North Bros 1540

[Sean D Evans]

I just bought a North Bros 1540 hand drill. It's in great shape except it is missing the main handle. At least it was cheap.

Im wondering if anyone here has one of these drills and could provide some pictures of the handle. Its the kind with the bit storage in the handle. I believe that it is from before they were bought by Stanley as there is no mention of Stanley on the stamp.

[James Pickering]

I just bought a North Bros 1540 hand drill. It's in great shape except it is missing the main handle. At least it was cheap.

Im wondering if anyone here has one of these drills and could provide some pictures of the handle. Its the kind with the bit storage in the handle. I believe that it is from before they were bought by Stanley as there is no mention of Stanley on the stamp.

You can download a PDF of the 1926 North Bros. "YANKEE" tools catalog from Witkor Kuk's web site at

http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS-borTools/NorthBros/pubs/1926-YankeeTools/1926-YankeeTools-NorthBros.asp

or alternately

You can download a PDF of the 1931 North Bros. "YANKEE" tools catalog from ROSE tools at http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id16.html



(http://www.roseantiquetools.com/id16.html)

[Sean D Evans]

Great links. Thanks.

[Bill Houghton]

Good find. People tout the Millers-Falls No. 2 eggbeater, similar in size to the 1540, but I think the 1540 (single speed) and 1545 (two speed) eggbeaters are superior. Plus you get the gizmocity of the various ratchet settings. They're not common tools, so you're a lucky man.

[Gary Herrmann]

Sean, several years ago, I made a handle for 1545. I turned a handle and used a hanger bolt. I think the end that fit into the drill was a 1/4 20tpi, but I'm not sure. Use a bolt to verify the threads.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?76902-North-Bros-1545&highlight=north+bros+1540

[Sean D Evans]

I'd like to find one of the two speed models one day.

Gary, I wasn't clear enough in my post. The handle my drill is missin is the top one. The one with drill bit storage. Since you have one to reference, how would you build a replacement?

[Gary Herrmann]

Well, you can look for a beater with a handle.

I don't know what you can do in your shop, but you could start by determining the diameter of the receiving thread and see what you can find that would fit it. If you don't have a lathe and thread on it, you could look into pipe, and epoxy that into a handle you make.

A lot of it depends on your skill, time, tooling and desire.

[Erik Manchester]

Sean,

Here is a picture of a North Bros 1545 which has the same handle as the 1540.


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