SIF & Fleetway

[Rhyolith]

Recently got some new info regarding SIF (Suffolk Iron Foundry), the company responsible for a number of wartime era hand drills I like. They are probably some of the best offerings from the UK on the hand drill front!
SIF 1944 Hand Drill by Rhyolith, on Flickr
SIF 1944 Hand Drill by Rhyolith, on Flickr
SIF Air Ministry Drill 1942 by Rhyolith, on Flickr
SIF Air Ministry Drill 1942 by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Anyway, it appears that Fleetway (another British drill brand) were closely affiliated with SIF before WW2.

Fleetway / SIF by nasutushenri, on Flickr

So maybe these two are both the same company? Either two older companies that merged or maybe "Fleetway" was a brand name used by SIF?

There is certainly a lot of similarities between the first of my SIF drills and a common fleetly model I have seen from time to time are car boots (but never bought strangely). Thats not to mention the yet undiscovered link between Record and SIF, as the second of those drills is basically the same as a Record No.124.

On a sidenote, does anyone know what the protrusion in the casting above the side handle is for in the 124 variant (second of the two above)?

 

[AndyT]

Have we been round this one before?
Graces Guide says Qualcast bought SIF in 1960

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Suffolk_Iron_Foundry_(1920)

I've read, probably on here, that Qualcast did subcontract casting work for Stanley and maybe also for Record?

As for the lump, can you unscrew the plug and put the handle on sideways? (Not sure why you would, but it's an extra feature if you can.)

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Bit more about Suffolk Iron Foundry, it's origins, trials, tribulations and products (including lawnmowers and the well-known brazing rods Sifbronze, though nothing specifically about drills) here;

http://www.weldability-sif.com/pages/si ... istory.asp

It seems it's still in business, as a division of Qualcast's parent company. A grandson of the founder is still running it.

 

[Rhyolith]

Have we been round this one before?
Graces Guide says Qualcast bought SIF in 1960

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Suffolk_Iron_Foundry_(1920)

I've read, probably on here, that Qualcast did subcontract casting work for Stanley and maybe also for Record?

As for the lump, can you unscrew the plug and put the handle on sideways? (Not sure why you would, but it's an extra feature if you can.)

Yes we have to an extent, but I could not see this information in the past threads related to SIF.

That link does not seem to work for me, it comes to graces guid site but with the centre blank (no info).

Sorry not the screw (yes it does move to allow it to be used as a pistol drill), I meant the one between the side handle and the chuck. Pictures don't show it very well actually, here is one of it more particularly:

SIF Drill Protrusion by Rhyolith, on Flickr

Thanks Ches. for that info. All that bouncing around in different industries may explain the variety of SIF branded tools about. So far I know of my 2 drills, bench grinders (hand powered), lawn mowers and now mangles!

I am particularly interested in this because it may well be the closest hand drill manufacture to me in Norfolk.

 

[AndyT]

Not sure what happened to the link. Try this one.

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Suffolk_Iron_Foundry_(1920)

 

[Rhyolith]

Thanks that one works. Contains similar info to Ches. post, nothing much about their tool making here.

My guess is that they were employed to make drills using existing (try and tested) designs for WW2, such as the Record No.124. My evidence for this is a lack of examples of SIF made drills outside the war period (I have seen one from 1946). I would like to be able to confirm or eliminate this theory at some point.

Any ideas what the "A M" stands for on the 124 variant? It has what I think is a crown in-between the A and M, so maybe something Majesty?

The Record seems to have the funny little protrusion too (see below), could this be some necessity of the casting process?
http://cornishworkshop.blogspot.co.uk/2 ... -spin.html

Edit: after reading that I only just twigged that the handles on the SIF 124 are Bakelite too Thought that was a strange wood... :roll:

 

[profchris]

A (crown) M might well stand for Air Ministry. But that's only a guess. It might explain how you've found so many SIF drills locally, as I guess their natural military habitat would be WWII airfields.

 

[profchris]

Looks like I might be a good guesser. Here's an Air Ministry mark on a clock.

 

[AndyT]

Well, I think you're right with your theory, Rhyolith. The SIF and Record drills are so distinctive that they must have been cast from the same patterns in the same foundry - that's the simplest explanation.

I can't see a practical justification for that lump on the side. If it was actually useful it would have a name and be common. I think it is a remnant of the cores where the metal was poured into the mould. Instead of being trimmed off flush, it's been cut at an angle - maybe that was a bit quicker to do - but I can believe it was standard practice in one foundry where both were made.
Short of finding an old foundry worker who remembers doing it, it's just a theory, but it's good enough for me.

 

[AES]

Re the "A crown M" insignia, as an ex RAF bod I can confirm this means Air Ministry - it was stamped on all our hand tools (and loads of other stuff as well - such as shoe brushes as just 1 silly example)!

Note for the historians amongst you - the Air Ministry (along with the War Office and The Admiralty) ceased to exist as separate entities in a reorganisation in, I think 1968 (check Google if you really want to know), but stuff such as tools, shoe brushes, etc, etc had a long life of course, so I wouldn't be surprised to see stuff with the AM stamp on it still around today.

AES

 

[DTR]

Re the "A crown M" insignia, as an ex RAF bod I can confirm this means Air Ministry - it was stamped on all our hand tools (and loads of other stuff as well - such as shoe brushes as just 1 silly example)!

Note for the historians amongst you - the Air Ministry (along with the War Office and The Admiralty) ceased to exist as separate entities in a reorganisation in, I think 1968 (check Google if you really want to know), but stuff such as tools, shoe brushes, etc, etc had a long life of course, so I wouldn't be surprised to see stuff with the AM stamp on it still around today.

AES

+1

 

[AndyT]

I have just solved - sort of - the mystery of the projecting lug.

A Record retail catalogue from 1932 labels it as a feature and calls it an "improved gripping device".

As to what that means, I guess that you could hold the side knob in your hand while gripping this bit between fingers and thumb, and maybe that would be a little bit more stable than the knob on its own.

Does that make sense with the actual thing in your hands?

If not, it's a tool maker's desperate attempt at a feature the competition didn't have.

 

[DoctorWibble]

I have the Record version and the lug works fine as a grip. Holding both lug and handle is quite natural and stops the drill rotating about the pivot of the side handle. Works best with horizontal drilling or maybe drilling holes in ceilings. Of course you could grip the frame if there was no lug so it's no earthshattering design breakthrough, But handy enough you'd not want to cut it off. I've seen a few other drills with elongated egg shaped side handles which are presumably aimed at solving the same issue.