B&D 400H-H15 - R.I.P.

[Michael Kilpatrick]

Gosh, my Black & Decker 400H-H15 drill has finally given up the ghost. My father passed it on to me at least 20 years ago and I don't know how old it was then. I think the switch has died but I doubt I can replace/repair that now.

It was getting stiff and clunky the other day when I was drilling 67mm holes for the kitchen downlights. I was just about to mix some self-levelling compound for the shed floor using the mixing paddle bit I bought, when I found it didn't work at all after plugging it in and the switch is rock hard to press in.

It's so old it was actually made in the UK.

Who makes good quality drills these days? A make for which I can buy a decent drill stand too (not some cheap crap that wafts around in the wind like a reed).

I'm almost tempted to buy a replacement "vintage" drill, I must say. I'm not sure what value is being applied to the word "vintage" here - for my saxophones that tends to imply something before World War II.

Michael

[Nick Odell]

My sympathy: I'm still using a Made in England B&D D720 which I must have bought around 1975 so I feel your loss.

Mine's something of a Trigger's drill having had many brush replacements and I even replaced the main bearings once, after over-enthusiastic use with a plunge router attachment made them too wobbly.

I think I may have replaced the switch once. I definitely replaced the switch lock button after that disintegrated and flew away everywhere. I turned a new one from a scrap of an old plastic toothbrush handle (using the drill in the bench stand and switching it on and off from the wall IIRC) and I used an old biro spring to replace the missing one.

A quick look at Google suggests that it is still possible to buy the same type of switch so maybe it isn't quite time for your 400H to go to the great workshop in the sky?

Nick

[Michael Kilpatrick]

At a cursory glance I can't see anything that looks like a direct replacement and it's hard to say whether any similar switch would either fit or be correct. I'm not sure I want to hunt around for too long.

I see that people on Ebay sell the old B&D drills and indeed the bench stands - there are loads on there right now. Do those things (e.g the model 992891) fit a whole host of different B&D models? I'm pretty sure that's exactly the bench stand my father had and maybe still has (they are visiting family in Scotland and Northumberland now so I can't easily ask).

Michael

[Nick Odell]

My bench stand and the pillar drill conversion both locate in the drill from two of the cheesehead screws at the front (holding the gearbox onto the motor housing) and a recess at the back which receives a screwed rod with a lock nut. I guess your drill has the same features so that type of stand ought to be universal for the old B&D range.

Oh. One other thing I did once was to clean out all the dried-up, hardened grease in the gearbox and replace it with new. It ran much better after that.

Nick

[The Natural Philosopher]

Avoid German makes.

I've actually got a de Walt drill which isn't bad. Makita is what most of my other kit is, and they are solid and dependable.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Have you taken the handle apart? It could be just simply seized with crap. Brian

[Chris Bacon]

You will almost certainly buy something made in China. Just ensure that the spec is up to scratch. £.

[newshound]

IME both the old (two nicks for the screws) and even the new (collar fitting) B&D bench stands were pretty inadequate compared to a cheap chinese "proper" bench drill.

I still have a Quattro from the 70's as a backup for a more chunky Ryobi, but I have not used it for 20 years or more. But I did replace the B&D switch without any problem.

[newshound]

The other question is whether it will get heavy use. I reckon Aldi/Lidl stuff is OK for light domestic use. Personally I would go for a cordless, with a separate mains drill press.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Perfect for drilling through a brick wall

I have a mains drill for heavy work. For the odd one off I use cheapo cordless screwdriver

[Andrew]

This one looks like it has been unused for ages and kept somewhere damp. Despite the rust the description says "pre-owned item In very good, clean, used working condition". LIke hell it is, but if unused then the switch might be fine.