbered sizes, and I don't need that many. Not terribly spectacular in this thread, either by shape or manufacturer, or maybe even not very vintage.

PXL_20240211_041829565-XL.jpg
It looks like RTM has a couple of these HUOT fractional indIcies but this one I spotted at yesterday’s Berkeley estate sale was the first I’d seen in person. It came with some bits which I made sure were sharp and added a few others. Looks like I need to find some larger bits at an upcoming sale in order to finish filling it up.
-Don
As foundIMG_4860.jpeg
Cleaned upIMG_4863.jpeg
Added some bits to the ones it came with. IMG_4865.jpeg
It‘s not fancy but another for the collection.IMG_4855.jpeg
 
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RTM

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I think that General was supplying this style of index to Sears, if I remember correctly.
Yup, mine is here. Linked in this thread too
 

d42jeep

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This Huot index that I found on Friday is fairly unremarkable other then being pretty well loaded with number bits. They will allow me to fill up some more interesting indices. FullSizeRender.jpegFullSizeRender.jpegIMG_5747.jpeg
-Don
 

RTM

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Here is a Standard #8 I missed in an auction, went for $60. See lots of #5, and one I can’t read early on, in this thread.

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lilredex

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Found this one at a garage sale last year, didn't really need it, but it is small and a Huot...so it;s mine now.
 

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454ragtop

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It looks like RTM has a couple of these HUOT fractional indIcies but this one I spotted at yesterday’s Berkeley estate sale was the first I’d seen in person. It came with some bits which I made sure were sharp and added a few others. Looks like I need to find some larger bits at an upcoming sale in order to finish filling it up.
-Don
As foundIMG_4860.jpeg
Cleaned upIMG_4863.jpeg
Added some bits to the ones it came with. IMG_4865.jpeg
It‘s not fancy but another for the collection.IMG_4855.jpeg
I like those, not as fancy as the cool ornate cast ones, but they work out well mounted to a machine. I have a couple, one mounted on a Delta 17" drill press, another mounted on one of my lathes.
 

d42jeep

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I have a few I acquired over the years.
BD6CC46A-F9DF-4C63-933F-1801475FD8D1_1_102_o.jpegBCC3B736-4293-48CE-A0AA-6BB109FE096D_1_102_o.jpeg497368B9-E2B4-4FF7-866C-408A90D2AFB5_1_102_o.jpegEA8793A3-2734-4926-8B51-89D3202B7082_1_102_o.jpeg
The tiny Huot number indices are cool and I like the logo on your New York index. I filled up my new Standard set with sharpened bits and added a couple of bits to my other plain Jane index. Some of my indices are for looking at, others are for actually using.
-Don
IMG_7854.jpegIMG_7853.jpeg
Basement displayIMG_6742.jpegIMG_0542.jpegIMG_6743.jpeg
 
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ecotec

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It looks like RTM has a couple of these HUOT fractional indIcies but this one I spotted at yesterday’s Berkeley estate sale was the first I’d seen in person. It came with some bits which I made sure were sharp and added a few others. Looks like I need to find some larger bits at an upcoming sale in order to finish filling it up.
-Don
As foundIMG_4860.jpeg
Cleaned upIMG_4863.jpeg
Added some bits to the ones it came with. IMG_4865.jpeg
It‘s not fancy but another for the collection.IMG_4855.jpeg

They have these Hout stands new on their hang cards at a local store. I started with them before I found vintage ones.IMG_4605.jpeg
 

454ragtop

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They have these Hout stands new on their hang cards at a local store. I started with them before I found vintage ones.IMG_4605.jpeg
While I love all the cool vintage drill indices, those stamped sheet metal stands are great for mounting to machines. I have one attached to one of my drill presses, and another mounted on the headstock of one of my lathes.
 

four.cycle

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Private Lugnutz

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I believe this was discussed and the patent assignee was the most likely MFG for all IIR
I don't remember seeing any patent info before, Outlaw.

I posted an Ajax version back on page 10, linked here, followed immediately by some research I had done at that time, including an excerpt from a 1906 trademark registry indicating that an Ajax Mfg Co in Cleveland was making all kinds of things related to twist drills and drilling. From that excerpt and info we supposed that they may have been the Mfgr, for themselves, and for Morse, and whatever Acorn refers to, which are obviously very similar if not identical. But again, I don't recall seeing any patent information, primarily because I don't recall anyone posting an example of a Morse, an Ajax, or any other folding triangular index with a patent number or date on it.

That changed with @ecotec now reporting on the GS thread that his Morse version is marked "PAT. AUG. 7. 1906."!

I found the patent (T.B. Powers / 828,051) under "Drill-holder, Portable" inside the Annual Report of the Commissioner for Patents for the Year 1906.

Note that it was not assigned to any company. If Ajax or Morse were making them, they either bought him out or he was licensing the rights. I have not looked into that.

If it's been posted before, sorry, I missed it.

Powers (Morse, Ajax, etc) drill index page 1.jpg
 

Private Lugnutz

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I may not have remembered right -which was why I qualified: "IIR" - I thought I remembered us coming to a conclusion of who was the MFG, but not exactly who.
Gotcha. I was just making sure we were talking about the same prior discussion, hence my reiteration and summary in case I had missed a different one. Ajax Mfg still seems very plausible to me. Knowing who owned the patent is neat, and it may help solve this one completely, eventually, but since it was unassigned, we're still left postulating.
 

d42jeep

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A friend from Folsom came by yesterday to ride to a memorial with us and she brought a gift from her husband for me. It was a General number drill index with the three moving levels. These have been seen before, some on the Craftsman crown thread because General was supplying them to Sears. IMG_7914.jpegIMG_7913.jpegThe black blobs were removed with a thumbnail. IMG_7919.jpeg
IMG_7917.jpegIMG_7916.jpegIMG_7918.jpeg
Here is RTM’s Craftsman Crown versionIMG_6509.jpeg
They were patented in 1942. IMG_6511.jpegIMG_6510.jpeg
-Don
 

d42jeep

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I grabbed these two dirty indices on Friday because they were close to complete with bits IMG_7714.jpeg
One was marked with a patent number and I was able to send a photo to DatampIMG_1711.jpegIMG_7667.jpegIMG_7666.jpeg
The other index was unmarked and was mostly filled with German bits.IMG_1713.jpeg
All the bits went into the evaporust and the dull bits got sharpened. IMG_1734.jpeg
-Don
 

INSP380

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Found this one in my shop tonight, forgot I had it!

NOS Huot…

Steve
 

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