49. Special Bits for Braces

[@rayanderson1870]

I started my electrician apprenticeship in 1970. A brace was an essential tool. There were no battery drills then and to get wires down walls I had to crawl through the roof space and drill a hole in the top plate with the brace and bit, and then drill through the nogs with an extendable bit. We wired a few houses where there was not yet any access to electricity so the whole installation was drilled out using a brace and bit. I still have both my braces and a wide selection of bits, and they are still used - never any worries about having a flat battery.

[@gjbmunc]

Yep, not all 'progress' is ultimately the best!

[@vicdreyer6413]

Hi Graham, thanks for your practical videos. I think you mean gimlet. Regards from South Africa, Vic.

[@gjbmunc]

Sorry the language differs so much from place to place.

[@glynluff2595]

Thank you again. It gives a whole validity to my workshop which reaches back three generations in my family and there is a plane or two of about 1750! Does it make me a better woodworker well no not at my age with failing wrist and other members but it does validate my insistence that by learning to use hand tools you are then able to use power tools . Later as with yourself you wish to hear the wood talk to you. Out goes power and wireless and with a little bird song and an English garden you can concentrate on the small jobs your body still allows you to do. I like your outer chamfer bit - Hmmm - would have saved time on trennels will keep an eye out for one of those. Dam - when am I going to need one of those again! I did not spell my opening wrong by the way. A Dam was an Indian coin of such low value even Wellington’s troops cast it aside! How long is history and you Graham are instructing so many in it. Enjoy it as much as so many of us do.

[@gjbmunc]

Thank you so much!

[@MikeAG333]

Thanks Graham.Short and sweet. It would be good to have a follow up on sharpening auger bits, and in particular, their lead screws, which are often butchered.

[@gjbmunc]

I'm planning an episode on sharpening auger bits - but the lead screws are really hard to fix.

[@paulmaryon9088]

Wonderful thank you Graham, so much of what I watch here reminds me of when I started out ,and so many of these tools I still have in my tool chest that I made some 40 plus years ago. Still at it all these years later! Thank you from the UK

[@gjbmunc]

Very welcome

[@talltimberswoodshop7552]

Thank you, Graham. You make it look so easy.

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome.

[@HWCism]

Impressive, thanks

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you liked it!

[@johnpossum556]

2:45 I did this just yesterday on my Jawhorse to fix a heavy duty blacksmith-made rake. I transplanted a 9 foot high Lilac with it today. Good vid, we often forget they can be so useful. I love and use all my little handdrills, too!

[@gjbmunc]

Great!

[@UPTHETOWN]

Gimlet, surely Love the old tool demos by the way

[@MikeAG333]

Yep, and screw or bolt rather than nut. It just shows we're paying attention!

[@paulmaryon9088]

Yes I thought Gimlet, but wondered if that was only in the UK ?

[@gjbmunc]

Your choice!

[@christianpatton142]

Just sayin.... ya can also put any of the new hex-shafted Philips/ hex/ square drive bits in your brace and use it to drive in modern self tapping screws....

[@gjbmunc]

Very true.

[@alvagoldbook2]

When my grandmother passed I found an old brace bit in her basement. It seemed to be a bit more modern and had a 4 wall clamp like modern drills so it would take standard drill bits quite well. I have an older one as well that takes auger bits but I haven’t had much luck finding good quality auger bits at a reasonable price. Anyway, braces can be used for more than just woodworking. I repair guitar amplifiers for a living and recently had to replace a transformer. The circuit board was very large and removing it required removing 2 dozen wires. Instead of using an electric drill to drill the chassis and risk damaging the circuit board, I used a brace bit to drill the holes. It allowed me to drill slowly and get through the metal chassis without suddenly bursting through and damaging the circuit board. These old tools have all kinds of uses that allows for more control, more torque and less noise than electric tools.

[@gjbmunc]

Cool!

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome!

[@MASI_forging]

Such a good place to work. Nice video as always 👍👍

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks.

[@thomashverring9484]

Excellent video, Graham!

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you liked it!

[@MCsCreations]

Thanks a bunch for the lesson, Graham! 😊 My father had an old brace in the farm... I don't know how old it is, but it's now here at home, in my shop. 😊 I believe he said it was his father's... But I'm not sure. Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds great! Same to you.

[@transmundanium]

I've found that to bore straight down into something like that dowel I bore a bit from one side, then change position 90 degrees around the work, bore a bit more, then go back and repeat. Takes a bit longer but keeps my hole centered

[@gjbmunc]

Whatever works!

[@ArchEdge]

Thanks Graham - Appreciate the Videos.

[@gjbmunc]

My pleasure!

[@dennisleksander3387]

Thank you for showing the attachments in action!. I have 2 questions for you. 1. How, of if at all, do you sharpen your reamers? and 2. Are small gimlet bits, even though the have the same shaped end as the auger bits, used in a t- handle? Thanks. PLease keep these videos coming. I love them, am learning a lot.

[@gjbmunc]

Never did sharpen a reamer, but I guess a small file would help. Gimlet bits can come either way.

[@ot9180]

Great info. Thank you!

[@gjbmunc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@rpower1401]

"brace yourself for today's episode".....slow clap...usually only I can pull off such a joke...but I tip my hat to you sir!

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks anyway.

[@Drew_86]

I thought that reamer was for pipes.

[@gjbmunc]

True, but it works on wood too.

[@neoanderson5027]

Great

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome.