Anybody have a source for Stanley push drill bits?….only listing I came up with was a collectors listing on Ebay…new in pack, for $52 with 2 days left to go on the auction…yikes!
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story

Tips for picking the right paintbrush based on paint type, surface, and personal comfort.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
auctions, flea markets, yard sales, farm sales...
I'm looking for them, too, so let me know if you find any sources supplying "new" bits...
Try Garret Wade-http://www.garretwade.com-they may have something. At least they used to seel those push drills. A lot of Stanley stuff is now out of sight, price-wise, because of collectors.
No luck there, either....bothers me no end that collectors price everyday (or anyway, tools that get use when nothing modern will do!!) work tools out of sight...thank god Lie-Nielson makes some nice replica stuff (better than the originals, generally)
I hear you. They're tools, for crying out loud, not Picassos. Maybe someday I'll know a little something.
Jr,
Do a google search for "Yankee" drill bits. Thats what they are called. Here is just one result, there were many more. I would almost bet that Sears has them too.
http://www.acehardware.com/sm-yankee-screwdrivers-bits--fi-1259541_cp-1813507.html
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
Always enjoy your posts (and miss Silver Spring!!!), but I'm looking for drill bits, not driver bits......
jrn,
Which sizes do you need ? I have a whole box of them somewhere out in the garage if I can find them !Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
Might take you up on that...think I'll have to post a photo here of the bits & drill, though....lot of people here seem to be missing the difference between a Yankee screwdriver and a Stanley push drill....
I'll be in Gaithersburg in a few weeks (back to work, thank god), maybe I'll get a chance to look you up...
The adapter from McFeely's looks promising, but if you have the ball detent on your push-drill (as I do), it might require some modification with a rat-tail file...
electrical supply house like graybar might have them , klein put out the same drill
Sears defiantly does not have them. I gave up looking years ago and took my old Yankee bits and some new regular bits to a master machinist friend of mine and he milled the new bits to match the old ones.
Good luck is all I can offer.
Day
McFeeleys sells an adaptor that lets you use any hex shank drill bit or 1" screwdriver tip in a yankee.
My local tool store still sells the original Stanley bits. If you can't get them, I can easily mail you some.
Just post or e-mail me...Buic
for 52 a pack you should put some on e bay.
james
Here they are in carbide.
http://www.bamanufacturing.com/spy_series.html
And for anyone interested this is a german version of the Yankee drill, but it has a hex chuck
http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/product_info.php/cPath/355/products_id/2211?osCsid=4d8da0c62
There a series of tool "junk shops" along mid-coast Maine - the biggest collection is located in Liberty - Liberty Tool:
http://www.jonesport-wood.com/jwLibToolPhotos.html
Essentially the owner buys box lots of tools through estates and auctions - all in the hope that a rare Stanley #1 in mint condition shows up - and they do along with other rare collectables and are priced accordingly.
However, the rest of the box might contain everything from chisels to handsaws to whatever - and that's what the 3 shops in Maine primarily sell. Every year, I go with a list of items I need - say a jack plane iron, some long handle straight tip screwdrivers, etc. And I've found plenty of North Bros/Stanley Yankee accessories. And I've found bargins like the Porter Cable 548 Bayonet saw for $20 in excellent condition - sells new for around $475.
The shops are hit/miss - they have quite a following, particularly in New England but folks from all over go there to shop. As I said, there are three shop - a big one in Liberty, one in Searsport that is more touristy and Hulls Cove on the Way to Acadia - that's where a lot of collector items are displayed. All 3 are worth the trip just to see them.
You can call them and see what they have in inventory - don't know whether they will sell over the phone. Let us know where you ultimately one the bits.