On Feb 15, 5:40*pm, Nate Nagel wrote:
OK, so today I decided I was going to work towards the goal of getting
an electric fuel pump mounted in my '55 Stude... *first step, I had a
right angle drill with no chuck key. *I imagine that this will be
required to drill the holes in the floor to mount the fuel pump's
bracket (going to use riv-nuts to mount it.) *So I drag it out, notice
that not only do I not have a chuck key, but the cord is badly dry
rotted as well. *Go to local hardware store, buy chuck and key together
for about $8, pick up little rubber strap to hold key on cord, buy $5
extension cord to cut up for new power cord. *Am thinking while I'm
there that since the extension cords are on sale for so cheap I ought to
pick up another one, because I'm sure that I have another old tool that
needs a new cord.

Get home, fix right angle drill. *Run out to garage to get soldering
iron to tin ends of new cord. *While I'm there notice ancient B&D 1/4"
hand drill that literally came in a toolbox that I picked out of the bed
of someone's truck as he was headed to the dump. *Appeared absolutely
hopeless. *Just hadn't thrown it out simply because I figured I'd try it
someday and *then* throw it out. *Cord looked frightening. *Plugged it
in, picked it up with a shop rag (yes, bare aluminum case) and wouldn't
you know the darn thing hums like a champ.

Several hours later...

Now I've got the thing stripped down to its component parts and all the
AL bits have been thorougly degreased and racked in the dishwasher. *I
have identified that it was probably headed to the dump because the jaws
of the chuck were a little munged up, and also the chuck end bushing is
badly egged. *Other than that, it's PERFECT once you steel wool all the
surface corrosion off of it. *Plus, it took me longer to get all the
grease out of the gearbox and off the associated parts than it did for
me to strip it down - only tool required was a flat blade screwdriver,
and two pliers to get the chuck off. *It looks like it was *designed* to
be stripped down every 30 years or so, lubed, and put back together.

I really like this little drill, and here's the kicker - I NEED ANOTHER
DRILL LIKE A HOLE IN THE HEAD! *I already have a 1/2" Milwaukee, a cheap
3/8" DeWalt, and the aforementioned right angle drill that prompted this
whole exercise. *That should cover 99% of the typical homeowner/car
guy's drilling needs, yes? *The issue here is, if I see a good tool
that's fixable, I feel a moral obligation to bring it back to its former
glory, even if I will NEVER USE THE DAMNED THING. *The thing is, though,
it's USEFUL and if I hadn't saved it it would have been turned into
Pepsi cans, and I just couldn't let that happen.

Please tell me there's a program for this. *The girlie is hiding
upstairs wondering who the madman in her kitchen is making the sink
smell like Brakleen and giving a running commentary on how wonderful
1950s era tools are.

On the upside, I now have three working drills, with a fourth on the
way. *(just need to wait for the dishwasher to finish, then I can whip
out the mics and get on McMaster-Carr's web site to order a new bushing....)

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.http://members.cox.net/njnagel

I use the price of a movie ticket for 2 hours of entertainment as a
yardstick. Look how many hours entertainment you got for less than
the price of a movie ticket!
KC