manual drill press

[AArDvarK]

Older tool ideas still being made? Motor free?

Curious, anyone know if there is a such thind as a bench-top type of drill press that is manualy used, not involving the use of an electric motor?

Reason is, I [want] to do small woodworking and construction in my apartment*, including the use of a morticing attachment if possible, for dove- tail corners.

Other tool idea is a small, yet high quality miter box of maybe around 15" blade length, with movements that can go in all directions. The nice one I know of, Sears item #00936343000

(search engine) Is twice too long with it's two foot blade.

Peices being worked with will be cherry or mahogany,

0.25" (or so) thick by several inches long and up to 1.5" wide. I would like to find such tool brand(s) that are decent, or any that exist please.

Thanks all,

Alex

[Charlie Self]

AArDvarK asks:

Not older tools, but smaller. For the hand operated drill press in small, light material, I suggest a Stanley push drill. They're still made.

Micromark is probably the premier catalog house for model making sized tools, power and hand. I haven't looked recently, but the used to have a small miter box that might do as you wish, though you may be adding more specifications to it than it is possible to get.

Charlie Self "If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin." Charles Darwin

[AArDvarK]

Thanks, but this is closer to the idea, like a drill press:

on the links to see the other two pictures. A modern "something like that" would be perfect, especially if a gear train speeds up the spinning. Micromark still has the mini miter-rite, too small though.

Still in the Poser group?

Alex

[AArDvarK]

this is a closer idea:

[Steve Dunbar]

Maybe you get find an old eggbeater drill at a garage sale or on Ebay and use it with a portable drill guide, like this one: .

Why do you need a hand-powered drill press? If size is a problem, there are small electric drill presses such as the Proxxon , the Microlux , or, (if you're rolling in money) the Levin .

[AArDvarK]

,

,

as in an apartment one does not need the noise bothering neighbors to the point of getting evicted. And an electric drill will flay sawdust everywhere. Don't need either one. Thanks for the great links!

Alex

[Larry Blanchard]

For both the drill press and a miter box, go on Ebay or just do a Google on "Goodell-Pratt", "Goodell Brothers", and "Goodell Manufacturing". Heck, just search on "Goodell".

They're old, but they're good :-).

[Charlie Self]

AArDvarK responds:

Drill presses aren't very noisy. I guess a large one might peel the skin off something, but sawdust is hard to flay (no skin). It doesn't produce sawdust anyway, but curled cuttings that are easily controlled.

Charlie Self "Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure." Ambrose Bierce

[Layne]

I don't think they make these any more....at least not to my knowledge. You can however, every once in a while, find these used on Ebay. I'm a semi-neander myself, but I think that buying a good used electric drill press is better. Just as quiet, one hand free to hold work against fence, depth stop, multi-speed, etc. etc. Why get an antique drill press, except for the novelty of it?

Layne

[AArDvarK]

Great thanks!

Alex

[Mark & Juanita]

,

,

A good drill press, even a large one should not produce enough noise that your neighbors would even know you had it. My Jet is one of the quietest tools in my shop; I can't imagine it would even register compared to a neighboring apartment's stereo system.

[AArDvarK]

More than likely true, thank you. Alex

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Do a search on a "post drill" and you may find what you are looking for. There are usually 1 or 2 for auction on ebay at any given time. I can't help with the miterbox question. I have a Jorgenson but it also has a blade about 24"

[AArDvarK]

Thanks, but tell me, do you know what country the Jorgensen is made in? How is the cutting quality?

Alex

[Lawrence Wasserman]

Jorgensen is a US company but they may import the saw for all I know. With the supplied blade the cut quality is acceptable, about what you'd expect from a hand saw. It is not as smooth as a good table saw blade would make, for instance. Accuracy is good. When I bought it I thought I'd use it more than I do. Most of the time I use my tablesaw now.

[Charlie Self]

Lew Wasserman responds:

Adjustable Clamp Co. in Chicago makes the Jorgenson. I've got one, but took it down to VA 2 weeks ago, so can't tell you where it's made. They also have maple miter boxes and a couple decent, not great, miter saws.

Charlie Self "Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure." Ambrose Bierce

[Fred the Red Shirt]

Odd, I would expect a good handsaw to make a smoother cut than a good tablesaw, though both depend on the skill of the sawyer.

[AArDvarK]

Excellent CS, I found the site and they make the perfect saw, a do-it-all small one @15.5" with optional finer teeth blades, perfect for small cherry wood peices. Thank you. The site:

I have a retrospective on your siggy quote:

"Maturity: The ability to delay gratification."

Anyway thanks again CS,

Alex

[AArDvarK]

They've got finer teeth blades though, 18tpi and 24tpi

[Charlie Self]

AArDvarK responds:

What it really is is the inability to NOT delay gratification.

Think about 2 a.m. feedings, etc.

Charlie Self "Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure." Ambrose Bierce