Corner braces

[Staffan Hamala]

I saw this corner brace at an online auction. I didn't buy it, but I was intrigued:
193352

Were these braces used a lot? I've never seen one before.

It's obvious that they were made to drill holes near corners, where an ordinary brace would be more awkward to use. But what kind of holes can that have been for? Holes through walls for electrical cables or something?

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

That was my understanding, they were used mostly in construction for the various holes in odd places for running various wires and pipes.

[george wilson]

Good for drilling a hole in the attic where the roof comes down and you have limited overhead to swing the handle,or very close to a wall where you can't swing the handle 360º.

[David Weaver]

I have seen a lot of people mention that you *must* have a corner brace in your arsenal of hand tools, but I have not seen one used on furniture. I don't build a lot of that, though, either - not unless someone in the house demands something.

I would probably just use a spoon bit on a cordless drill if I thought I had a need, anyway.

Does anyone here use one a lot?

[Jim Koepke]

I have seen a lot of people mention that you *must* have a corner brace in your arsenal of hand tools, but I have not seen one used on furniture.

...

Does anyone here use one a lot?

I do not use mine a lot, but it is handy when it is needed.

Of course, mine is not one of those big cumbersome things.

193380

It is a Stanley #984.

It can get in much tighter places than those big Rube Goldberg looking things.

jtk

[Johnny Kleso]

Any brace with a ratcheting chuck would work just as well in 98% of the jobs I think..

Just as well as brace Jim posted :)
The 1st brace works much better against a wall :)

[Matt Evans]

I have seen a lot of people mention that you *must* have a corner brace in your arsenal of hand tools, but I have not seen one used on furniture. I don't build a lot of that, though, either - not unless someone in the house demands something.

I would probably just use a spoon bit on a cordless drill if I thought I had a need, anyway.

Does anyone here use one a lot?

I may have a few braces, but I don't have a corner brace. And, quite honestly, when I do a remodel, I use my cordless drills too.

How often is it when you build a cabinet that you build it on the wall? Rarely. So, with a little planning, all your holes can be drilled before the cabinet goes up or is assembled, if drilling the holes would be problematic after the fact.

I wouldn't mind having one of the small corner ratchets though. . .Those I could see using pretty often for hinge screws and hardware.

(Don't get me wrong, not knocking the large corner brace. Just don't think you NEED one in your arsenal)

[James Taglienti]

To venture a complete guess I'd say the corner brace was handy for retrofitting steam radiator heaters to even older homes that were previously heated by fireplace. A corner brace is useful not only in the corner of a floor but against any wall or obstruction.

I dont see much use for one in furniture making.