Ned Simmons wrote:

In article IP4je.229686$cg1.154270@bgtnsc04-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net,
says...

"Grant Erwin" wrote: (clip) Anyone know what this tool is, and what craft
uses it? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yep. The answer is right on it. It's a Yankee screwdriver. If the toolset
in the handle were complete, it would include a couple of screwdriver bits,
along with the drill bits. It supposedly would be used by people in the
wood crafts, like carpenters and cabinet makers. I have seen them in
collections, tool sales and flea markets, but I have never known of one
actually being used. As a screwdriver it's not too good, because the bit
tends to slip out of the slot as it spins, and when it does, the rest of the
stroke drives it into the wood.


What Grant has is a Yankee push drill - the Yankee
screwdriver is a different tool. I have one of the larger
screwdrivers and use it quite a lot. As for slipping out of
the the screw head, it is more practical for use with
Philips head screws than slotted heads. Yankee is a Stanley
brand name.

http://www.epinions.com/Stanley_Yank...Woodworking_Pu
sh_Drill_Shop_Tools

http://www.garrettwade.com/jump.jsp?
ItemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=103531

Ned Simmons
Yes, it's a DRILL, not a screwdriver. The mechanism was very similar.
The screwdrivers usually had an exposed helical scroll to do the
turning. The push-drills usually had a spring loaded sleeve covering the
scroll.

I have several of these tools. The newest dates from about 1960. One old
(1930's?) screwdriver is about 24" long when fully extended. The
push-drills I have are much smaller, only about a foot long. The
screwdrivers often included one or two drill bits, but not a lot of
sizes like the drills. Of the ones I have none of the screwdriver bits,
even their drill bits, will fit in the drill chucks. The drills seem to
mostly use a smaller chuck size than the screwdrivers. The bit mounting
mechanism was similar, with one end of the bit cut away to a "D" shape
for driving, and a half-round notch in the bit's shank for a ball detent
to 'grab' the bit and hold in in the chuck.

In addition to Phillips head-screw bits the screwdrivers also were
available with clutch-head bits. Both stay self centered in the
fastener. I suppose they'd work well with the square-drive screws also,
but I don't have any bits like those (probably too new).

I still find them handy to use, for wood work. They will drill into soft
metals, but with difficulty. They require a little practice to use well,
as you have to push STRAIGHT or you break the drills, or pop the
driver-bit out of the fastener. You never have to worry about where the
nearest electrical outlet is, or whether the battery is charged.

Dan Mitchell
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