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Thread: Look For the Funky and Unloved - There Are Still Some Deals

  1. #1
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    Look For the Funky and Unloved - There Are Still Some Deals

    Old habits die hard. Every time it dawns on me to cancel all my ebay notifications something on one of them catches my eye and looks like a good deal. Even if it is something unneeded it will be watched and it surprises me how often there is no bid.

    Often it is poorly displayed or may have other problems. A couple days ago an auction with Russell Jennings bits caught my eye. The 10 bits in the broken box all look good even though one bit looks like it may have been used to plant small bulbs in a garden:

    Second Row RJ Box.jpg

    The top row looks to have an Irwin pattern bit in the spot that would house the 3/8" bit:

    Top Row RJ Box.jpg

    There was also a box of 13 bits that look to be Russell Jennings pattern bits. They look pretty rusty but I've seen worse come back to life. There is also a box with 30 miscellaneous bits that look like many of them are decent users:

    Rusty bits & 30 Odds.jpg

    It didn't show anyone else watching. Mine was the only bid.

    For me, working on cleaning up old tools is enjoyable like working wood.

    Now I need to make some more room for storing stuff or work on cleaning out extras.

    Maybe that should have come to mind before buying some more pony clamps and a felling wedge last week.

    Just remembered, bought another bunch of bits. Though they were mostly gimlets and piercing bits.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 08-02-2022 at 10:05 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  2. #2
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    Jim,

    Looks like a good find. Do you have a replacement Jennings bit to replace the Irwin bit, and are you thinking on repairing the box also? If you do such, please do a photo. I like restoring old tools a lot too, but haven't felt like it much lately after working on the house remodel stuff during the day. I need to get back to finishing up the planes that are about half way through the restoration process.

    At any rate nice find!

    Stew

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    My hope is there may be a replacement bit in all the spare and odd bits included.

    Not sure on the box repair. It depends on the condition of what is left.

    I know about getting pulled away from work in progress. SWMBO always has something for me to do that is more important, to her, "than me futzing around with junk."

    Some of my best finds have been discovered when bottom fishing.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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    A previous lot of bits found on ebay arrived today:

    This set made me thing my marbles may have gone missing:

    Piercing Gimlet & Odd Bits.jpg

    The three on the left are what Peter Follansbee calls piercing bits in the Joint Stool book. The next three look to be piercing style bits made from broken bits. The first one bores a decent hole after a little attention with a slip stone. Next is a twist gimlet, followed by what looks like it could be a spoon bit with a lead screw or straight pocket gimlets. Last there are three bits with a single auger twist. The two smaller ones cut okay if not a little rough. The big one hasn't been on a test ride yet. It measures a hair short of 1-15/32".

    And of course across the top is a small screwdriver bit.

    The part that made me think my marbles may be out for a walk… the listing was for 15 pieces. While cleaning them up and trying them in wood it appears there are 16 pieces. So the listing was checked and there wasn't a twist gimlet in any of the images.

    That isn't something that one expects. I did leave positive feedback before I realized the extra bit.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  5. #5
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    The larger selection of bits arrived today.

    The RJ box looks to be in too poor of shape to restore.

    There were a few odd bits in the pile. Here are five of them:

    Five Odd Bits.jpg

    On the left there is a Russell Jennings #3 (3/16") bit with the tang cut off.

    Next is what looks to be an Irwin #7 (7/16") doweling bit. The spurs are longer than most of my other Irwin bits.

    The third bit doesn't have a readable name. The spiral comes down to a cone shape into the screw and has a rounded edge that cuts into the wood. Likely a pre-spur auger type bit.

    Next is another that looks to be pre-spur auger bit. It looks like it has little chisels ahead of the cutting edges. It cuts a hole a bit more ragged than a spur auger bit.

    Last is a #20 (1-1/4") bit with a Robert Sorby Shefield mark. This is the largest bit in the selection and cuts well.

    There are a few duds that look to be beyond restoration (that was expected from the images). Those may be useable for making other items.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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    Some time was spent today to look through the recent acquisition of old auger bits.

    Interesting there are a few stamped with names like Jennings Pattern R.T. Co & Wright Jennings. There are some of the earlier bits looking to be pre-spur augers with the name Riverside Tool Co. Curious if that could be the R.T. Co on the other bit.

    One #14 (7/8") bit appears to have had its spurs sharpened by someone who didn't know how to do it properly:

    Improperly Filed Spur.jpg

    The spurs should only be filed on the inside edge. If a burr needs to be removed, do so carefully on an oilstone with the bit flat on the stone so as to only remove the burr.

    The spur being filed on the outsiide caused the bit to stall in the wood and for the lead screw to strip out from the wood:

    Result with Improperly Filed Spur.jpg

    Here are two bits, both #14s, compared:

    Comparison of Spurs.jpg

    After attempting to correct the spur it proved to be too short to do its job well:

    Comparison of Results.jpg

    The hole on the left is made by the rusty bit in the image of the two bits being compared. The hole on the right was made by the bit with the short spurs. At least with the section of improperly filed spur removed it doesn't stall in the bore.

    It may be possible to make the bit with the short spurs cut a less ragged hole by filing back the cutting edges. That is for another day.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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    Spent a little more time today sorting through the recent acquisition of bits.

    Searched around a little to see if there was anything about the oddball augers with what looks like the beginning of a spur. Couldn't find anything about it online but did take a picture of one of the ones in better condition:

    Wing Auger?.jpg

    The thin vertical line at the top from the screw to the center of the spur is the cutting lip. This bit actually cuts a hole as clean as any other bit.

    Stamped on the shaft in two lines is Superior Cast Steel.

    Stew asked about repairing the box. It looks too far gone to do any meaningful repair. There are a lot of cracks in the wood around the screws in the hinges. The box also appears to be coated in grunge from being in a messy shop of some sort.

    There is also a some previous repair and some damage caused by being handled roughly. At the ends of the compartments are impressions or outright holes in the wood. It looks like the box may have been stowed on end in a wagon or truck continually going over rough roads:

    Lead Screw Damage.jpg

    As can be seen in the image, many of these holes actually reach the outside of the box. It doesn't seem to have had any effet on the bits or the lead screws.

    Similar damage can be seen on the tang end of the box:

    Tang End Damage.jpg

    The Russell Jennings set is complete except for 2 sizes. The 6/16" is a Jennings patern from another maker and the 13/16" is missing. Some of the RJs have multiples in a few sizes.

    One has a fancy mark, if my memory is working it was O.H.B. & Co with the "Our Very Best" and some scroll work.

    A lot of nice bits for about $2 each if you dismiss the duds. Some of the duds aren't total duds.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 08-07-2022 at 11:20 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  8. #8
    Superior cast steel… that’s the good stuff ! Having augers like that augurs well for you. Had to look that up to be sure I didn’t botch it !
    Someone will probably argue about it….someone with a double-twisted mind !

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    Superior cast steel… that’s the good stuff ! Having augers like that augurs well for you. Had to look that up to be sure I didn’t botch it !
    Someone will probably argue about it….someone with a double-twisted mind !
    LOL, thanks Mel I needed a morning wakeup chuckle. It is still a while before my coffee is made.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  10. #10
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    Rusting on a Wednesday Afternoon

    Today my truck was scheduled for a check-up & oil change. We planned to have lunch while the truck was at the dealers'.

    We decided to go across the river into Rainier, OR to eat and head to Clatskanie, OR to look at the second hand and anitque shops.

    Wouldn't you know it three of the four shops are closed Tue & Wed.

    The one shop that was open had a few tools to provide that good old hankering for rust. One box had a bunch of bits including a few with tangs for use in a brace. About a half dozen appealed to me. When they were taken up to the counter I was hoping I could get them all for four or five bucks. He told me the box had a price on the side for all of them. He went and got the box and told me I could have them all for four bucks.

    Twist my arm:

    Box of Bits & Augers.jpg

    The one that looks like an adjustable split screw driver was one of the first to catch my eye.

    One of the Jennings pattern bits calipers to be 11/32". These half sizes are listed in old catalogs but none have crossed my path before.

    The brush was almost passed on until it was checked out. It has wire bristles. Seemed nice for $2. The lag bolts are for something on my long to do list only $1.

    Found an old catalog with bits listed:

    Russell Jennings Auger Sizes.jpg

    Great prices by the dozen.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 08-24-2022 at 9:26 PM. Reason: wording & Found an old catalog…
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  11. #11
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    Spent a little time cleaning and sharpening some of the twist bits purchased earlier this week:

    Twist Bits for Brace.jpg

    There were also Yankee & Craftsman screwdriver bits.

    A wire brush in the drill press did a pretty good job of knocking off old paint and surface rust.

    They were resharpened to the angle with which they came. Three have wood cutting angles and three have a cutting angle usually associated with metal work.

    They were all tested in a hunk of scrap wood and touched up until they cut well.

    The sizes and markings from bottom to top are:

    5/32 with a C inside a diamond
    3/16 with ST above CO inside a shield & U.S.A. under the shield
    5/15 with a C inside a diamond
    3/8 with Morse Twist Drill & M Co (in two lines)
    13 Cleveland T.D. Co with a C inside a diamond (this one is a 13/32)
    20/32 with a C inside a diamond

    May need to add a project to my to do list for building a storage box to hold twist bits with brace tangs on them.

    jtk
    Last edited by Jim Koepke; 08-26-2022 at 7:12 PM. Reason: words, words, words
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  12. #12
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    Jim,

    It's not like you to let the seller beat you up like that....being forced to take several additional pieces for the same money as just a few of them! (Good job, ya done good!)

    I guess it pays to keep a closed mouth some of the time. (A skill I seem to seriously lack.)

    Regards,

    Stew
    Last edited by Stew Denton; 08-26-2022 at 10:05 PM.

  13. #13
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    I guess it pays to keep a closed mouth some of the time.
    I learned that with one seller. I try to keep a straight face or one that looks like I'm thinking if it can be afforded. Often the seller speaks up first and lowers the price. Then you can try going lower from there or take it.

    Yes, sometimes it does pay to keep the mouth silent. Sometimes it pays to share knowledge if the person seems to care. This too has often ended up in the seller lowering the price, "for the education."

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  14. #14
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    One of the Jennings pattern bits calipers to be 11/32". These half sizes are listed in old catalogs but none have crossed my path before.
    Bummer, this bit turned out to be a 5/16" bit with unseen burrs on spurs. They were carefully removed using an oilstone and the bit now works well.

    Guess a twist drill will have to be used if an 11/32" bore is needed.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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