Show your Millers Falls tools!

[Half-fast eddie]

Aha! Might be a Goodell Pratt 5-1/2B
.

 

[Old Radar]

I think you may have found your answer! Is there any info on the side of your gear-change mechanism as shown in the drawing?

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Yes, fast & slow. It’s lead a hard life, one spoke is missing and there is a crack in the gear ring opposite the missing spoke.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

One pic won't load …

 

[Half-fast eddie]

I’m a little torn on what to do with it. I want to clean it up, repaint … but the crank handle is wrong and the grip is butchered. I guess i will do what i can and make a note what it is. I have paper shoe tags on all the old tools with brand & model number, and other things like estimated date range. That will be useful when somebody has to dispose of them a couple of years from now.

 

[Old Radar]

Nice collection! Yes, it looks like this one has earned its retirement. As for branding, I meant you should look at the barrel on the shaft between the two gears. The catalog drawing shows text stamped there, but your previous pics all show the opposite side.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Where in SA are you? We lived near 1604 & Blanco (inside the loop) for 15-ish yrs before moving to Va.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

As for branding, I meant you should look at the barrel on the shaft between the two gears.

Don’t see anything there.

 

[Old Radar]

Where in SA are you? We lived near 1604 & Blanco (inside the loop) for 15-ish yrs before moving to Va.

Just inside 1604, just east of 281. I moved from the Mount Vernon area to SA 11-ish years ago.

 

[Southern83]

Picked this up the other day. One of my favorite logos. Had a receipt in the box from 1960 for $61 but did not show an item number. Not sure that it’s for this or not. I’ll try to grab a picture later.

 

[RTM]

Wow, thats a heck of a markup, so maybe not. $18.65 list price

Millers Falls Hand Tool & Precision Tools: Form No. H-161C : Millers Falls Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

72 p., illus., 22.7 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Southern83]

Ya that's a big difference. Probably unrelated or part of a larger purchase.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Picked up this No. 14 Barber's Improved Bit Brace this morning at the flea. The "PAT'D" date marking ("JAN. 14, 1868") underneath the "BARBER'S IMPD" marking is a reference to that same Amidon chuck patent (73,279) we see on those large hollow-handle multi-bit tools showing up on that thread marked MF, RED DEVIL, Springfield, and others. I find it cute with only a 6-inch sweep. I've read that the handle is rosewood and the head, which is showing some honest cracks and splits, is lignum vitae, but the sawdust makers would know better than me. It spiffed up nicely.

 

[Pexto]

That's a really neat old brace! I have to say that the pad does not look like lignum vitae to me, but I'm not sure what it is. I've never seen rosewood or lignum vitae with a check pattern like that. If it were mine, I'd take the pad off (take the 3 screws out, then unscrew the pad), and see what the unfinished wood looks like. Nice find!

 

[RTM]

Picked up this No. 14 Barber's Improved Bit Brace this morning at the flea. The "PAT'D" date marking ("JAN. 14, 1868") underneath the "BARBER'S IMPD" marking is a reference to that same Amidon chuck patent (73,279) we see on those large hollow-handle multi-bit tools showing up on that thread marked MF, RED DEVIL, Springfield, and others. I find it cute with only a 6-inch sweep. I've read that the handle is rosewood and the head, which is showing some honest cracks and splits, is lignum vitae, but the sawdust makers would know better than me. It spiffed up nicely.

That also looks suspiciously like theirs Rose patent on the revolving wrist handle. And not known to have been produced….

US Patent: 82,251 - Bit-stock; revolving wrist or handle

US patent 82,251 Bit-stock; revolving wrist or handle was issued to Clemens B. Rose of Sunderland, MA. It was granted on 09/15/1868.

datamp.org

Were you reading about it here?

https://oldtoolheaven.com/millers-falls/brace/brace1.htm

If you follow the Rose brace link above where your brace appears, you will get to pics that look like yours.

And the switch away from Amidon jaws happened early, so yours must be real early.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Were you reading about it here?

https://oldtoolheaven.com/millers-falls/brace/brace1.htm

I followed that link and skimmed through the descriptions. I like this comment …

 

[RTM]

Nice, I had not noticed that.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

That's a really neat old brace!

Thanks. I don't collect them, or any old woodworking tools, typically. This one just looked worth grabbing to my untrained eye and it was on a table containing a weird mix of stuff being sold by a meth head, so, cheap, too.

I have to say that the pad does not look like lignum vitae to me, but I'm not sure what it is. I've never seen rosewood or lignum vitae with a check pattern like that. If it were mine, I'd take the pad off (take the 3 screws out, then unscrew the pad), and see what the unfinished wood looks like.

I removed the screws, as you instructed, but it wouldn't budge, and I did not want to use excess force.

Were you reading about it here?

Nope. I just searched "Barber's Improved No. 14" on Google Books and opened the oldest sources.

That also looks suspiciously like theirs Rose patent on the revolving wrist handle.

If you follow the Rose brace link above where your brace appears, you will get to pics that look like yours.

I'm not going to argue, especially because I am out of my element on these tools. Instead, I will explain and then you can tell me where you think I'm right or wrong.

The "sweep handle" (using the terminology I have found in the period catalogs themselves) does look slimmer and trimmer than the sweep handles on the images of the Barber's Improved Braces shown on that Old Tool Heaven site, and much more like the sweep handles on the images of the Rose patent braces on that Old Tool Heaven site, but I found plenty of images of Barber's Improved Braces in period catalogs that look exactly like the sweep handle on the brace I found. Same for the rotating "head". What has me most perplexed by your suggestion is the chuck (collar?), which looks nothing like the chuck on the Rose patent brace. In short, I am not sure why you're bringing the Rose patent brace into this at all, since it doesn't look much like it, and it's marked as a Barber's Improved. EDIT: Disregard. I think I see what you're saying now. They seem to be saying the Rose pattern sweep handle was incorporated. But note that it does NOT revolve. It's pinned.

Here's a catalog cut from 1894 to help me explain further.



I think my example looks more like the tool labeled simply and only "Barber Brace" on the lower right than the tool labeled "Barber's Improved Bit Brace" in the upper left, except for the jaws, and the model numbering, which leads me to think what I have found is perhaps some early form of "Barber's Improved Bit Brace", looking like the Barber's Brace in external form (sweep handle, head, and chuck), but with the Amidon jaws instead of the Barber jaws.

Here's the oldest (1873) catalog reference (Shannon's in Philadelphia) I found that looks - granted, to my untrained eye, exactly like my brace, and it's "Improved."



In summary, even though the image of a Barber's Improved Brace the Tool Heaven site chose appears to be later, with a more bulbous and apparently rotating "sweep handle" and a different rounder-shaped "head", through my own research just poking around through old period catalogs, I think that this (yellow highlight) is precisely what I have found...



But again, I am prepared to be corrected.

 

[RTM]

Don't know that I am the one to do any correcting, just maybe pointing in a direction, which you seem well down the path on. According to a second source whose brace opinion I value highly, if I could just spell his website right (http://www.sydnassloot.com/Brace/Millers_falls.htm#rose)

Rose’s second enduring patent was for a distinctive wrist handle (Patent #82251, Sept. 15, 1868). This quite decorative handle has a terete rosewood (or cocobolo) handle enclosed by broad brass ferrules at either end. The ferrules are riveted to the underlying wood and are soldered to the shaft of the brace. They are immovable and don’t rotate even though the patent description makes that claim.. Of the four Rose chuck braces shown above, three have complete wooden handles that must have been applied to the shaft before bending the bows (a la Bartholomew), while the 8" sweep brace’s wooden handle is in two halves, and could have been applied after manufacture.

Me again. I was noting the cool brass ferrules, and knew they were different from the norm, as shown in your first link above, the step down from the wood to the ferrule. The step to the McCoys handle can be seen in the image at this link (http://www.sydnassloot.com/Brace/Millers_falls.htm#mccoyb)

This feature alone makes me agree with your ca. 1871 thoughts. The 1878 intro to McCoys wrist (sweep) handle, then 1890 McCoys jaws makes me think you nailed the date.

I was suggesting this link, just above where you snipped, to give more info on Rose as well, (https://oldtoolheaven.com/millers-falls/brace/FeaturedBraces.htm#Rose) to give you the nice cool wrist sweep handle images that drove my opinion.



And I have no idea on rosewood vs LV wood, I suspect one of the wood ID sites may help, but I definitely would not try to force it off. There is often a threaded stud under the cap, and you need to unscrew it once you pull out the three screws. You can barely see the threads inside the wood in this image.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I was suggesting this link, just above where you snipped, to give more info on Rose as well, (https://oldtoolheaven.com/millers-falls/brace/FeaturedBraces.htm#Rose) to give you the nice cool wrist sweep handle images that drove my opinion.

Thanks. I saw it. And I saw the Tool Heaven site identify it as a "Rose pattern wrist handle" in describing the ca. 1871 Barber's Improved Brace in their info table. That doesn't make it a Rose patent brace, though. Again, I found plenty of images of late Barber's Braces and early Barber's Improved Braces with the same wrist handle. That's what was confusing me about your initial reply. But we seem to be in agreement.

And I have no idea on rosewood vs LV wood, I suspect one of the wood ID sites may help, but I definitely would not try to force it off. There is often a threaded stud under the cap, and you need to unscrew it once you pull out the three screws. You can barely see the threads inside the wood in this image.

Thanks. That's what I was imagining was under there from PEXTO's instructions, when he said to "take the 3 screws out, then unscrew the pad". When I replied that I didn't want to use excessive force, I meant in trying to unscrew the "pad" (his term) or "cap" (your term). It's not unscrewing with a normal amount of twist, and I'm not going to try to twist harder for risk of breaking it. I'm pretty confident that I have the ca. 1871 model and I'll take the period literature I found (as well as the Tool Heaven summary) at its word that it was lignum-vitae. It's not that important to me to confirm it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Thanks for the help, all.

 

[Pexto]

Thanks. That's what I was imagining was under there from PEXTO's instructions, when he said to "take the 3 screws out, then unscrew the pad". When I replied that I didn't want to use excessive force, I meant in trying to unscrew the "pad" (his term) or "cap" (your term). It's not unscrewing with a normal amount of twist, and I'm not going to try to twist harder for risk of breaking it. I'm pretty confident that I have the ca. 1871 model and I'll take the period literature I found (as well as the Tool Heaven summary) at its word that it was lignum-vitae. It's not that important to me to confirm it.

Good call on your part not to force it. RTM's pic shows how the pad (aka cap, aka head) is threaded. I've seen them be very rusty under there. With steel on wood over the course of the decades, those threads can seize up pretty tight.

Don't know that I am the one to do any correcting, just maybe pointing in a direction, which you seem well down the path on. According to a second source whose brace opinion I value highly, if I could just spell his website right (http://www.sydnassloot.com/Brace/Millers_falls.htm#rose)

It's easy (or easier, anyway ) to spell that site name if you note that it's Sandy's Tools spelled backwards. The website hasn't been updated in a couple of years - I hope Sandy is doing OK.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I find myself referring often to Sandy's site

another good one for "brace": GeorgesBasement

 

[RTM]

.


It's easy (or easier, anyway ) to spell that site name if you note that it's Sandy's Tools spelled backwards. The website hasn't been updated in a couple of years - I hope Sandy is doing OK.

I occasionally try to reverse the whole phrase, not the individual words.

I chatted w him via email about a year or more ago, found a typo on his site. He has changed interests a bit, so slowing down on WW tools, focusing on whaling artifacts.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Still a great source for the existing content. I referred to it earlier today looking for "C.E. Jennings". Links are down at the bottom end of my list.

 

[WisJim]

Last I heard a couple of months ago, from someone who saw him in person regularly, Sandy Moss wasn't in very good health, but I haven't heard updates in the last month or so. His for sale pages haven't updated for awhile.

 

[RTM]

Kind of a boring score, but more goodies from helping my buddy clear out his garage prior to his move.

A series of Millers Falls Nail sets, numbered 601 - 603, in sizes from 1/32 - 3/32. The bottom two look a bit newer, and came from the premier lumber yard of my youth, Arcadia Lumber in SoCal. Sadly, no longer there.

I did not notice the length difference in the top 3, didn't look to see if that tip was ground down in the middle, but it sure looks bad in the pics

 

[bmwrd0]

Not sure if anyone has seen this yet, but here is a great website on Millers Falls planes:

Millers Falls Planes

The history, studies and research about the planes made by the Millers Falls Co. from 1929 through 1990. The material covers bench planes, block planes, specialty planes and many of the rebrand planes made by Millers Falls Company in Millers Falls and Greenfield Massachusetts.

www.justtheplanefacts.com

I looked, but didn't find anything in this thread.

 

[Mintgrun]

I bought another No. 5 drill the other day, because the one I already had has a chip out of the edge of the gear wheel. Well, that's not why I bought it, but that's why this one is better. I also noticed that the other one is made of "white metal" whereas this one is cast iron. I'm guessing that makes the new one a bit older. The No. 12 was a gift, along with the No. 1322 10 inch brace.





The size of the teeth on its gears seem overly large/coarse, compared to other drills I have.



That's mostly what inspired this post. Look at the size of those teeth!

 

[outofbounds]

Curious if someone might validate this stubby screwdriver as Millers Falls? The part no. 854 Might suggest as much. Alternatively, through some warped logic I thought perhaps Massey-Ferguson as the tool looks all the world built by Wright who is known to provide the infamous IH Chrome tools.

 

[RTM]

Curious if someone might validate this stubby screwdriver as Millers Falls? The part no. 854 Might suggest as much. Al

Nah

Millers Falls : 70th Anniversary : Catalog No. 42 : Millers Falls Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

260 p., illus., 17.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[outofbounds]

Nah

Millers Falls : 70th Anniversary : Catalog No. 42 : Millers Falls Co. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

260 p., illus., 17.6 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

Thanks RTM, although this one is likely 30+ years newer than the one in the catalog, nice to know all the same.

 

[RTM]

That's my favorite catalog for looking things up most full range of tools in that era.

 

[d42jeep]

I found a rusty square Friday and a hacksaw yesterday. The rule for the square came out of the evaporust looking great but I forgot to get a picture. I’ll get one later today.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Here is the finished square. I need an appropriate scratch awl to complete it.
-Don

 

[d42jeep]

Shiftless dropped off a hacksaw that had some black paint sprayed on the red plastic handle. I spent quite a bit of time getting as much of it off as I could.
Here it is with three earlier Millers Falls hacksaws.
-Don

 

[RTM]

Shiftless dropped off a hacksaw that had some black paint sprayed on the red plastic handle. I spent quite a bit of time getting as much of it off as I could.

Nice, the 300 has the red Tenite handle, the non stinky plastic. Does that classify as a Buck Rogers type?

There is no image, not even a patent image at DATAMP, so they might like a clean image like yours.

 

[d42jeep]

Nice, the 300 has the red Tenite handle, the non stinky plastic. Does that classify as a Buck Rogers type?

There is no image, not even a patent image at DATAMP, so they might like a clean image like yours.

No problem. How does one go about that? Aren’t you doing some volunteering for them?
-Don

 

[RTM]

No problem. How does one go about that? Aren’t you doing some volunteering for them?
-Don

Under where the image goes, there's a link to correspond with Joel, just click there.

I'm doing boring stuff, augers and braces, and poorly lately. Need to get fired back up for digging thru the web again.

 

[d42jeep]

Thanks, I sent him the pictures.
-Don