Egg beater drill spindle lock

[pop-pop]

This Millers Falls #2 has become my go to tool for pilot holes, etc. The design dates back to the late 19th century.

The drill does not have a spindle lock and I need one sometimes. I had this "bright" idea that a 1" or so screw into this tapped hole would serve as a spindle lock and also be storable in the handle cavity.

After a couple of screws didn't fit, I measured and the thread is 11-27 which isn't in common use like it once was a century or so ago. Maybe my brother can make one on his metal lathe.

 

[Mike Davis]

Rather than a screw, which is weak on the cut lines, use a solid rod of mild steel.

 

[pop-pop]

Rather than a screw, which is weak on the cut lines, use a solid rod of mild steel.

I’m thinking a rod with a short stepped-down threaded end and maybe a knurled knob on the outboard end.

 

[Mike Davis]

Oh, I see the hole is threaded, couldn’t see that on my phone,

 

[Chris C]

I always wondered what that hole was for...

They are very useful tools even today... I use them all the time.

 

[pop-pop]

I always wondered what that hole was for...

They are very useful tools even today... I use them all the time.

It is the far end of the through tapped hole for the handle retaining screw.

 

[Jeff]

Sorry, I'm lost and don't have an egg beater drill to look at for comparison to the original picture.

"It is the far end of the through tapped hole for the handle retaining screw." ????????

I though that the spindle lock was for locking the shaft that turns the drill chuck---making it easier to remove a drill bit from the chuck.

 

[Roy G]

Okay, Chris, you have enough drills to put in most of the bits from 1/16 to 1/4 so you don't have to change them. Very efficient use of your time. Do you mark them so you know which drill to choose when you need the 3/32 bit, for instance?

Roy G

 

[pop-pop]

I though that the spindle lock was for locking the shaft that turns the drill chuck---making it easier to remove a drill bit from the chuck.

Yes, technically you are right and I was thinking functionally.

Here is what I made and it works well enough so that my seventy-twelve year old hands can tighten the chuck enough to prevent drill bit slippage. Plus it fits into the handle cavity for storage.

 

[Jeff]

Thank you, I see the idea now and how it works.

Yes, technically you are right and I was thinking functionally.

Here is what I made and it works well enough so that my seventy-twelve year old hands can tighten the chuck enough to prevent slippage. Plus it fits into the handle cavity for storage.
View attachment 192173

View attachment 192174

 

[Gotcha6]

I'd never thought about the problem of tightening the chuck on one of those. Would a paper clip in the gears do the same thing?

 

[pop-pop]

I'd never thought about the problem of tightening the chuck on one of those. Would a paper clip in the gears do the same thing?

I just tried a paper clip and that wasn’t enough. Tried some about 0.040“ soft steel wire and that almost worked.

After these trials, I would not recommend this method. The force from the drive pinion crushing the wire at the root of the drive gear tooth is also trying to bend the large drive gear and might break it since it’s cast iron.