hand drill buying advice

[mac1012]

I am looking to get a small hand drill to add to my growing collection of hand tools

can any advise on a new or second hand make ? I think I read on here the second hand one to look out for is a Stanley with two crown gears and wooden handles on top and one on side ?

or any decent make of new one not too expensive it just for drilling small holes into branches and the like

mark

 

[wizard]

Get a Stanley no 803 second hand very cheap at car boot sales or eBay

 

[bugbear]

Get a Stanley no 803 second hand very cheap at car boot sales or eBay

Seconded - there are rare and unusual drills that are slightly better or more interesting, but the #803 will serve well, and is easy to find.

BugBear

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Better still, look for two or three - one for a pilot, one for clearance and one for a countersink. Saves a load of time if you're doing delicate work.

 

[Vann]

What phil.p said.

The Stanley 803 is the one described in the first post.

Don't get a Stanley 805 though. It looks similar, but only has a single pinion and (in my opinion) is nowhere near as good.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[mac1012]

ok thanks guys for the advice i will look out for one on ebay , it mainly just drilling one size of hole into branches for dowel plugs and as i make stuff while traveling around localy with hand tools in haversack i think one will do me , i will have a look on ebay

mark

 

[mac1012]

ok thanks guys for the advice i will look out for one on ebay , it mainly just drilling one size of hole into branches for dowel plugs and as i make stuff while traveling around localy with hand tools in haversack i think one will do me , i will have a look on ebay

mark

 

[mac1012]

had a look on ebay not many 803 about and ones that are their are long listing with the probably usual crazy bidding at end which i hate

any other makes that may be suitable ?

i put an add for 803 in wanted section

i seen a couple of hand drills on my local flea market and i think one may have been 803 they been there couple weeks but wasnt sure whether to get i will have a look on thursday if nothing turns up

does it say 803 on body ? i will look for the double pinion gears

 

[Vann]

...does it say 803 on body ? i will look for the double pinion gears

It says 803 on the crank arm.

Here's a picture of an earlier 803 with the smaller 1/4" chuck

and a 805 with the same chuck

Apart from the two pinions, the other way to tell the two models apart is the 803 has a much wider chromed rim on the crank gear (~10mm wide), whereas the 805 has a narrow painted or bare iron rim (~3mm wide).

Later versions have a 5/16" capacity chuck.

You could also look out for a Chapman No.105. This is the same drill (with same 1/4" chuck) made before Stanley bought out JA Chapman in 1936.

HTH.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[wizard]

I sell them from three to five pounds but it’s the postage that costs the most.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

I bought a Footprint one on the basis that it was cheap, and had a "proper" chuck. Works OK, but the gearing could run more smoothly - I'm not convinced that painting the gears teeth and all was a great design decision !

 

[karfeef]

Ooh I've just picked up an 803 at a car boot for £2. Didn't know of the difference between the 803 and 805

Sent from my GT-I9300

 

[Paul Chapman]

I'd go for a Footprint or Record/Marples with a key-operated chuck. No more slipping drill bits.



Cheers :wink:

Paul