Bizarre hand drill with grindstone

[AndyT]

I wonder if anyone else noticed this on eBay?

A strange combination of hand-powered drill and built-in grinder!

I'm struggling to see how it would be used, or needed. Who would be drilling something where they needed to sharpen the bit so often that it was worth having a little grinder spinning round in the way? The chuck arrangement looks distinctly odd too. Still, someone paid £29.99 + £15 postage for it, so they must have an idea. (Full listing here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&item=290674325663)

Something tells me this probably isn't for woodwork, but I can't see what a leather worker would need it for either! :wink:

 

[Alf]

Oh, one of those is centre stage on the current Lee Valley catalogue cover. As a result, via Jeff Burks and the WoodNet forum, I can reveal all here. Gizmocity a-go-go.

 

[AndyT]

Thanks Alf - a comprehensive reply! I'd been looking at it as a really awkward hand drill, but as a portable, hand-powered, adaptable bench drill it makes a lot more sense. Maybe I should have bought it, if I'd known how good it was!

Any idea of a date?

 

[Alf]

Not a clue, I fear. Dunno whether our German members can hazard a better guess based on the company information in the literature? I'm assuming pre-WWII. Unless Rob knows of course, but he's in Cologne at the moment.

 

[Scouse]

Maybe I should have bought it, if I'd known how good it was!

My thoughts exactly! I saw it as well, but I'm in the middle of a major workshop overhaul and space forbids more drills at the moment!

And Alf to the rescue once again!

'Tis a weird drill though, and with the potential to be a bit of a finger muncher too! I never thought to look on Georges Basement, I've only really been on that site for the Miller's Falls type study, I'll need a proper look now!

El.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

Thats one cool drill. I want one!

Pete