Eggbeater drills without heavy metal paint?

[Tanz]

Hello,

I have been looking into purchasing an egg beater drill, as I cannot use electric ones, and augers are slower and less good for smaller holes.
The only modern made ones I can find are for very tiny bits only— I’m needing a range from 1/16-1/14 inch— and are firmly on the expensive side for an occasional use begginer.

The more popular route seems to be to purchase a vintage or antique model. However, all of the examples I have seen have paint that is very likely to contain either cadmium or lead, whcih I am not comfortable with considering my workspace and set up.

Does anyone have reccomendations for egg beater style drills with the size range I need and no painted components? I can do up to 80£ at the absolute most, and the 40£ range would be much more comfortable.

I am currently in the U.S, but had thought to buy in a few months after I move. However if there is an option that is only US or NA available I am able to buy here and move it rather than pay for the absurd US to anywhere else shipping costs.

Thank you for any suggestions.

 

[Cobbs]

I have a very old Stanley model that I inherited, that will take up to 1/2" bits - not noticed any problems from the paint, but then I've never licked it...

 

[Jacob]

Hello,

I have been looking into purchasing an egg beater drill, as I cannot use electric ones, and augers are slower and less good for smaller holes.
The only modern made ones I can find are for very tiny bits only— I’m needing a range from 1/16-1/14 inch— and are firmly on the expensive side for an occasional use begginer.

The more popular route seems to be to purchase a vintage or antique model. However, all of the examples I have seen have paint that is very likely to contain either cadmium or lead, whcih I am not comfortable with considering my workspace and set up.

Does anyone have reccomendations for egg beater style drills with the size range I need and no painted components? I can do up to 80£ at the absolute most, and the 40£ range would be much more comfortable.

I am currently in the U.S, but had thought to buy in a few months after I move. However if there is an option that is only US or NA available I am able to buy here and move it rather than pay for the absurd US to anywhere else shipping costs.

Thank you for any suggestions.

Buy one and strip the paint?

 

[Tanz]

Buy one and strip the paint?

I don’t have the space to safely do that, nor am I comfortable doing so in terms of the mildly unreasonable paranoia. I do know that versions without paint were made, I just don’t know any model numbers or even brands, as I’ve only seen them in photos or in person rather than as listings.

 

[Jacob]

I don’t have the space to safely do that, nor am I comfortable doing so in terms of the mildly unreasonable paranoia. I do know that versions without paint were made, I just don’t know any model numbers or even brands, as I’ve only seen them in photos or in person rather than as listings.

Why the anxiety about paint? Are you using the drill for food related purposes?

 

[Tanz]

Why the anxiety about paint? Are you using the drill for food related purposes?

As I said elsewhere: it is not a rational or reasoned concern. It is a pure paranoia concern (again, diagnosed OCD and toxicity issues are my main issue), exacerbated by it being in the same room as my kitchen things (one bedroom apartment). It is something I could possibly deal with with lots of effort and stress. Or I could just actually find literally any information about the many models that weren’t made with painted parts that I have seen but could not find details on. Which is what I was actually asking in my post.

I am truly simply looking for that, and nothing else.

 

[Rhossydd]

Here you go;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32596917...tmezBipQy7Kq8/Pr/F5GJjEohz|tkp:Bk9SR_aly8uhYw
As far as I can see the very vast majority of normal DIY drills have all had a painted finish. Medical instruments are the exception.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you're that paranoid could you ask a friend to strip the paint for you? You can pick up 803s for two or three quid.

 

[mudman]

As I said elsewhere: it is not a rational or reasoned concern. It is a pure paranoia concern (again, diagnosed OCD and toxicity issues are my main issue), exacerbated by it being in the same room as my kitchen things (one bedroom apartment). It is something I could possibly deal with with lots of effort and stress. Or I could just actually find literally any information about the many models that weren’t made with painted parts that I have seen but could not find details on. Which is what I was actually asking in my post.

I am truly simply looking for that, and nothing else.

I think your only option apart from having it delivered to a friend for offsite stripping is to keep an eye on ebay for one that someone may have already stripped.
Just seen this one that might suit.

 

[mudman]

Ooh, just seen this. Surgical hand drills may be the thing to look for. They seem to be nice and clean by necessity.

 

[Tanz]

Thank you— it appears the paintless ones are less common than the examples I had seen had me thinking— I’d thought it was at least a quarter of them, and had not realized how ubiquitous the painted versions actually were. Thank you everyone for the suggestions.

 

[TomGW]

The surgical (paintless) drills appear to have only a single pinion and this design is definitively inferior to a double pinion design.

 

[HamsterJam]

Might be worth keeping an eye open for one of these….

 

[Blackswanwood]

Hello @Tanz

I’d have thought that drilling a 1 1/4” hole with a hand drill would be quite difficult. Would a hand drill for smaller holes plus a brace and bit for larger ones be a better option. That would mean you could pick up one of the modern hand drills (which will have ”safe” paint) and are relatively cheap. I’ve never seen a hand brace that is painted and there are loads of second hand ones on e-bay - both tools would feel safe?

It may also be worth dropping an e-mail to the second hand tool dealers to see if they can help. They tend to clean up the tools before sale and may be prepared to strip the paint off one for you.

 

[Spectric]

all of the examples I have seen have paint that is very likely to contain either cadmium or lead, whcih I am not comfortable with considering my workspace and set up.

I am in my 60's and lead paint was the norm, even babies cots were painted with the stuff, there were no emmision controls on vehicles and more people worked from ladders than scaffolding but yet we are here to tell the tale so a little lead paint on a drill is less of a hazzard to you than crossing the road.

Are you avoiding electric drills because of the lithium in the battery or is there some other reason ?

 

[Fergie 307]

Hello @Tanz

I’d have thought that drilling a 1 1/4” hole with a hand drill would be quite difficult. Would a hand drill for smaller holes plus a brace and bit for larger ones be a better option. That would mean you could pick up one of the modern hand drills (which will have ”safe” paint) and are relatively cheap. I’ve never seen a hand brace that is painted and there are loads of second hand ones on e-bay - both tools would feel safe?

It may also be worth dropping an e-mail to the second hand tool dealers to see if they can help. They tend to clean up the tools before sale and may be prepared to strip the paint off one for you.

I think the reason most egg beater type drills only have small capacity chucks is simply because you can't really use them to drill big holes. Also the chucks tend to have very fine threads, so fitting a bigger capacity chuck would not be easy. I think the suggestion of a brace for the bigger holes is good. Depending on what you intend to use it for, you could also look at a vintage hand cranked pillar drill, although you will probably have the same paint related issues, as it is going to be pretty old.

 

[TomGW]

Are you ruling out both mains (corded) and battery (cordless) drills, or indeed all powered and/or painted tools of all types?
I have a larger hand drill with a shoulder pad to give a bit of heft when drilling larger holes. I've never used it and think it must have been my grandfather's. Something like that would suit the larger bits but, at least mine, would also need to be paint stripped.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

I am in my 60's and lead paint was the norm, even babies cots were painted with the stuff, there were no emmision controls on vehicles and more people worked from ladders than scaffolding but yet we are here to tell the tale so a little lead paint on a drill is less of a hazzard to you than crossing the road.

Are you avoiding electric drills because of the lithium in the battery or is there some other reason ?

Tanz replied about being diagnosed OCD and alluding to other mental health issues, and you felt compelled to attack them for it? You should be ashamed of yourself, it's not the 1940s any more, maybe speak to your grandchildren about the correct way to interact with other humans in the 21st century.

 

[Spectric]

I replied to the original post and had not read about any conditions, I am also not that familiar with these modern 21st century conditions like OCD so would not have made any connection anyway.

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

I replied to the original post and had not read about any conditions, I am also not that familiar with these modern 21st century conditions like OCD so would not have made any connection anyway.

lets set aside whether ignorance is any excuse. So now you do know, go edit the post and let's hope they didn't see it.