An Odd Bunch of Bits

[Jim Koepke]

It was easier for me to photograph these all together instead of sorting them all into different groups and threads as Eric Brown has done.

Besides, my assortment pales next to his.

First is a 3/8" spoon bit and the hole it bored in end grain. It isn't as smooth as a new Wood Owl bit, but it gets the job done.

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This is a view of most of my odd bits:

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These include an assortment of flat blade screw drivers, various counter sinks, a Forstner bit, a circle cutter, some modern plug cutters and others.

Here are a couple of variations on a spoon bit:

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A pair of tapered reamers:

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Last but not least is a Marples & Sons center bit:

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This bit, the large center bit and one of the counter sinks appear to have been made for the old style bit braces.

jtk

[Stew Denton]

Jim,

Thanks for posting the pictures.

A couple of questions: 1. The spiral fluted reamer looks like it would cut like blue blazes. Does it cut significantly faster and smoother than a straight fluted one?

2. Do you use the circle bits much, and is the main strength of using the circle bit?

Thanks and regards,

Stew

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

Thanks for posting the pictures.

A couple of questions: 1. The spiral fluted reamer looks like it would cut like blue blazes. Does it cut significantly faster and smoother than a straight fluted one?

2. Do you use the circle bits much, and is the main strength of using the circle bit?

Thanks and regards,

Stew

Howdy Stew,

The fluted reamer does a better job than the straight fluted reamer.

By circle bits do you mean the center point bits? I do not use them very much. Occasionally the large one gets used when I do not want to dig around looking for my large auger. Being shorter they are easier to use in some tight spots.

jtk

[Glen Canaday]

I've got a few bits made with the older shank style. They still work well in more "modern" braces.

I am curious about that spiral fluted reamer though. I can see how it would make a nicer hole pretty easily. Too bad they're something of a rare bird, I'd like to try one. With the right taper I suppose they'd make for a nice peg reamer for violin pegboxes.

[steven c newman]

Had so many bits. I had to book them up...
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front page...#4,5,6,7
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page 2 has a #20 and a few smaller bits..( keeping count?)
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Page 3 even has an expansive bit, by Clark ( counting?)
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back page. Mid range stuff. There are a few smaller items..
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Screwdriver tip, countersink, twist drills. The bits beside them went into the front page. There is one over set..
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Made by HiKraft Tool Co. Might keep it complete like this, as well.
Almost have enough braces for each bit...
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The better ones....have another batch sitting around. other things just hang out in the shop...
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Most of these take a twist drill, or a drill point.....
BTW: I counted 29 bits ......left the 16" bits out......4 of them....

[george wilson]

Jim: About the center bits; They ,having sides curved back towards their shanks in a semi circular shape,will not drill a straight hole. They were used just to START holes until a spoon bit could be put into the hole and bored to the full depth needed. This gave an accurate way to locate the start of a spoon bit.

Indeed,some years ago I saw flat bits advertised for modern electric drills. They were shaped like those center bits. They were advertised,with illustrations,as being able to bore CURVED holes,should you ever need to,in order to feed electric wires through 2x4"'s in walls being constructed. They showed a hole that was bored a couple of inches from the bottom of the SIDE of a 2x4". The hole was curved and came out of the BOTTOM of the 2x4". I don't think they ever caught on as there is scant need to bore such holes!

In the Diderot Encyclopedia from the 18th. C.,in France,I have seen center bits with STRAIGHT sides,just like modern flat bits. Except,the 18th.C. version featured a spur sticking out of the bottom edge of the parallel sided bit,to aid in cutting into the wood. Today,our common flat bits rely upon the high rpm's of electric drills to drill into the wood. Such flat center bits COULD be used to drill reliably straight holes. I have not seen them illustrated in the surviving 18th. C. tool catalogs from English makers.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks George for the additional information. These things can get lost in time if there isn't someone around to remind us.

jtk

[Ray Selinger]

Those center bits are neat, all square for easy forging. My one, an 1 1/2" was part of a patternmaker's tool chest I purchased. The other square bit is a flat screwdriver.

[Jim Koepke]

2. Do you use the circle bits much, and is the main strength of using the circle bit?

Thanks and regards,

Stew

Gosh, After looking at this again I see you could be asking about the circle cutter. I think that is more for cutting gasket material. I have used it once or twice for that.

jtk

[george wilson]

I will say that during my 16 years of using only 18th. C. tools,my LEAST favorite were the boring tools. About the least efficient I had to use. I did make a bow drill for drilling the multitude of small holes for the pins in harpsichords and spinets. You can see being used it in my film. It did drill pretty fast,but holes less than 1/16".