bit brace recs

[frank shic]

guys, with the re-installation of my bench vise today, i'm gearing up for a triumphant return to the wonderful world of happy hand tools but i'm missing one thing (yeh right...) a bit brace! any recommendations? i see a bunch on ebay but i'm not sure which one to get and i'm not sure what the different model numbers mean. i'm looking for 1/4" bit brace for drilling a starter hole for chopping mortises and for draw boring. stanley? new?

[Ben Davis]

The "YANKEE" braces are all of good quality. The older North Bros are a little more sought after, but the later ones with the Stanley stamp (after they purchased North Bros) are still good.

Any idea what swing you want? 10" Is the likely the most common one you'll run into. It's a good all purpose size. 12" are a little more difficult to come by, but the 8" and 6" swings are also a little more scarce.

The smaller the brace, the "easier" to handle and the faster to drill. The larger the brace the easier it is to spin those big auger bits!

[Brian Blackburn]

Millers Falls produced the lion ratchet braces. #769 to #774. 769 is a monster 16 inch. I'd recommend the 772 ten inch or better yet the 773 eight inch. These are really inexpensive and are excellent users.

[Marcus Ward]

You want a Yankee 2101. Best brace ever made. You also find them listed as "Bell System" because I think ma bell had them as 'the brace' for their linemen. Someone with a better grasp of the history can probably fill you in. All you need to know is Yankee 2101. DO IT!!

[Rob Luter]

Hi Frank,

Marcus is correct regarding the quality of the Yankee 2101. They are really nice. My wife found me a 12" North Brothers version at an estate sale for $2.00 (love that gal!) Before I got mine I used a nice clean Stanley 923-10, and before that it was a 10" Dunlap. I found both of those at antique stores.

I'll let you in on a secret...............

The bits can't tell the difference between the three. A clean 2101 is likely to command a pretty good price if you seek one out. When you trip over them like I did they're usually cheaper. The more common ones can be had for low prices and they'll get you in the game so you can bore holes during your quest for the perfect brace. Look for something with a clean, well operating chuck and with functional ratchets. In my part of the country they're everywhere.

[Marcus Ward]

I have 5 or 6 braces, I use the Yankee all the time for almost everything unless it's a real grunt job and I need more swing. I never turn the ratchet on on any of them unless I'm cutting in a tight spot, which is almost never. The other ones have various implements chucked in them for quick access such as a hex driver (bendix?), countersink, etc. Yeah, that's the ticket. Quick access... not because I'm a tool addict or anything.

Chris Schrwatz's take on the 2101:

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/blog/The+Essential+Brace++Bit.aspx

[frank shic]

thanks for all the helpful responses, guys! a couple more questions... will a bit brace accept a standard brad point drill point? why would you use the larger 12" swings as opposed to the smaller 8" swings? finally, what is the advantage of a brace bit over my rechargeable drill?

[Jim Koepke]

thanks for all the helpful responses, guys! a couple more questions... will a bit brace accept a standard brad point drill point?

Some will, but they are easier to handle with an egg beater style drill until you start getting up in size.


why would you use the larger 12" swings as opposed to the smaller 8" swings? finally, what is the advantage of a brace bit over my rechargeable drill?

The larger the size, the more leverage you have for big bits.

A brace does not need replacement batteries. It is quieter and if the operator does need a recharge, it helps to burn off the calories from my favorite recharger, Guinness.

jim

[Marcus Ward]

Drill a 1" hole in oak you will quickly see the wisdom of greater swing (greater torque). You'd probably see the benefit over a cordless drill as well. I don't know if they'll take brad point drill bits, those are small, I drive them with an eggbeater drill.

[Dave Anderson NH]

To Echo Marcus, drill 16 holes of .750" diameter in 3" thick ash for a workbench top and you'll appreciate a brace with a really large swing.

[Marcus Ward]

To Echo Marcus, drill 16 holes of .750" diameter in 3" thick ash for a workbench top and you'll appreciate a brace with a really large swing.

Reading that made my shoulder hurt.

It's also worth nothing that freehand I seem to bore holes that are square with the top more easily with a brace or eggbeater than I do with a powerdrill. I'm not sure why that is, inherent ergonomics of the system or what, but it is so.

[Bill Houghton]

The larger the size, the more leverage you have for big bits.

On the other hand, a smaller swing will allow you to move faster, and will fit in tighter quarters.

As others have commented, a 10" swing is a good compromise. Once you lose your footing on this particularly slippery slope, you'll find that having several different braces in different swings is a good thing. If you slip REALLY far down the slope and have enough shop space, you'll have enough braces to keep your most commonly used bits chucked up in their very own braces, with one or two or...um...several other braces for less commonly used bits.

By the way, no one has mentioned what "swing" means in this context: it's the diameter of the circle that the crank handle on the brace describes in turning, and is thus twice the distance from the centerline of the chuck to the centerline of the crank handle.

Myself, I just buy the interesting-looking ones, periodically thinning the herd to the most interesting or highest quality, thus keeping the total at what I have convinced myself* is low, meaning 10 or so. Since there are a lot around, this has meant investing $1 in each, $2 for the particularly juicy ones.

If you engage the ratchet - that is, set it so you can ratchet backwards without unwinding the bit - you can increase your effective torque by ratcheting the brace through the portion of the swing that uses your strongest muscles (pulling, for me). This adds, for me, about 2-3" to the apparent swing.

*I also point out to myself that, since I don't buy Starbucks coffee, go to bars, or chase women**, and since you can't die from buying braces, this is not a vice.

**I chased one years ago, caught her, and have been busy ever since being grateful I did.

[Johnny Kleso]

I seen a Yankee 1201? coming up for sale last night on eBay I would try snagging that for about $26-$31

Everyone says they are the best braces ever made..

[frank shic]

drat! just got outbid for the yankee bit brace tonight - winning bid was $37. here's another question: where do you get the auger bits? can you just buy them from home depot or do you guys recommend buying those off of ebay or well? i think toolsforwoodworking.com also has them.

[Marcus Ward]

The ones from home despot are hex shaft. I think they'll work but really you should get a set, or some, from ebay or tfww or someplace like that. I bought a whole set off ebay for around 10$. Then I lucked into a complete set of irwins, mint in box, in an antique shop for 20 so I bought them too.. Backups. Yeah.. that's it.

[Rob Luter]

Irwin still makes the square shank bits (http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/jhtml/detail.jhtml?prodId=IrwinProd100165) but they get a little expensive compared to flea market finds. Your local home center can order them if not in stock.

There are others available at TFWW (http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=EE-63579.XX&Category_Code=TDI) But they are really salty.

I have a set of beaters that I assembled from yard sales and flea markets. Cleaned and sharpened they work fine. I've also seen plenty of nice ones in antique malls. Like Marcus, I scored a nice set off the bay. A complete set of Swann solid center augers in an oak box for only $30.00.

Note that the screw point threads on the end of older bits came in two flavors; coarse for softwoods and fine for hardwoods. The fine thread versions are tough to find, but pull the bit through the wood slower making for an easier job when drilling dog holes. Mine are all coarse thread and drilling 3/4" holes in my 3 1/2" maple benchtop was a lot like work.

[Marcus Ward]

Wooof! I just saw the price of the ones on TFWW... ouch. If i had to pay that for brace bits I'd never use a brace. That's obscene. Find em at a flea market or on ebay. I got 2 complete sets for the price of one 1/2" bit.

Take a look at auction # 280292345430http://pics.ebaystatic.com/aw/pics/globalAssets/rtCurve.gif

That's not a 2101 brace but ... hey, if you gotta spend 40$ to get one, get a stanley or something and make do. It's not like you can't bore holes with anything but a 2101. I have ones from different manufacturers and amazingly, they all will bore a hole. I have a craftsman 1 1/4" bit like the ones pictured there and it's great. I'd love to have a whole set.

See also: 200285542942

190272424433 -- ridiculous price. I paid 18 for the same thing, however, it's still cheaper than one of the new large bits.

My best advice is to hunt them down bit by bit unless you luck into a coffee can full of them at a flea market someplace. I find flea markets have better prices than antique malls, even though they're the same thing.

[Joel Goodman]

I just got a beauty from Sandy Moss. He is excellent to do business with. Also Walt at Brass City is well thought of. Give both or either a call. It's a lot less hassle than the Bay and you can discuss your needs with a fellow "tool junkie"

[Gary Herrmann]

I doubt you'll find a set of auger bits in fine condition on the bay for 20 or 30. I got a set of Irwins of the bay that looked unused for less than 30 but that was in a plastic roll. The sets in really good shape in boxes tend to go much higher online.

You'd have to luck into one in an antique store or sale somewhere. I've seen sets in mint condition go for over 100. Ouch.

[Rob Luter]

I doubt you'll find a set of auger bits in fine condition on the bay for 20 or 30. I got a set of Irwins of the bay that looked unused for less than 30 but that was in a plastic roll. The sets in really good shape in boxes tend to go much higher online.

You'd have to luck into one in an antique store or sale somewhere. I've seen sets in mint condition go for over 100. Ouch.

I consider myself very fortunate to have won my boxed set of Swanns on the bay for cheap. They've been going for big bucks lately.

[Rob Luter]

Hey Frank - Here's a nice clean one for you. Not a bad price either.

http://www.wgtoolco.com/items/10036.html


http://www.wgtoolco.com/items/jpegs/10036a.jpg

[jock cameron]

Frank,
One thing I found the brace and bit could do that my power drill had a problem with was drilling a 1" hole in a piece of plywood at a 45 degree angle. I didn't have a 1" twist bit and I didn't want to spend the money for one. I have a set up Russell Jennings auger bits that includes the 1". It was easy to get the tip started into the wood and then tilt the brace to 45 when the auger started to cut. Turned out perfect.

[Jim Koepke]

drat! just got outbid for the yankee bit brace tonight - winning bid was $37. here's another question: where do you get the auger bits? can you just buy them from home depot or do you guys recommend buying those off of ebay or well? i think toolsforwoodworking.com also has them.

My first boxed set was a lucky bid on the Bay. It came with a like new Stanley corner brace, which is more like a wrench for turning bits. All for under $20. Since then, more braces and a lot more bits have been bought. If you buy them in person, look closely and make sure the spurs have not been filed excessively or incorrectly. There should be enough left to cut wood and they should not be filed or have a bevel on the out side edge.

A micrometer also comes in handy when shopping for bits. Most bits are about 0.015" oversize. Some are exact size for doweling.

jim

[Bill Houghton]

Let me know here if you don't get it.

[frank shic]

guys, you are THE BEST. i'm currently waiting for a 2101 to show up on ebay and then i'll report back. i guess i could always buy a 1/4" auger bit from highland hardware (their catalog just arrived today woohoo!) or off ebay as well. bill i don't see your PM :(

[Bill Houghton]

I could send you a decent brace (though not a 2101 - though, as it's been pointed out, neither the bits nor the wood can tell) and a few bits for reimbursing me for shipping plus whatever donation you thought they were worth to either Sawmill Creek or to a charity for the homeless or the hungry.

Shipping cost would be about $10, as I'd pack the brace and bits in a priority mail flat rate box, unless it turns out you live close to me (near Santa Rosa, CA, an hour north of San Francisco).

I think I've got an extra 1/4" bit in clean condition, and I know I've got a box full of bits. I didn't want to sort through the box until I knew if you were interested.

If you're interested, e-mail me at arbuchSPAMALESS@sonic.net (remove the letters in caps for the true address).

Bill

[frank shic]

bill, thanks for your kind offer but i just won a 10" 2101 off of our favorite internet auction site. now just need to get that 1/4" auger bit... thanks everyone! can't wait to start hand drilling :D