Greetings to all,

I would like to get a push drill (stealth WTB) but have a question about the
bits.

Many of the pictures I've seen show bits that are obviously not normal drill
bits. That implies a potential problem when the bits are missing. Can
someone tell me if they use standard drill bits?

Dennis Heyza
Director of Operations
Media Design Corporation
Madison Heights Michigan
Phone 248-691-9109
Fax 248-548-7256

Dennis wrote:

>Many of the pictures I've seen show bits that are obviously not normal drill
>bits. That implies a potential problem when the bits are missing. Can
>someone tell me if they use standard drill bits?
>

The Goodell-Pratt and Millers Falls (who bought out Goodell-Pratt) drills
use a sort-of 4 jaw chuck for which bits are hard to find. If you stick
with the Yankee #41 or #44 drills you will not have any great trouble
finding bits. Stanley still makes the #41 in England and the bits are
available new from sources such as Wm. Alden.

The Yankee push drills are common enough that I've solved the bit supply
problem by never buying a push drill without at least 6 bits in it. Never
payed more than $4 for a bit with drills yet.
****************************
Tom Price (TomPrice@a...)
Will Work For Tools
The Galoot's Progress Old Tools site is at:
http://members.aol.com/tomprice/galootp/galtprog.html

Tom Price writes:

>If you stick
>with the Yankee #41 or #44 drills you will not have any great trouble
>finding bits. Stanley still makes the #41 in England and the bits are
>available new from sources such as Wm. Alden.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that the new Stanley/Yankee bits are
twist drills, NOT the 2-flute style used on the older drills.

This may be a niggling point to most people, but for Shaker box bands the
twist drills are a real problem.  The point on the end of the twist bit
makes it nearly impossible to drill a hole in the end of a box finger
without splitting.  The 2-flute bits with their flat tips don't have this
problem.

The 2-flute bits are very difficult to find in the smallest two sizes (which
of course are the ones I need for box work).  I buy any that I see...

ralph

In reply to my push drill question, Ralph wrote -

        One thing to be aware of, though, is that the new Stanley/Yankee
bits are
        twist drills, NOT the 2-flute style used on the older drills.

        This may be a niggling point to most people, but for Shaker box
bands the
        twist drills are a real problem.  The point on the end of the twist
bit
        makes it nearly impossible to drill a hole in the end of a box
finger
        without splitting.  The 2-flute bits with their flat tips don't have
this
        problem.

        The 2-flute bits are very difficult to find in the smallest two
sizes (which
        of course are the ones I need for box work).  I buy any that I
see...

        Thanks for pointing this out Ralph, since my primary reason for
buying a push drill was for Shaker boxes.

        Dennis

Dennis, Ralph & all other push drill lovin' galoots:

FWIW - Last week, I bought a pack of replacement drill bits for my Stanley
#41 push drill.  The bits that I bought are the old-style "2-flute"
type.  I bought them "off the rack" @ my local Ace hardware store.  Mebbe
they're selling old stock? I dunno, but, aside from being a bit pricey
($9.50 for for bits), they owrk great.

-- Gerry Kmack / Cave Creek, AZ

At  Thursday 09:27 AM 3/9/00 , Heyza, Dennis wrote:
>In reply to my push drill question, Ralph wrote -
>
>         One thing to be aware of, though, is that the new Stanley/Yankee
>bits are
>         twist drills, NOT the 2-flute style used on the older drills.
>
>         This may be a niggling point to most people, but for Shaker box
>bands the
>         twist drills are a real problem.  The point on the end of the twist
>bit
>         makes it nearly impossible to drill a hole in the end of a box
>finger
>         without splitting.  The 2-flute bits with their flat tips don't have
>this
>         problem.
>
>         The 2-flute bits are very difficult to find in the smallest two
>sizes (which
>         of course are the ones I need for box work).  I buy any that I
>see...
>
>         Thanks for pointing this out Ralph, since my primary reason for
>buying a push drill was for Shaker boxes.
>
>         Dennis
>
>
>
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Ralph wrote:

>Tom Price writes:
>
>>If you stick
>>with the Yankee #41 or #44 drills you will not have any great trouble
>>finding bits. Stanley still makes the #41 in England and the bits are
>>available new from sources such as Wm. Alden.
>
>One thing to be aware of, though, is that the new Stanley/Yankee bits are
>twist drills, NOT the 2-flute style used on the older drills.

As the Seinfeld show's Kramer character says, "You just blew my mind!" I
bought a set of Yankee bits for a #41 from William Alden about 3 years
ago and they were still the 2-flute models.  When did Stanley switch to
twist bits? That's really a dumb thing to do since the Yankee push drills
are reciprocating and twist drill bits are really designed to rotate
continuously in one direction only.
****************************
Tom Price (TomPrice@a...)
Brakes For Rust
New Galoot? You can find the Not Officially Authorized Orientation at the
Galoot's Progress:
http://members.aol.com/tomprice/galootp/galtprog.html

Tom Price asks:

> I bought a set of Yankee bits for a #41 from William Alden about 3 years
> ago and they were still the 2-flute models.  When did Stanley switch to
> twist bits?

I went looking for them last summer, and all I could find were twist bits in
a blister pack.  Everyone's favorite parts lady, Lori at Stanley, confirmed
that that was what they were selling as replacement parts.  I also had
several galoots around the country trying to round up some new #4 and #5
bits for me, but all they could find were the twist drills.

>That's really a dumb thing to do since the Yankee push drills
> are reciprocating and twist drill bits are really designed to rotate
> continuously in one direction only.

I agree, and was a little PO'd that they'd changed the style.  The pointy
tip makes them all but worthless for thin stock.

ralph

I saw a new set of Stanley 2-flute bits in my local hardware store last
week.  they were a little pricey at $22, however.  Nevertheless, I was
pleasantly surprised to see them still in production/for sale.

Ross A. Nideffer

Folks,

I've been lurking for a few weeks now, but this is my first opportunity to
post.  I learned woodworking with my father using his 1952 ShopSmith.  I
also took woodshop in high-school.  After that, I took about 10 years off.
One day about 8 years ago, my dad called and said "I've been having so much
fun with this new table saw, that I want to buy you one!"  Obviously, I said
"Great, thanks!"  A couple years later, my twin brother (who had gotten the
same free saw from my dad, too) gave me an antique Stanley #6 plane.  I've
become a hand-tool convert.  I must confess, though, that I still find much
use of certain power tools.

Since then, I've done many small projects and have acquired a few additional
planes, chisels, saws, etc., but I'm mainly a user rather than a collector.
My biggest accomplishments are having made two complete hardwood
workbenches.  Sadly, the first one was made from wood infested with
powder-post beetles.  I didn't realize it until 3 years later.  I retired
that beetle-breeding ground (and swore off air-dried ash) and built a new
bench.  While I learned a lot in the process of designing and building the
benches and vises, it sure took a lot of hours!

I'm certainly enjoying this mailing list!!

>
> Ralph wrote:
>
> ago and they were still the 2-flute models.  When did Stanley
> switch to
> twist bits?
>

Now to the subject at hand.  About a month or two ago, I saw in the Highland
Hardware store that you could purchase either the 2-flute or twist drill
bits for the push-drill.  So, maybe Stanley still makes both, but stores
don't carry them.

Curtis

=====================================
Curtis Ide
Director, Engineering
cide@i...

Push drill fans:
This thread is still somewhat alive, so about the concern with twist drills
splitting thin wood:

There are many ways to reshape the cutting edge of a drill, all intended to
make it  do what _you_ want it to do. The off-the-shelf standard isn't good
for everything, and isn't intended to be.

Just like using a back bevel on a plane iron to change the angle of attack
for particular problems, drill bits are often modified by knocking off the
aggressive cutting edge, back to a much less agressive angle.  That's good
for copper, brass, lead - where the standard would just screw itself in.

Another common rework is for thin sheet metal.  For a round hole, the
entire point angle is removed except for a pilot point - making it much
like a piloted Forstner.  Otherwise it will make an undersize rounded
triangle hole in thin stock - metal or wood.

Bits are like every other other tool you might buy.  They need a sharpening
tuneup when you get them.  But we aren't prisoners of the  production line,
and can turn their stuff into something useful, based on what we need.

Experiment with the cutting angle and even the point angle.  There is no
reason a straight flute bit made by Goodell-Pratt is the only way to go.

And since I mentioned them, and have one of their thingies, I don't see why
their four jawed chuck wouldn't grip a modern twist bit if the shank was
filed square.

It's also very easy to make your own half flute drill from round drill
stock.  It acts a lot like a Forstner but you can make it yourself in no
time.  Lot's of territory to be explored.

Gene