lee1596
Established Member
Some of you may remember I bought an old bench drill for £16 a few months ago. I have since found the catalogue of the manufacturer and it is a Goodell Pratt no.8 bench drill, with a patent date on the chuck of 1895. It would have cost someone $8.80 in the US where it was originally made.
I have now got it properly in use mounted to the wall, with a new table made from beech on a brass spindle, and added a handle to the top wheel made from an old file handle cut down to fit and the chuck properly cleaned out. It is now a joy to use and so much less noise and space taken up than having an electric pillar dill. I have chosen not to restore it further, I quite like that it shows the century or so of use and abuse that it has survived.
I have now got it properly in use mounted to the wall, with a new table made from beech on a brass spindle, and added a handle to the top wheel made from an old file handle cut down to fit and the chuck properly cleaned out. It is now a joy to use and so much less noise and space taken up than having an electric pillar dill. I have chosen not to restore it further, I quite like that it shows the century or so of use and abuse that it has survived.
