How to Bring Old Hand Drill Back to Life : 6 Steps (with Pictures)

Hello, everyone !!!

Today I am going to show you how to bring, approximately 70 years old hand drill produced by "Venusberg", back to life, but first some info about it.

The "Venusberg" drill was produced after the second World War, its also called "breast drill" beacause you are applying force with your breasts while you drill. The drill has 2 speeds, lower and higher, you can switch them by press and hold the button on the next side of the turnig handel the pull the hadle to the right, repeat the process to switch back to the first speed (check the photo). The drill is very useful because it doesn't require any electrical power.

Ok, lets start !

But first you'll need 4 things:

1 - Anti-rust spray, I use W5 because its the cheapest one on the market in my country.

2 - Clippers, I'll be honest with you, I dind use them :D

3 - Screwdriver, the most helpful thing of all others

4 - Grease for the gears :)

Step 1: Anti-Rust

Take the Anti-rust spray and apply some on all mooving parts, and especially on the bolts. Wait 5 to 15 minutes and then unscrew the bolts with the screwdriver.

Step 2: What Lies Beneath

After you unscrew the bolts, remove the cover and take a look at the mechanism. In my case the side handle works as a brake and as handle (so I had to unscrew it). After that grab the "turning handle'' and turn it, if it works then go to Step 3, if not apply some anti-rust spray on the gears.

Step 3: Time to Get Dirty

Get some grease with the screwdriver and apply it on the gears. Not too much just enough. Then do the showed on the video below.

Step 4: Take Off the Chuck

Use the anti-rust spray under the chuck and wait 5 to 10 minutes and take it off. I suggest you to replace it with new one or you can fix it (next step)

Step 5: Restoring the Past

Use again anti-rust spray on the chuck, wait 5 to 30 minutes and open it like a jar. Then clean it and use some grease on the the jaws. Close it how it was and put it back on the drill.

Step 6: The End Is Near

Time to clean and close the hand drill how it was. Clean it from the rest of grease and anti-rust liquid. Put the cover and screw the bolts(hard).

This is it, you are done.

Thanks for reading my instructable !

Special thanks to - BeachsideHank and Gyozu, for giving me the info about the drill.

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12 Discussions

BeachsideHank

3 years ago on Introduction

This is called a "Breast Drill", because that's how you used it; pressed against your chest to exert high force when boring. It is of German manufacture, and appears to have been a respectable tool in it's day:

https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de...

Good to see you are keeping it in use, thanks for sharing.

1 reply

simon.w.nordberg

3 years ago on Introduction

Do you plan to refinish it or do you like the patina as it is? Anyway, well done!

1 reply

lathe_makeatio

3 years ago on Step 6

Very nice, i also have two old drills (with open gears) a home. I use one to drill out holes in 3D printed parts because of the low speed and careful use of the hand power.

1 reply