Karl Andersson
08-13-2012, 8:21 PM
When it rains it pours – normally I don’t find much more than old files when out looking for tools. Recently I stopped at a junky flea market and picked up these two eggbeater drills –a Craftsman (Millers Falls 77?) and a Stanley 620. The Craftsman was first or I probably would have passed on it – it had no bits in the handle and was missing one of the chuck jaw springs. The Stanley was next –still has about half the yellow decal on the crank disk and most of the paint on the red part of the handle and disk -plus it has the full set of 8 bits in the handle. Each of them was 1 dollar, so I figured I got a deal…
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the Craftsman
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The Stanley 602 with bits
The Stanley’s lacquered handles have pretty much lost theircoating, and I’m not sure if I should re-lacquer them or sit it on a shelf incomplete, used condition (maybe it will be valuable as “unrestored” when I havegrown grandkids?). In any event, I like the look of the Craftsman better, so Idecide to do a Rat Rod restoration on it – make it clean and perfectlyfunctional but don’t remove it’s signs of use. So here goes:
before
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Removed all the parts and soaked them in PB Blaster, scrubbedthem with a steel wire brush, then cleaned them with choke/ carb cleaner. Then another scrubbing session with keroseneto float away the debris but leave a rust-resistant coating. I left the darkareas dark, just removed the rust. Therewas light pitting on the crank handle, but it came out looking almost intentional.
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The springs are the bent-straight type, not coil springs.The original springs were .028”, but the local hobby shop only had .032 instock. I bent a replacement with acouple needle-nosed pliers and viola, it works – if not a little stiffer thanthe other two.
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I then stripped the handles – seem to be lacquer, as the oldworn finish came right off with acetone. The original lacquer was a transparent mahogany color and the wood underneathwas a too-cheerful reddish color, so I dubbed it down with a medium brown woodstain, waited for it to dry, then brushed on 3 coats of brushing lacquer. After that was hard, I rubbed it down with0000 steel wool to get a silky, not shiny surface.
Well here’s the oldtimer, ready to go another century or so-now I just have to figure out what to do with that Stanley
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Later,
Karl
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the Craftsman
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The Stanley 602 with bits
The Stanley’s lacquered handles have pretty much lost theircoating, and I’m not sure if I should re-lacquer them or sit it on a shelf incomplete, used condition (maybe it will be valuable as “unrestored” when I havegrown grandkids?). In any event, I like the look of the Craftsman better, so Idecide to do a Rat Rod restoration on it – make it clean and perfectlyfunctional but don’t remove it’s signs of use. So here goes:
before
239083
Removed all the parts and soaked them in PB Blaster, scrubbedthem with a steel wire brush, then cleaned them with choke/ carb cleaner. Then another scrubbing session with keroseneto float away the debris but leave a rust-resistant coating. I left the darkareas dark, just removed the rust. Therewas light pitting on the crank handle, but it came out looking almost intentional.
239084
The springs are the bent-straight type, not coil springs.The original springs were .028”, but the local hobby shop only had .032 instock. I bent a replacement with acouple needle-nosed pliers and viola, it works – if not a little stiffer thanthe other two.
239089
I then stripped the handles – seem to be lacquer, as the oldworn finish came right off with acetone. The original lacquer was a transparent mahogany color and the wood underneathwas a too-cheerful reddish color, so I dubbed it down with a medium brown woodstain, waited for it to dry, then brushed on 3 coats of brushing lacquer. After that was hard, I rubbed it down with0000 steel wool to get a silky, not shiny surface.
Well here’s the oldtimer, ready to go another century or so-now I just have to figure out what to do with that Stanley
239085239088
Later,
Karl