Have you tried Gimlets?

[Frederick Skelly]

Couple years ago, I bought a set like these
http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware/page.aspx?p=32206&cat=3,41306,41329. You can buy what looks like the same set from several sources, for about the same price.

I find that I use them regularly for small jobs. Places where I need to start a screw, drill only 1 or 2 holes, etc. They are a great (and inexpensive) addition to my toolset.

Anyone else tried these? What do you think of them?

Fred

[Jim Koepke]

I use mine regularly. They are great for setting center on pieces for the lathe. They also can be used for getting centered screw holes when installing a hinge.

And sometimes just for making a hole.

If they are found at a reasonable price then it comes home with me.

338959

jtk

[Tony Zaffuto]

I have many vintage gimlets and regularly use a few. For anyone interested, Narex sells their version on Amazon, and instead of a wire handle, these appear to have a plastic handle. Look comfortable. Some of my vintage have a wooden handle and are the ones used.

[Bob Glenn]

I purchased a few gimlets with a tapered square shank for use with some of my antique braces. I reenact as an eighteenth century woodworker at our annual Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous. This year, I came up with a bird house kit that kids could assemble with nails and the help of their parents. It was a huge success and I sold out on the first day. All the nail holes are pre-drilled to ease assembly, amazingly, no bent nails, all day! In addition to letting the kids nail the house together, I came up with the idea to let them drill a couple nail holes in the back board in which to mount the bird house. I used a one my gimlets and brace (along with my "cordless drill" joke) an let the kids drill the holes. It took the littlest ones a few minutes to get the hang of it, but it was very amusing to watch them try out various methods of turning the brace. Now I just need someone to tell me how to best sharpen these. Bob

[Phil Mueller]

Only the kind with sweetend lime juice. :D

I'll have to keep my eye out for one of those. They look quite useful.

[Brian Holcombe]

I use a birdcage awl on the regular for installing hinges, works similarly but not to the same depth.

[Kees Heiden]

I have some bad memories with them. As a kid I wasn't allowed to use the electric drill, so they were my only means to drill a hole. And they were probably dull. I hated the gimlets. Some deep trauma there.

[William Adams]

I bought a set a while back, and find them handy for starting screws and making small holes where positioning is important, and the hole doesn't have to be too deep.

[Bill White]

Oh yeah! Roses lime juice. You betcha.
Bill

[Luke Dupont]

I have a set made by Robert Larson that I love and use regularly. I tend to keep them at hand, and always bring them when I'm traveling with a minimal number of tools. I'd be interested to try the veritas ones to compare. Mine work quite well until you get to drilling deep holes in very hard woods like oak.



I use mine regularly. They are great for setting center on pieces for the lathe. They also can be used for getting centered screw holes when installing a hinge.

And sometimes just for making a hole.

If they are found at a reasonable price then it comes home with me.

338959

jtk

Wow Jim! Those must be really old. They look like, rather than the auger type with the screw tip, the much older type that just cut. Right?

I think they make gimlet bits (without the lead screw) for braces, too. I've not been able to find any locally and not much luck on Ebay either though. Anyway, nice find! I think I would prefer that style to the auger-style. The lead screws, like on auger bits, like to split the wood if it's too thin, or too near an edge.

[Jim Koepke]

They look like, rather than the auger type with the screw tip, the much older type that just cut. Right?

Hi Luke, Some of them have screw thread and double screw thread leads. The longest one, with a rasp shaft and the top one (both German made if my memory is good) both start with the cutting points. Those two do not get used as much as the ones with the screw leads. I did have to touch up the threads on one. I keep forgetting to purchase a knife edge file in town to do a bit better job on the threads.

jtk

[george wilson]

I don't much care to use gimlets, but we made some for the Historic Area craftsmen. Took no pics though. Boxwood handles.

[Mike Holbrook]

Jim has more, but I have more different types:
339023

From left to right: chisel awl form LV, Czeck Edge birdcage awl, hex gimlets ( for brace or electric drill), tap with a broken end...top is a birdcage awl in a Yankee ratcheting screwdriver. Too many drill bits with counter sinks to get in one picture.

There are lots of ways to start a screw or nail. If you drive enough screws you eventually find most of them. A brace or hand drill with just a drill bit works well too.

[Andy McKenzie]

I have some bad memories with them. As a kid I wasn't allowed to use the electric drill, so they were my only means to drill a hole. And they were probably dull. I hated the gimlets. Some deep trauma there.

I had a similar experience; dull tools left me hating them!

I got a set from Garrett-Wade last year, and I love them!

[Jim Koepke]

I keep forgetting to purchase a knife edge file in town to do a bit better job on the threads.

Thanks to this thread I remembered to purchase a knife edge file while in town yesterday. A little touch up on the threads of my biggest gimlet has it pulling into the wood without slippage/stripping.

jtk

[Rob Matarazzo]

I've been using them for a year or two. Very handy at times. I've seen them in hardware stores for as little as $5 a set.

[John Kananis]

Picked up a set a few years ago from Woodcraft (the ones with the red plasti-dipped handles) - horrible, horrible manufacturing, basically worthless. I've been meaning to take a file to them for a while and sharpen them up. I think this thread has inspired me to do so.

[Derek Cohen]

Couple years ago, I bought a set like these
http://www.leevalley.com/US/hardware/page.aspx?p=32206&cat=3,41306,41329. You can buy what looks like the same set from several sources, for about the same price.

I find that I use them regularly for small jobs. Places where I need to start a screw, drill only 1 or 2 holes, etc. They are a great (and inexpensive) addition to my toolset.

Anyone else tried these? What do you think of them?

Fred

Hi Fred

I have a set of vintage gimlets for my augers, but never use them. Just too much effort.

My first port of call is a birdcage awl. Recently I have been augmenting this with a push drill: awl to start and drill to increase the depth, and do so very cleanly ...

The awl I made and use looks like this ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/Awl/5_zps2708588b.jpg

Recently, I had a visitor from the States, James Andrews (a member of SMC), who brought along a few wonderful gifts, one of which was a push drill by Millers Falls (As I write this I am not sure. Anyone recognise the model?)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Drills/Millers-Falls1_zpsux7c8xl4.jpg

I did have a Stanley version, but had not used it in years as the bits were dull. The MF is just wonderful. Here is the Stanley 41Y ..

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Drills/KGrHqNmEE3HT2oHCMBOGt2-NVRw0_3.jpg

(You may note, above, that James also gifted me a Starrett double square!)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Hilton Ralphs]

Fred, I have that set from Lee Valley. As others have mentioned, there are plenty ways to start a screw hole but where I find them invaluable is starting a pilot hole in melamine coated particleboard/chipboard. You can't use an awl on this as the surface is too delicate. I recently splurged on a Czeck Edge Birdcage Awl which I'll use for wood.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I use mine often - was a well spent $15.
I didn't know about birdcage awls, though. One more thing to add to my list. :D
Derek, your toolmaking ability always makes me envious. Mine is getting better, but my stuff is just never as pretty as yours. (Though my purpleheart making gauge came out fairly nicely.)

Best regards,
Fred

[eric mah]

I bought a set 20+ years ago from Garrett Wade as part of a throw in to get their catalog. Spent a lot of time dreaming through their catalog. And I still use the gimlets a couple times a year.


Eric

[John K Jordan]

...They are great for setting center on pieces for the lathe.

I have been using them for years at the lathe. It is especially important to make a starting hole on thin spindle stock of hard or brittle woods or the cone of the center can split the wood.

I showed this while doing a spindle turning demo once and someone said, "Hey, a cordless drill!" Yep!

Another thing gimlets are great for: give a 4-year-old a set of gimlets and soft pine board and he will sit on the shop floor and happily make many holes. :)

BTW, be careful buying cheap gimlets on Amazon. I ordered several sets just to try and two were absolutely worthless - the points were not even threaded properly! If I did not know gimlets I would have given up on them at the first use. I could have ground threads on them but I just complained and the vendor returned my money. Buy a good set!

JKJ

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I use mine often - was a well spent $15.
I didn't know about birdcage awls, though. One more thing to add to my list. :D
Derek, your toolmaking ability always makes me envious. Mine is getting better, but my stuff is just never as pretty as yours. (Though my purpleheart making gauge came out fairly nicely.)

Best regards,
Fred

Thanks Fred. And I do expect you to post a picture of your marking gauge. You cannot just tease us :)

Regards from Perth

Derek