Drilling large holes - geographical differences

[Andreas Goessl]

Hi there,

recently I bought a huge reamer/drill for drilling large holes (about 1 3/8" diameter), I assume for timber frame construction, at a flea market. These are fairly common in all sizes here in Austria, and for a long time seem to have been the drill of choice for carpenters and builders. I know also that these types of drills were used for making water pipes from wood, so thy must do fine in endgrain. I bought it to make shrink pots and swedish log torches with. They are known as "Schneckenbohrer" ("snail drill") here in the German speaking world, I assume for the shape and not the speed at which they drill ;)

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I also notices that the standard auger bits that come with braces are not commonly found on the used tool market here in Austria.

So I was wondering if these "Schneckenbohrer" drilling tools are used in the English speaking world, what a proper name for them would be, and any other insight (like how you might sharpen these, their various uses, etc...). Conversely I am asking why the standard auger bits were not used so frequently here in Austria (I assume Germany will be the same). Was this lack of forging technology or industry, or different needs of the craftsmen, or simply tradition, or...?

Looking forward to any insight into this cool tool.

Best - Andreas from Vienna

[Lawrence Burkett]

Hi Andreas,

I'm sure others more knowledgeable can address some of the questions about sharpening and uses. I haven't used this tool myself, but I think similar drills were sold in the United States. See the link below for a catalogue from James Swan, a prominent tool maker.

https://archive.org/details/JamesSwan1904Catalogue/page/n43

If the link doesn't take you directly to the page, it's 44/74 (or page 43 using the original page numbers). It's called a German gimlet.

[Jim Matthews]

Auger bits for timberframing in the Eastern USA are simpler - an Archimedes screw. I suspect tradition kept "spoon bit" forging alive as it could be made by a Smith.

A more industrial approach produced the familiar "twist drill".

[Bill Houghton]

Following on Lawrence's comment, much, much smaller sizes - on the order of 1/8" (4-5 mm) diameter, and around there - are used for making holes for screws and similar purposes, and are called gimlets, a name that always leads to ban puns, since there is an alcoholic drink called, in English, a gimlet.

[William Fretwell]

I suspect the main reason they were popular was cost and someone was making them. Long auger bits have a lot of tool steel, machining; and rapidly become very expensive. I have a 2” very long auger bit (new, very old stock), very heavy and very expensive.
Your auger bit is far lighter and as the catalogue suggests people working up a telegraph pole would use one. The ‘machining’ is short so far less expensive to produce. I suspect clearing chips in long holes would require very frequent withdrawal.
I have an antique auger for hand use, about half the shaft is straight. It seems far easier to sharpen than yours.

[Andrew Seemann]

Guten Tag! First time I have gotten to use my high school and college German in 10 years (and no college wasn't only 10 years ago, unfortunately) :)

I suspect that the big gimlet you have would be easier to hand forge, and that for industrial production, the Irwin and Jennings style auger bits were much cheaper to grind out of solid stock rather than replicate in gimlet form. The continuous flutes on Irwins and Jennings style bits likely clear chips and keep the drill centered better as well. For small sizes twist drills would have the same advantages.

[Jim Koepke]

My curiosity always has me wondering about metric auger bits.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Another way to do it. :)

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrJ7J46_MVcIb4Abx5XNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE0 b2JzMW9wBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjY2MzFfMQRzZW MDcGl2cw--?p=hole+saw&fr2=piv-web&fr=mcafee

[William Fretwell]

Took a picture of my antique auger today. Had some very durable paint when I bought it so it got painted. Makes it smoother and not so rusty! The wood handle is original.
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[Geoff Emms]

Hi Andreas,
I would also call your massive bit a Snail bit, my first two pics are of a really old one I have it is 13/16" dia, unfortunately the handle end has been murdered. I bought it a couple of years ago from an elderly friend who said he bought it in Europe many years ago in that condition. It looks like it's been used as a piton by a climber on the Matterhorn or locally on Ayers Rock. The two spikes would originally have come up through the wooden handle and been clinched back down.
I think a snail bit is a big gimlet or sometimes called a nail bit. I'm guessing that's because they would have come into their own as a bit to pre-bore floor boards and the like prior to nailing them down. Since a spiral auger bit doesn't come in a size any smaller than 3/16" (that I've seen) a nail bit can come down in size quite bit more.
Page 48 of the Swan catalogue that Lawrence linked shows a set of three Nail and Spike Gimlets.
My other photos are of examples of Gimlets and Nail bits from various makers and a page from a 1930 Heinrich Boker catalogue which lists three types of Gimlet, Cobra twist, German Twist and Double twist.
Henry Boker and Ahrems bits of all types are very commonly found here in Australia.
I hope this is of interest.
Cheers,
Geoff.