You must have some bloody big sockets Jerry :) I guess it all depends on the size of the seal and yes, I have used sockets, wrist pins, pipe and other such things. Those seals looked a little larger though that may just be that there is no reference point. The big drifts are nice to use in a press though.
Greg raises a good point regarding the orientation of a seal. The hollow section, should be on the oil side, as any pressure forces the seal against the shaft to prevent leaking. So, looking at your pic Ed, the one in the bore is correctly orientated if you are fitting it into the bore against the bottom lip. The other one is also orientated correctly to fit flush with the top of the bore (i.e the two recesses face each other).
Don't forget to give the lips a good lube with some oil before inserting the quill. If you have any engine assembly lube, I would use that.
Greg raises a good point regarding the orientation of a seal. The hollow section, should be on the oil side, as any pressure forces the seal against the shaft to prevent leaking. So, looking at your pic Ed, the one in the bore is correctly orientated if you are fitting it into the bore against the bottom lip. The other one is also orientated correctly to fit flush with the top of the bore (i.e the two recesses face each other).
Don't forget to give the lips a good lube with some oil before inserting the quill. If you have any engine assembly lube, I would use that.
Hunting American dentists since 2015.