This is an example of an antique cast iron hand drill from an unknown time period. As with their modern, electrified counterparts, the human-powered hand drill was used to bore holes in materials (typically wood) and fasten them together. This particular device would have been an absolute necessity on any 19th-century Canadian farm, just as it is today. It is believed to have been invented in 1816, and operates via a simple mechanism. The hand crank is attached to a drive gear which turns a pinion that turns the drill bit. This particular design was a considerable advancement over previous versions as it achieved considerably higher turning speeds.