L: 37.3cm W: 15.7cm H: 8.3cm
A hand-powered drill made of metal with a wooden handle. The handle is curved with a flared top. It is varnished dark brown. The frame is narrow and painted black. A knob-shaped side handle extends from the proper left side. The drive wheel sits opposite this handle, and shows remnants of red paint. The turning handle is connected to the centre of the wheel and extends to a wooden knob. Inscriptions on the turning handle read: "MILLERS FALLS CO. / No 2 / MILLERS FALLS, MASS / U.S.A.". The chuck extends down below the frame. It is wide and has a cross-hatch texture. The chuck is attached to a spiral shaft that adjusts the width of the jaws when the chuck is turned.
The wheel-driven hand drill appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. It was far quicker and more powerful than its predecessor, the hand brace. The drill is operated by turning the wheel, which rotates the chuck through a system of gears. These hand drills dominated the market until the late 19th century, when electric drills were developed.
