Hand brace & forstner bits?

[Simon Varley]

Everywhere I look I read that forstner bits are not suitable for hand drilling due to the amount of pressure required. But every so often forstner bits appear in old sets of cutting tools being sold with a brace and also I've come across them on the web with square tapered shanks. Are they any good for a hand brace?

I am thinking of buying a brace mainly to sink counterbores in softwoods up to 1 1/2" diameter by only an inch or so deep. I've been looking at all the various types of bits available for a hand brace before doing anything and I reckoned (but don't know) that a set of old fashioned short centre bits would do me fine - but what about forstner bits? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciatied.

These are 1 1/2" and 3/4"

[Jim Holman]

They work well in a hand brace but there is no lead screw to make them self feeding so pressure on the brace should be maintained to make them cut. About 30 years ago I purchased 50 or so military surplus 13/16' fosrstner bits with brace shanks. Used to install teak decks on WWII era battle ships according to the seller.

[David DeCristoforo]

Not so much that they are "bad" but they are "rim guided" which makes them difficult to use in a hand brace. Also, the geometry differs from an auger so it takes a lot more force to drive them. Plus no "lead in screw" which also makes them harder to drive "by hand".

[harry strasil]

they were originally designed for pattern makers and coin box makers, I have only found two with the tapered shanks and use them when out doing living history demoes.