Braces?

[MikeW]

The thumbscrews are around, though not often, even on eBay. Them use the flat bits like center bits, etc, correct? Never have held one and never have seen bits with them so I haven't a clue as to what goes in 'em.

The only braces with sweeps smaller than 6" I have seen have been in anteek stores in larger cities, such as SF and Seattle. The 6" Bell braces pop up quite often for reasonable cost, both on eBay and locally.

The small Fray above is a 7" sweep, the larger an 8". Don't want to ever need a brace where I need a smaller sweep. That would mean I am either working too hard, or not smart enough :?

Else I would use a small hand drill loke that beauty on your blog!

But now, come on. Surely you have a dozen Shefield braces stashed somewhere, eh? :roll: Well, I think they can look wonderful. There was a time I wanted a fancy one.

Take care, Mike

 

[Mittlefehldt]

You would have thought that with the number of British immigrants coming to Canada in the last one hundred years, you would think this part of the country would be seething with infills, and Sheffield braces, HAH.

I have in six years or so of looking for tools in general seen maybe two Sheffield braces in the wild, one infill. Both braces looked like they had survived, barely, world war one. The dealers who had them were I think not tool types but seemed to have the notion it looks like something that is worth something, and priced them accordingly. There is a beautiful brace for those with tool envy on the cover of last falls Lee Valley catalogue.

I haven't seen a corner brace yet Alf do you have one of those hidden somewhere in your stash, or were you saving that one?

Oddly enough the only tool my wife has from her grandfather is a brace as well, and it works just fine.

 

[Alf]

I have in six years or so of looking for tools in general seen maybe two Sheffield braces in the wild, one infill. Both braces looked like they had survived, barely, world war one.

Hah! That's more than I've seen...

I haven't seen a corner brace yet Alf do you have one of those hidden somewhere in your stash, or were you saving that one?

Alas, that's too exciting for my brace collec-, er selection of users. My mildly brag-worthy braces are limited to a 10" Stanley 901, which seems to be a bit of a rarity even in its homeland, and a Backus patent angle attachment thingy, which I did actually find loose, in the wild, at a car boot sale. :shock: I still look in vain for something as mundane as a larger sweep than 10" though

Mike, the 5" lends itself to countersinks particularly well, plus anywhere with limited swing when you don't want to faff with a ratchet. You can get some good speed up with 'em. The sixpennys will theoretically take anything, it's just a square tapered socket and a thumbscrew, but in practice it's really only up to fairly light duty stuff like gimlet bits and the smaller spoons IME. But I expect they vary just as much as any other style of brace so mileage may vary.

Cheers, Alf

 

[bugbear]

Mike, the 5" lends itself to countersinks particularly well, ... You can get some good speed up with 'em.
.
.
Cheers, Alf

Indeedy. My toolchest has a 5" sweep plain brace with a rosehead counter sink permanently mounted, as well as an 8" sweep ratchet brace with a 1/4" hex magnetic bit holder permanently mounted.

Oh, and a footprint egg-beater with a 3mm (pilot for #8 screws) bit permanently mounted.

Owning more drills saves time changing bits

BugBear

 

[MikeW]

Mike, the 5" lends itself to countersinks particularly well, ... You can get some good speed up with 'em.
Cheers, Alf

Indeedy. My toolchest has a 5" sweep plain brace with a rosehead counter sink permanently mounted, as well as an 8" sweep ratchet brace with a 1/4" hex magnetic bit holder permanently mounted.

Oh, and a footprint egg-beater with a 3mm (pilot for #8 screws) bit permanently mounted.

Owning more drills saves time changing bits

BugBear

Well, I have a few that also keep various bits mounted [semi-permantly]...so qnty isn't an issue. But I'll be on the look out for a 5" because, well, I don't have one :lol:

For countersink I use an old two-speed hand-drill--talk about speed for the countersink. So I don't need an even smaller brace for that. So what do I think I need it for? I dunno. Because... :roll:

Take care, Mike
back to emails...

 

[Alf]

Well, I have a few that also keep various bits mounted [semi-permantly]...so qnty isn't an issue. But I'll be on the look out for a 5" because, well, I don't have one :lol:

For countersink I use an old two-speed hand-drill--talk about speed for the countersink. So I don't need an even smaller brace for that. So what do I think I need it for? I dunno. Because... :roll:

Mike, Mike, Mike, you're just not trying here. [-X You need it to take the countersinks with the square taper that won't fit in the hand drill, silly. :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[MikeW]

Well, I have a few that also keep various bits mounted [semi-permantly]...so qnty isn't an issue. But I'll be on the look out for a 5" because, well, I don't have one :lol:

For countersink I use an old two-speed hand-drill--talk about speed for the countersink. So I don't need an even smaller brace for that. So what do I think I need it for? I dunno. Because... :roll:

Mike, Mike, Mike, you're just not trying here. [-X You need it to take the countersinks with the square taper that won't fit in the hand drill, silly. :roll:
Cheers, Alf

You mean, like this one?

Still, the two-speed spins up faster. Heck, I've used it so much I know how many cranks for various size screws--assuming I apply the same pressure each time, which is mainly the weight of the drill. It's not a light drill.

But the 5" sweep brace? Well, when I find one I'll give it a whirl. I promise. :wink:

Take care, Mike

 

[engineer one]

come on guys most of us have enough problems justifying the
slope that is good hand planes, saws and chisels.

Now you have opened up this strange and arcane world that is the hand brace, and you are trying to find a reason to buy something else. :-k

Mike W you are getting dangerous again, no sooner have you got us interested in your new hand saws than you are promoting braces.
is this the next part of your plan to conquer the world of hand tools :?

alf when you started this thread did you really expect to open up a fourth steep and greasy slope, and then confuse it by offering such a diversity
of available products.

Maybe the next part is for you alf to show us how to buy one, then
check it out and rebuild or make better :lol: :lol: :lol:

that will teach her, maybe :twisted: :roll:

nice pickies though

paul :wink:

 

[MikeW]

come on guys most of us have enough problems justifying the
slope that is good hand planes, saws and chisels.

Someone say chisels? :lol:
Blue Spruce Toolworks

Mike W you are getting dangerous again, no sooner have you got us interested in your new hand saws than you are promoting braces.
is this the next part of your plan to conquer the world of hand tools :?

Funny you should say that. Chris S. wrote an article for the Fine Tool Journal [next issue] that basically quotes me as saying that :roll:

alf when you started this thread did you really expect to open up a fourth steep and greasy slope, and then confuse it by offering such a diversity of available products.

Of course Alf did... :wink:

Take care, Mike

 

[Alf]

alf when you started this thread did you really expect to open up a fourth steep and greasy slope, and then confuse it by offering such a diversity
of available products.

I didn't start it But if I had, then "yes" :lol:

Maybe the next part is for you alf to show us how to buy one, then
check it out and rebuild or make better :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well I did do this already...

Cheers, Alf

 

[mahking51]

Err, does this count as a brace or just a hand drill?
Er ist von Deutchland!
Er hat zwei speeds! Er ist sehr bloody heavy! Strange chuck nicht war?
Any comments meine herren (und damen!)?

Regards
martin

 

[Paul Chapman]

Mein Gott :shock: :shock:

 

[Alf]

Gott in himmel, dat ist a gearful, ja? :shock:

That chuck looks extremely kewl - I dunno, a breat drill I suppose, but what a weird one. If anyone knows about that one I shall be very impressed at the power of t'net.

Cheers, Alf

 

[mahking51]

Personally I am not yet totally sure that it is not missing a telescopic sight and a 30 round magazine....

Hopefully Scrit or BB will be able to shed some light on this one?

Regards
Martin

 

[engineer one]

you sure it is not the mechanism of an early gatling gun????? :lol: :lol:

paul :wink:

 

[Evergreen]

Now that is a serious bit of kit!

Have you noticed that in the third picture, the "chuck" seems to have a strange little face on the end? In fact, I'm not convinced that it's a chuck at all. And the whole thing is so massive and heavy, it might not be intended for drilling at all. How about a reel of some kind, to pull in fishing line or cable of some sort?

Pretty damn impressive whatever it is.

Regards.

 

[mahking51]

Re the chuck, I have had it apart as it was frozen.
The key (missing) is a square drive about 3/16 on flats; there is a face plate with two screws which when removed allow the jaws to come almost completely apart, enough for good cleaning. Very robust and positive and would seem to take both round and square bits.
The ratio is changed by pulling out the spring clip on one gear set and moving it out on the shaft about 1/2" to the next detent. Very fast then.

But is it for wood or metal working??? :?:
Regards
Martin

 

[Evergreen]

Hmmmmm. OK. Since there are already many "normal" tools for drilling into wood and metal, could this "extraordinary" tool be used for drilling into something else e.g. rock? Do we have any German geologists or miners in the forum???

Regards.

 

[Alf]

Looks like you're missing a bit, Martin :-k - Ebay auction. Unfortunately the seller doesn't know what they have either.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Evergreen]

You wait all year for an ultra-rapid German thingamajig to appear and then two come along together......