Fray brace question

[Cody Cantrell]

I got a Fray in the mail today and looking at it I wondered, as I often have, how in the heck did they create the terminal fork that is the chuck? I asked some of my students and they all had ideas but nothing feasible. Does anyone know how they manufactured the Spofford chuck on these braces? Thanks for the insight.

Cody

[Karl Fife]

I got a Fray in the mail today and looking at it I wondered, as I often have, how in the heck did they create the terminal fork that is the chuck?\
Cody

This method was one of Spofford's patented innovations:

"The next of Spofford's improvements was a method of coring the mold for the frame so as to eliminate the necessity of splitting the malleable iron chuck casting with a saw, as indicated below, left, for US Patent 225,768, issued March 23, 1880"

http://www.georgesbasement.com/galootsales/Sale03042015/SpoffordBraces.htm

[Cody Cantrell]

Thanks Karl,
I hadnt seen that before, Georges site is pretty awesome.

[Karl Fife]

Fortuitous really. I'd been researching the Fray brace (with the Spofford chuck) recently and happened to see that, thinking; 'Ah.. So THAT's how they do it'.

Instead of a Fray, I picked up a North Brothers 2100 [sic] for $60 in very very good shape (on a certain auction site. I don't want to say which one, but it rhymes with "eBay"). The tool seems just... perfect. I couldn't be more pleased. However, to the point of your post, I've been thinking about buying up an 8 inch Spofford/Fray. The Spofford Fray design it's so simple and light, that seems like its benefit might shine more in the 8" size swinging smaller bits.

My question is this:

I recently handled a nice 10" Fray in person. I can see why it's so popular. However I wondered whether it was slightly bent, or whether they're all like that. On the one I handled, it seemed like the pad was not perfectly "in line" with the axis of rotation of the bit. When turning a bit, the pad would sort of "roll" in a slight circular motion with each turn, almost like a slow-motion version of a coin rolling to a stop on a tabletop. By contrast, the pad on my North Brothers 2100 is dead-nuts flat and concentric.

Is your fray like that?
A little? A lot? Not even the slightest?

It's hard to tell if a Fray's is bent by looking at it. The chuck holds the bit at a slight angle, and the bends are deliberately asymmetrical. Some of the ones I've seen at auction are obviously bent, but it's hard to tell what's normal, and what's 'within acceptable limits'.

Any opinions? What's yours like?

[Tony Zaffuto]

Karl, I've got a crapload of Fray's and in fact, I have the appropriate sized center bit mounted in the appropriate sized Fray/Spofford/Pigg, as well as several with screwdriver bits & countersinks. For the most part, the pads turned "just about" true, but I have one or two that do what yours does.

As far as braces, etc. goes, you can never have too many-usually dirt cheap and look for the ones with smaller throws as I've found them particularly useful for tasks such as driving screws.

[Cody Cantrell]

Karl,
I have straightened several frames on Frays that I have repaired, mostly under the wrist. The wobble may be due to the brace being dropped on its pad. The 2100 has a ball bearing race that it rides on and is quiet a bit heavier duty, the Frays bear on the top of the bow. If you remove the pad you will see a washer on top of the swivel that is peined in place. The peined area can be filed off the piece heated and straightened, and the swivel reapplied and repeined. Or you could try it out and see if it is a problem if not I wouold leave it alone.

[Karl Fife]

Cody, It looks like you may have just listed/sold a 107 on eBay. Can't be a coincidence given the topic and the username :-)

Nice brace. Did the engraved initials hurt the value much?