Whose Bit is This> ?

[Wallis Hampson]

On the heels of our discussion on the pushdrills, can you tell from the pictures which manufacturers drill this would fit?

[Alan DuBoff]

There are two styles that Stanley used on their push drills, and those are one of them.

[Wallis Hampson]

So which Stanley model (s) used these? I have run across a few of these and I guess now I need to know which drill to hunt down.

Thanks

[Gary Herrmann]

It depends on the diameter of the shank. Stanley pushdrills were numbered 41 thru 46? Probably some others as well. However there are also larger bits that looked just liked that were used in the smaller yankee screwdrivers.

[Wallis Hampson]

The shank on these are 11/64 or .170. Does that tell you anything?

[Bill Houghton]

I don't have an example of the 46, but the size you've got fits the 41 and 45 and presumably in between.

You can distinguish these at a glance from Yankee screwdriver bits by the shape of the notch: the notch in a pushdrill bit (at least in this size) is round, as if filed by a rat tail file; the notch in a Yankee screwdriver bit is made by the intersection of two flat planes - like a really, really small lumberjack with an axe that could cut steel was preparing to fell a tree and making the needed notch.

By the way, I'll put in a pitch for North Bros. While they didn't originate the pushdrill, they did originate the Yankee design that Stanley adopted after they bought North Bros. I've picked up, um, several over the years, and it's kind of cool using a pushdrill made, at the latest, before I was born (Stanley bought right after WWII, I was born in 1948). I've found few broken ones, although maybe people repaired or tossed the broken ones - but, considering what else people put out for rummage sales, I think it's more likely they're just really, really reliable.

Of course, I may be prejudiced toward North Bros. because they were headquartered in my sweetie's* home town of Philadelphia.

*39 years of sweetiness this year!

[Gary Herrmann]

Congrats on the 39 years, Bill. I'm only up to 19.

I agree with you on the NB tools. Their braces, drills, pushdrills etc. all made really well. I fully expect to leave my son a batch of their tools that will be by then (hopefully) a century old.

[Wallis Hampson]

Thanks all for the info. Now no one bid on ebay on any pushdrills or bits ever again. :v)