Ann over at A to Z Home’s Cool has posted a brief article and pdf document of my “Make Your Own Pump Drill” activity on her site. The directions for making the pump drill are excerpted from Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself.

Turns out, Ann’s son Scott made a pump drill years ago and - like my kids - used the thing until it nearly wore out (of course, Ann has the distinction of also having Silicon Valley execs trying it out!). I wanted to include this project in my book, but the whole premise of the book is to utilize items that most families would have on hand. Ours was made of wood, but I used it for inspiration as I developed a method for making a pump drill that would work just as well and hold up to extended use. The pump drill in Great Colonial America Projects You Can Build Yourself is made from mostly recycled items, and the two I made have managed to drill quite a few holes and are still holding up!

If you decide to try this project, do let me know how it works for you!