Type A Updated SoJo Sogard

Millers Falls No.2 Eggbeater Drill Type Study
Go back to Main Study Page
Type A, updated February 2, 2009.

So here we are, at the pinnacle of eggbeater drill development, the Type A. The frame is die-cast pot metal, not malleable iron any more, yet sports the same (actually thinner in places) dimensions as the iron frame of the earlier types. The Star chuck is gone (even though that fine feature was retained long after the original Star chuck patent had run out) and now the chuck is the "modern" generic variety whose jaws so easily get messed up. The logo on the crank has lost what vestiges of design remained in the Type post-E's logo. This one has no jaws at all, which is why the late Chuck Zitur all but gave it to me. In stark contrast to all principles of collecting (not just the collecting of OldTools) this is the nearly the most sought-after of all the No.2 drills that Millers Falls made, only eclipsed by the original, wrap around frame No. 2. I guess it's the shiny lacquer that brings 'em in. That's OK. It saves the ones I love from the ravages of inflation.

I've been recently asked to make a set of chuck springs for a drill like this, and I couldn't find a good set of instructions on the Internet, so I made a webpage with appropriate instructions right here.

What follow below are:
1. Some history about the manufacturer of the Type A;
2. A selection of various incarnations of the Type A; and
3. The Best of The Line: the military issue version.

SoJo/Sogard History - note the common telephone number tying the companies together.

Steve Brackett has done some on-site research on the company that made these drills:

OldTools Link

Abbreviated Summary:

Mr. David Chaisson, town historian in Orange MA sent clippings to Steve that dealt with the evolution of Union Tool., its purchase by Millers Falls in 1957, and the subsequent purchase of the Union Tool building and assets by Sojo (later Sogard) Tools in 1975. 

Steve should be contacted in case you want to look into this  further.

Adell Corp, owned by Thomas Sogard, bought the Union Tool building and equipment at 48 E. River St in Orange from the Millers Falls Co. in June 1976. Millers Falls had shut down the Orange operations of Union Tool in Dec 1975. 

Sojo/Sogard made hand tools including bits, braces, drills, planes and sold them to Millers Falls, who acted as a distributor. Sojo/Sogard also sold hand tools to the US Government (since these were reportedly the only hand tools being manufactured wholly in the US at that time...). In 1997 the assets of Sogard Tools were sold to Echo Industries of Orange.

manufacturingMA.com

Adell Manufacturing Co

Division:	Sogard Div
Address:	48 E River St
	Orange, MA 01364-1802
Voice:	978-544-7000
Fax:	978-544-7397
Product:	Hand tools & stainless steel ice cream cans

Echo Industries

Awls

ECHO Industries, Inc. produces scratch awls under the Sogard Tool Company brand name for use by the US government. It also produces private label awls for a leading tool company. Awls can be purchased direct from ECHO by calling (978) 544-7000 ext. 12.

ECHO Industries, Inc.

61 R.W. Moore Ave. - Orange - MA - 01364

(978) 544-7000 - Fax (978) 544-7397 - info@echoindustries.net

Call Us With Your Specification Requirements

Commerce Business Daily, October 6, 1998

COMMERCE BUSINESS DAILY ISSUE OF OCTOBER 6,1998 PSA#2195

GSA, FSS, Tools & Appliances Center (6FES), 1500 E. Bannister Rd, Kansas City, MO 64131

51 -- AWL, SCRATCH POC Howard L. Innis, 816-926-7587 CNT GS-06F-J0013 AMT $67,825 LINE Line item 1 DTD 110198 TO Echo Industries, Inc., Sogard Division., 61 E. River Street., Orange MA 01364 Posted 10/02/98 (W-SN257915). (0275)

MakeItMetal

Echo Industries Celebrates Division’s 100th Anniversary

Echo Industries, Inc. has announced the centennial anniversary of its Adell Metalforming Division, located in Orange, MA. Founded by John Adell in 1903, the division continuously has developed its deep-drawn metalforming capability, increasing that capability today by using the latest multi-cylinder hydraulic presses, according to company officials. Echo purchased Adell in 1997.

ECHO Industries, Inc. - Metal Forming & Deep Draw Solutions

Echo Industries

61 R.W. Moore Ave.
Orange, MA 01364

(978) 544-7000

Fax: (978) 544-7397

Facilities Include:

New 25,000 sq.ft. Manufacturing Plant
40 Production Presses from 10 to 350 Tons
Auxillary Equipment Includes Shears, Spot Welders and Riveters
Tool Room Staff to Rework and Repair Tooling and Dies

GSA - Federal Supply Service: R.I.P. A-A-2551

Document Number

A-A-2551

Document Title

Drill, Hand

Document Date
6-Feb-1988

Cancelled/Superceding
Document: None

Cancelled/Superceding Date

Cancelled Date: 6-Nov-2000

PRE-INVITATION NOTICE/MARKET-SURVEY (December 20, 2002)

NO.    NSN/DESCRIPTION      UNIT ISSUE      EPMR     2YR QTY
19.   5110-00-293-3411         EA            171       1872
DRILL, HAND: Consist of the following: Frame, spindle, chuck, crank,
handles, driving, idler and pinion gears, and a hollow gripping handle.
Design: single speed, non-ratchet design
Capacity: 3/8 inch
Drill Bits Quantity: 8
Bit Shank: straight shanks, wood boring drill bits
Bit Size: ranging in diameter from 1/16 inch to 11/64 inclusive (1/16 inch increments)
Bit Material: high speed steel; 60 to 66 HRC in the flute length area,
                     30-66 HRC in the shank
Frame: box or 'H' design
Spindle: round within 0.001 inch; ball type bearing to absorb axial
            thrust and minimize spindle binding
Chuck: 3 hardened jaws; capable of gripping shanks of drill bits by
            hand tightening only; 53 to 62 HRC
Crank Arm: 3 to 4 inches in length (measured from center of pivot to center of handle)
Handle and Knobs: water-resistant treated hardwood, smoothly finished
Driving, Idler, and Pinion Gears: beveled steel teeth
Features: bits furnished in the drill's hollow handle
Packaging for this product is compliant with the U.S. Navy "Plastics Removal in the Marine Environment (PRIME)" program which calls for non-plastic packaging, packing, and associated marking requirements. The definition of plastic shall be in accordance with that given in ASTM D883-00, "Standard Terminology Related to Plastics".
See Technical Specifications paragraph(s): T3.1, T4.1, T5.1 and T6.1.

FEBRUARY 11, 2005
Standing Price Quote

(expired March 30, 2005)

5110-00-293-3411 - Drill, Hand

Contracting Office:
General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service (FSS), GSA Hardware SuperStore (6FE)
Solicitation Number: 6FLSC-G3-5110-00-293-3411
Point of Contact: Glen Welch, Contract Specialist, Phone (816) 823-1291, Fax (816) 823-3109
E-Mail Address: "Glenn Welch" <glen.welch@gsa.gov>

51 -- Standing Price Quote - 5110-00-293-3411 - Drill, Hand

Notice Date 2/9/200
Notice Type Special Notice
NAICS 332312 — Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing
Contracting Office: General Services Administration, Federal Supply Service (FSS), GSA Hardware SuperStore (6FE), 1500 East Bannister Road, Kansas City, MO, 64131
Solicitation Number 6FLSC-G3-5110-00-293-3411
Response Due 2/23/2005
Archive Date 3/10/2005
Description: GSA, FSS intends to establish a ?not to exceed? one-year Standing Price Quote (SPQ) for a National Stock Number in the 5110 Federal Supply Class. This NSN is part of GSA?s Stock Program, and will be included in an upcoming formal solicitation to be issued within the next few months. All offers for this RFQ are to be FOB destination. In addition to the normal clauses that apply to GSA stock tool orders, the following clauses apply; 552.225-70 Notice of Procurement Restriction ? Hand or Measuring Tools or Stainless Steel Flatware, D-FSS-475 Bar Coding and 552.246-70 Source Inspection applies, D-FSS-468 Non-Manufactured Wood Package Material to European Union (Nov 2001). For item descriptions, shipping, packaging, packing and marking instructions, the standing price quote can be downloaded from the electronic posting system at http://www.fedbizopps.gov/. After downloading the standing price quote, please fax your quote to 816-926-3678 or 823-3109, Attn: Glen Welch. If you have questions, please contact me at 816-823-1291.
Record SN00748698-W 20050211/050209212257 (fbodaily.com)

Here is a selection of the various Type A drills that I have in my collection.
They are all patterned after the two-pinion version of the Millers Falls No. 2 eggbeater drill.

There are three main chuck types represented above. The one at extreme left among the three illustrated has the same spindle thread as the earlier Millers Falls No. 2 drills, but the two at right have a smaller thread, meaning that the two types at right will not screw onto the earlier Sogard and Millers Falls spindles. All these chucks have the generic three-jaw, three spring arrangement first patented by Goodell-Pratt in 1895; their springs are not protected from damage by a carelessly inserted bit or by pinching when the jaws are completely closed. They do have spanner holes for easier repair ...

At left: Early Type A: Millers Falls No. 2-01 crank logo

Below: Sogard crank logo
Sogard logo

At left: Early SoJo No. 2-01 crank logo

Below: Later Brookstone No. 3402 crank logo

Brookstone No.3402 logo

At extreme left is the handle that is on all the cranks in the lineup.

The next three handles are closeups of the smaller size of side handle used at various times. The left-most one is held on with a carriage bolt. The middle one of these is molded plastic. The two at right are painted wood.

The two handles at left apparently represent an attempt to make this drill function like a breast drill. They are shown approximately full size. Note that the side handle's atttchment screw (a carriage bolt) runs through the entire length of the handle, making it quite strong. The crank handle's axle is just riveted to the crank, however.

	All the main gears have the number "28800" cast into them; probably this is the supplier's part number. Not shown: Some of the early drive pinions are anchored to the spindle with a roll pin; the rest, by a solid pin.
The numeral "4" is cast into this gear. Others have the numerals 1 through 6 in them, probably signifying pattern numbers.	The main gear's teeth were cut & sandblasted, partially obliterating the tool marks. There is a variation in their widths.

The main handles appear in two types as shown at left. The screw threads on the caps are quite coarse. Some caps were stained inside; others weren't. Some handles are overcoated with glossy lacquer; others have a flat finish.

In the lineup at the top of this table, the drills are identified as follows, running from left to right:

Sogard (roll pin)
Millers Falls No. 2-01 (solid pin)
SoJo No. 2-01 (roll pin)
SoJo No. 2-01 (solid pin)
Brookstone M0. 3402 (solid pin)
SoJo No. 2-01 (solid pin)
SoJo No. 2-01 (solid pin, plastic side handle)

The first three above have the standard-thread spindle. The rest have smaller spindle threads whose chucks will not fit on the other spindles. Their main gears all have red centers.

The Best of the Type A line: The military issue No.2 drill

The Military Issue Sogard No.2 eggbeater drill

Above: The drill is marked Sogard.
At left: These twist-drill bits were in this drill's handle.
Below: The roll pin only goes part way thru; the insert shows the defect.
Roll pin - defective installation

Of the inserts at top left, the MI drill has superior gear workmanship over the generic (28800) version at right.

The box (top right) carries a bar code and label that reads 5110-00-293-3411 and A-A-2551 as well as the manufacturer's address:

          BR Group, Inc.
          61 E. River St.
          Orange, MA 01364

The BR Group has two divisions: Adell & Sogard.

The drill was originally packed in rolled-up newspaper, one piece of which carries the date, November 24, 1994, and the name, The Boston Globe.