Millers Falls Spiral Screwdrivers

Spiral Screwdriver

1. 1894 — cocobolo handle; single spiral drives screws only; screw-type chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three four-inch screwdriver bits.
2. 1894 — in addition to screwdriver bits, No. 12 shipped with auxiliary chuck and eight fluted-shank drill points.
3. 1897 — as above, but two of three screwdriver bits shipped with Nos. 11 & 12 now double ended.
4. 1905 — No. 12 now shipped with ball-type auxiliary chuck allowing the use of dimpled drill points; shipped with eight dimple-shanked drill points.
5. 1914 — as above, but tropical hardwood handle.

Although it is not spring loaded, the tool also serves handily as an automatic drill. A workman grasping the rotating sleeve behind the chuck with his left hand while operating the tool resets it with every stroke—no spring is needed.

Illustration from 1897 catalog.

Spiral Screwdriver

Hardwood handle; single spiral drives screws only; spiral runs in cast metal nut that is replaceable in the event of wear; screw-type chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.

The only difference between the two model numbers is their length.

Illustration from 1897 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

1. 1956 — Spring in mahogany-finished hardwood handle allows for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle; quick release chuck; chuck, shifter sleeve and the screw in the handle are nickel plated; shipped with one screwdriver bit.
2. 1960 — as above, but handle painted black.

Intended for the homeowner, rather than the professional, the No. 29 was designed for driving and removing smaller and medium-sized screws. A smaller screwdriver bit, drill points and a countersink attachment could be purchased separately.

Sold as a Millers Falls V-Line (Value Line) product from 1956 to 1960.

Illustration from 1949 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

1. 1956 — spring in mahogany-finished hardwood handle allows for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle; quick release chuck; chuck, shifter sleeve and the screw in the handle are nickel plated; shipped with two screwdriver bits and three drill points.
2. 1960 — as above, but handle painted black.

The No. 29X is identical to the No. 29 except that it was shipped with an additional screwdriver bit and three drill points.

The Millers Falls used an its the No. 29 to depict this drill. I have done so as well.

Spiral Screwdriver

Hardwood handle; single spiral drives screws only; barrel of housing is wormed rather than the spindle, pin inserted in back end of spindle runs in the worm of the housing; screw-type chuck; shipped with three screwdriver bits, two of which are double ended.

The wormed housing designed to cut down on wear due to friction. The tool was not successful.

Illustration from 1897 catalog.

Spiral Screwdriver

Stained hardwood handle; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; one spiral groove is deeper than the other—reducing wear at the points of intersection; screw-type chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits, two of which are double ended.

Identical to number 42 but lacks for auxiliary chuck and drill points.

Illustration from 1904 catalog.

Spiral Screwdriver

1. 1901 — stained hardwood handle; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; one spiral groove is deeper than the other—reducing wear at the points of intersection; screw-type chuck;exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits, two of which are double ended; also shipped with with four-slot auxiliary chuck and eight fluted-shank drill points.
2. 1905 — as above, but equipped with ball-type auxiliary chuck allowing the use of dimpled drill points; shipped with eight dimple-shanked drill points.

Identical to number 41 save for auxiliary chuck and drill points.

Illustration from 1904 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver

Stained hardwood handle; single spiral drives screws only; spiral design locks and turns to the right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.

These screwdrivers are throwbacks to an earlier time in that the automatic spiral feature drives screws only. In order to withdraw screws, the tools must be locked and rotated counterclockwise by a worker turning his wrist. Millers Falls marketed these screwdrivers to manufacturers who needed to drive screws during an assembly process and seldom withdrew them. Of simpler construction than double spiral models, these screwdrivers enjoyed a longer life span.

Identical to Nos. 510, 520 and 570 but lacks automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Illustration from 1929 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver

1. 1926 — stained hardwood handle; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.
2. 1935 — as above, but length of two bronze spiral nuts nearly doubled.

Identical to Nos. 610, 620 and 670 but lacks automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Replaced by Nos. 61A, 62A and 67A in 1937.

Illustration from 1929 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver

1. 1937 — stained hardwood handle; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two chromium plated bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts chromium, rather than nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.
2. 1949 — as above, but exposed parts nickel plated.

Identical to Nos. 610A, 620A and 670A but lacks automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Formerly Nos. 61, 62 and 67.

The company continued to use an illustration of the earlier No. 61 drill in its catalogs, I have done so as well.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

1. 1956 — spring in mahogany-finished hardwood handle allows for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle assembly; quick release chuck; chuck, shifter sleeve and the screw in the handle are nickel plated; shipped with one screwdriver bit.
2. 1959 — as above, but clear lacquered handle with painted tip, profile of wooden handle modified (soft bead at lower end of handle eliminated.)
3. 1960 — as above, but handle painted black.

A longer version of the No. 29, the No. 229 was intended for the homeowner, rather than the professional. Like the No. 29, it was designed for driving and removing smaller and medium-sized screws. A smaller screwdriver bit, drill points and a countersink attachment could be purchased separately.

Sold as a Millers Falls V-Line (Value Line) product from 1956 to 1960.

Illustration from 1957 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver

Mahogany finished hardwood handle; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two chromium plated bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts chromium plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.

T-handle allows user to exert greater pressure on the tool. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points, 1938-1944.

Illustration from 1936 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Spring in stained hardwood handle allows for automatic return; single spiral drives screws only; spiral design locks and turns to the right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.

These screwdrivers are throwbacks to an earlier time in that the automatic spiral feature drives screws only. In order to withdraw screws, the tools must be locked and rotated counterclockwise by a worker turning his wrist. Millers Falls marketed these screwdrivers to manufacturers who needed to drive screws during an assembly process and seldom withdrew them. Of simpler construction than double spiral models, these screwdrivers enjoyed a longer life span.

Identical to Nos. 51, 52 and 57 save for automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Illustration from 1929 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

1. 1924 — spring in stained hardwood handle allows for automatic return; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.
2. 1935 — as above, but length of two bronze spiral nuts nearly doubled.

Identical to Nos. 61, 62 and 67 save for automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Replaced by Nos. 610A, 620A and 670A in 1937.

Illustration from 1929 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

1. 1937 — Spring in stained hardwood handle allows for automatic return; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two chromium plated bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts chromium, rather than nickel plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.
2. 1949 — as above, but exposed parts nickel plated.

Identical to Nos. 610, 620 and 670 save for automatic return. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

Formerly Nos. 610, 620 and 670.

The company continued to use an illustration of the earlier No. 610 drill in its catalogs, I have done so as well.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Spring in handle allows for automatic return; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; quick release chuck.

Formerly Nos. 610A and 620A. Description in catalog is minimal.

Illustration from 1969 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Spring in handle allows for automatic return; double spiral design locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle assembly; quick release chuck.

Description in catalog is minimal. Made in Germany after 1975.

Illustration from 1976 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Spring in handle allows for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle; quick release chuck; shipped with one screwdriver bit.

Description in catalog is minimal. Made in England.

Illustration from 1974 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Mahogany finished hardwood handle; barrel is spring loaded for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet adjusted by knurled control sleeve and nut for locking spiral; spiral runs in two chromium plated bronze nuts; quick release chuck; exposed parts chromium plated; shipped with three screwdriver bits.

T-handle allows user to exert greater pressure on the tool. The company manufactured and sold separately a ball-type auxiliary chuck that allowed the use of dimpled drill points.

The Millers Falls Company used an illustration of the No. 430 screwdriver to depict the No. 830. I have done so as well. Illustration from 1936 catalog.

Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver with Automatic Return

Amber-colored transparent plastic handle stores four bits; spring in handle allows for automatic return; double spiral locks and turns to the left or right; ratchet controlled by shifter button located at base of handle; quick release chuck.

Description in catalog is minimal. Made in England.

Illustration from 1974 catalog.