Four reasons to own a bit-brace.

[@Ateesh6782]

I am a night person and live so close to neighbors that using power tools at night is not nice. I’ve been using braces late at night without problems. They are also softer on your own ears. Another aspect: braces generate slightly less dust (particulates) than power drills. Shavings are better for you than dust and particulates.

[@JustinShaedo]

Thanks, for me these are both really important aspects.

[@sir8017]

This is interesting never thought of that before. I’m a newbie at woodworking so that’s a great info for me since I don’t need to much dust.

[@nickdrozd]

Im slowly turning into a hand tool guy due to the noise concerns haha

[@sinisalo8710]

I'd be mortified if my neighbours were suffering because of the noise i was making, so a quiet tool is essential

[@dianogle5208]

I worked in a gasoline refinery, and i used braces all the time. I would hole saw through a plastic boxes at the top of remediation wells that may well of had explosive gases inside. I made adaptors to use hole saws, screw driver bits, socket wrenches. and even regular twist bits. Yes slow but no electricity required and it does not make any sparks, No explosions, and some times it did jobs safely when no one else could even think of a safety approved method. I am retired now but my brace was left behind to keep on working slow but safe.

[@RexKrueger]

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[@slappy8941]

"...may well of" ? You mean "may well have"? Dumbass.

[@Tehcarp]

Slappy you are a dickhead

[@lajohnson1ly]

Excellent story. Also, TFW grammar & style trolls screw up in their corrections, when they should celebrate your Oxford comma.

[@birgittesilverbow8217]

@@slappy8941 Troll

[@davidbladen856]

As someone who has to repair large engines and generators after they've been "fixed" using impact guns, I can tell you the skill of being able to know when and where to use hand tools is invaluable and something sadly lacking in young engineers today.

[@traviousandrews1015]

The student can only learn what the teacher teaches

[@totheknee]

Young engineers? It's almost _all_ engineers. Almost nobody uses hand tools these days. There's no need to make this about ageism.

[@shadowwynd6641]

One of these is also good for drilling plastic. The very precise speed control prevents the plastic from melting while you drill it

[@RexKrueger]

I'll have to try that!

[@windhelmguard5295]

they are also great for putting in fasteners, or turning nuts and bolts really quickly, if you have enough space, the bit brace is going to be faster than a ratchet even and you don't run the risk of chewing up screw heads and bits like you would with an impact driver or a power drill.

[@Well-groomed_Hobo]

They're also good for drilling soft metals such as brass

[@thekchile]

Also you can put a screwdriver bit on the brace, you can turn screws,bolts or nuts with a lot of torque and control

[@sigaso28]

Best tip I've gotten out of you tube!

[@scottm9605]

surprising amounts of torque. I can out torque my electric impact driver with one. This is *the* way to drive parallel head screws.

[@GaryT1952]

Great tip Matias. As a boat builder, I have driven thousands of silicon bronze wood screws with a brace. Because of the tactile feel, very seldom have I had any problems with stripping or buggering the head of the screw. Modern impact drivers have too much torque at times.

[@1873Winchester]

I read on a forum a guy used a bit and brace to screw down his entire deck, and he claimed he made every screw head orient the same way. Oh well I have three of these, really good for this purpose.

[@purpleom9649]

looked for someone saying this before I said it, just used my friends Dewalt torque driver for a screw I couldn't get to with my brace and it couldn't sink the head of the screw into the wood flush but all the other screws I did with my brace easily managed it with no effort (9" screws going into old old wood)

[@robertbaker7610]

I inherited one from my grandfather. Every time I use it, it reminds me of him. One of the first times I used it I was at an SCA event, one of my buddies went to replace a couple of broken boards in his wooden walled tent that required him to drill a few holes and realized he didn't have any charge for his electric drill. I also tend to be awake at night and they are silent so I can still get some work done without waking my wife, dog or neighbors.

[@kfl611]

and an added benefit of owning them - you can pass them on down in the family, so one day someone will say "these museum pieces still work, and they were my great, great, great grandfathers'".

[@KeithOlson]

5. Has enough torque to easily twist the head right off of a lag bolt if you don't first drill a pilot hole. (I used to install satellite dishes, and never bothered pulling out my cordless drill to mount them, as my brace would quickly drill the pilot holes, then, with a socket mounted in it, easily drive the lag bolts home. It didn't matter if I was working on the side of a house or up in a tree; it just *worked*.)

[@flexjoe]

It's THE original cordless drill.

[@1pcfred]

The original cordless drill actually had a cord. It was called a bow drill. There was also the pump and cord drills too.

[@ulfrinn8783]

yup, doesnt need to be recharged either.. and a keyless chuck as well

[@illuminalist]

Powered by pure elbow grease

[@llanorick]

Variable speed too. Kinda slow, slow, and real slow.

[@borjesvensson8661]

@@1pcfred well, the original is a sharpened piece of flint😁

[@flick22601]

You forgot to mention that most bit-braces have a ratchet mechanism. (Every one of the ones you showed appeared to have them) Most people don't know how to engage them and don't even realize they are there. The ratcheting mechanism allows you to drill almost even with the floor, between studs or rafters and is really handy if you are using a screwdriver or nutdriver bit.

[@jerryshay221]

Not the old ones

[@fisharmor]

I've never seen one without a ratchet, I was coming here to say the same thing. You can actually drive nuts and lag screws with these things too.

[@garethbaus5471]

My one has a ratcheting mechanism, but the mechanism seems to have seized for some reason, it isn't obvious what the issue is

[@tuppybrill4915]

Gareth Baus - I had a bit brace which ‘broke’, a piece inside the chuck ‘broke’ so it wouldn’t hold bits (I think - it was a loooong time ago). I gave it to a charity that repairs tools, Tools With a Mission in the UK. I suspect that what happened was that my then small son had got hold of it and undid it, whereupon the innerds fell out and he put them back in wrong so the next time I used it t ‘broke’. If you have a smallish child take the chuck part apart and see whether anything looks like it is in the wrong place

[@PatrickSalsbury]

I picked up one of these at a flea market maybe four years ago, and I had no idea that it had a ratchet mechanism! Pulled it out last night and played with it until I figured it out. Thank you for expanding my knowledge. 🙂

[@JusBidniss]

When I was a little kid visiting my grandpa, I'd always make a beeline to his shop, liberate his bit brace (he always called it a 'brace and bit'), and would love making little 'test holes' here and there around the shop, for as long as I could get away with it. I was quite the little termite!

[@RexKrueger]

My daughter LOVES my brace. Always wants to drill holes.

[@geminidelica9052]

so relatable-oliver delica

[@CleaveMountaineering]

My boys (2, 3, and 5) love to use the little hand crank drill, its their favorite tool along with the little hammer. They use the braces some too but the torque is too much for them so I help them.

[@pitsnipe5559]

Spent many hours with a brace and bit boring holes in framing. When I as in trade school in the 1960’s we were not allowed to use power tools until the third year. Using hand tools really gives you a feel for how tools work. Just finished restoring a brace that is probably around 75 years old. Also have two sets of bits, one the same as the roll up set you showed.

[@deanaoxo]

Two nights ago, at age 65, i drilled my first hole with a bit brace. OMG, to think of all the years i missed out. I was so, totally blown away. I srsly could not believe how, A. Easy it was. B. How damn precise. Thanks, subscribed.

[@RexKrueger]

Man, you just made my day. Thanks.

[@eloscuro704]

I'm not quite 65 but the same here. I bought a brace from Lee Valley and and a set of bits from eBay, due entirely from this video. The very first hole was the angled screw hole for a hand plane tote and I was using a dense tropical hardwood. Nothing like a challenge, huh? The 2 things that were surprising was how slow I had to turn (about 10 RPMS, any faster and the snail would strip), and how *hot* that bit was when I was finished. It was just as hot as an electric drill bit after a similar hole.

[@channelsixtysix066]

I've always known about them, I even used one decades ago. Then you buy your own, use it, and wonder why TF you never got one earlier. I always said to myself, "I Must Get A Bit Brace" when doing a job at home, then promptly forgot about it, until I needed one again. This unfortunate pattern of behavior went on for years, until two years ago. So I went to a salvage yard and bought one .... AT LAST !!

[@mikecurtin9831]

Roy Underhill would describe the brace as "alcohol-powered" and would tell how the tool motor instantly detects contact with human flesh. Thumbs up on the video to kill a troll. Thanks much.

[@johnpossum556]

Roy is a severely underated national treasure in more ways than one.

[@charadremur333]

It also has torque control to an incredible precise amount.

[@David-ll8bt]

Years ago I was contract Lineman for a Power Company. I used a Brace and Bit every day over and over drilling holes in Power poles for hardware. 60' up drilling away, never thought a thing about it.

[@nat7278]

I'm sold! I just scored a Yankee 1545 and my mind was absolutely blown at how incredibly precise versatile and satisfying it is to use. I instantly somehow felt cheated all my life that older makers didn't clue me in on this amazing old tech. Thanks for spreading the good word about these old beauties ❤

[@mr.b.w.3146]

A brace and bit is one item I intend to have in my tool box, you have given me the impetus to now get one. In many areas of life, sometimes the old ways are the better ways.

[@RexKrueger]

I can't say better or worse, but certainly capable of some things that a cordless doesn't do well.

[@romulusclay6697]

Once I get past that "Blues Clue" vibe I have to say your site is truly refreshing, so many woodworking KZbinr channels start with the unspoken premise that we all have 100k in equipment available to us, Bravo on your channel. It's now my fav!!!!

[@jamesrodgers3132]

Quite so. Woodworking for people who can't afford Festool.

[@baileypalmer1708]

About a year ago I was at my local salvation army and I found a bit brace with a complete set of auger bits for I think 6 dollars so I snagged that before someone said that it was too cheap haha

[@plumbr13]

Has your guilt caught up with you yet?

[@UserNameAnonymous]

Another way to avoid a breakout on the back of a workpiece, even with a power drill: clamp a piece of scrap wood to the back and drill through both pieces.

[@RexKrueger]

Truth!

[@brickbraker5033]

@MichaelKingsfordGray wdym coward its not cowardice its common sense

[@Ghost_Os]

Both the brace and bit and the 'egg beater' type are absolutely worth having. The control and precision are incomparable, and they are capable of working quite quickly as well. I've also used the 'egg beater' type to drill and tap steel. No issues, and worked surprisingly fast. Unrelated tip, you can use her shank drill bits in those multi-bit screwdrivers. It's best if the driver is set up for the longer hex bit tips, but it works a charm.

[@SimplyReg]

I like power tools but I started my joinery career with mandraulic drills and screwdrivers. Sometimes they're better. One good thing that you didn't mention is that most auger bits are pretty long when compared with the equivalent twist drill. You can drill a perfectly clean and straight 1/4" hole right through a 6" wide joist. Another thing you can do with an auger bit is drill perfectly level by hanging a bunch of keys on the shank - if the bunch creeps forward or backwards on the shank as you turn the brace, then you know you're out of level.

[@RexKrueger]

These are simply brilliant points! Thanks for sharing!

[@charliemason4355]

SimplyReg Spot on! I had to drill a 3/8" hole in a 4x4. I didn't have a long enough bit for my electric drill. The other issue was the hole needed to be drilled near to an obstruction. The width of the electric drill would have made that impossible. My right angle attacment would take care of that but I still needed a longer bit. Then I remembered I had my Dad's brace and bits. Sure enough the 3/8" auger bit was plenty long for the job.The pad was beyond the obstruction so I could drill the hole as close to the obstruction as half the width of chuck. The other advantage this brace had is that it can be set to ratchet. I didn't have to swing the handle around. Great tool.

[@gregre052]

Damn, I never thought of that leveling technique. I think that's genius. Thank you

[@SimplyReg]

@@gregre052 The pleasure's mine. My old tutor Brendan taught me that trick back in about 1985, I think. Fantastic when drilling out lock mortices. It really works.

[@vsvnrg3263]

@@gregre052 , yeah genius. that trick will work well with powered tools too.

[@blahorgaslisk7763]

My grandfather was a carpenter and my father learned from him and eventually he got to teach me a little about it. The bit-brace was the weapon of choice when it came to drilling holes when working in wood, and my father always had one close at hand. When I was a kid it was so natural to use the bit-brace but over time it was displaced, and I didn't even notice when it happened. A few years ago I grabbed one my fathers old bit-braces only to discover that the chuck was totally seized up. Took down another one and it had a broken jaw. These were the only two he still had, all the others he had thrown away years ago. I never did bother trying to repair those, nor have I thought about buying one. Electrical drills are just to convenient and as I don't do woodwork for a living or as a hobby I don't feel a real need for a bit-brace. Something I found interesting is that all of the bit-braces my father had came with three jaw chucks, so anything with a square shaft wouldn't have worked with them. Hex or round shafts however worked fine and I remember him using a bit-brace for drilling steel using ordinary HSS drills. He did however have a large selection of drills with square shafts, but I never thought of asking him what tool he used them with. Just one more thing I'll never get the chance to ask now. I do still have a antique bit-brace that my grandfather might have made. It's mostly made of wood and is hanging in the basement just to the side of the worktable. I've never even considered using it as I'm not sure it would survive even the lightest use. That and a few wooden planes is all my father was able to rescue from my grandfathers wood working shop. Everything else had been "borrowed" over the years.

[@RexKrueger]

You know, that wooden brace of your grandfather's might be very old. He could have made it, but more likely he bought it. Those old wood ones are rare historical artifacts.

[@rlj151]

Dad had one in the late 60's, thru the 70's to the 80's. I've used it. It was great. I recently bought a Brace. Just need to get some bits.

[@joeolejar]

I inherited my grandfather's bit brace and a block plane he made. Not only great memories come with them but very good tool experiences.

[@taxidrivercarl6074]

Hi Rex, I've been building in the forests of Britain...benches, fencing, permanent structures etc. I swapped out my electric drill for a bit and brace in my tool box after the power tools let me down again and again. Not many charging points in the woods yet I can still build even solid structures, nowhere near power supplies thanks to this wonderful tool. After a little time, this can be used as quickly and easily as powered options and get a nice bit of exercise too. This drill method actually INCREASED the side of my pectoral muscles too

[@RexKrueger]

It is good to get that muscle building. I quite like it!

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Great video, Rex!!! I can't count the times I've saved someone's bacon (including my own) because I have at least one brace that lives in the truck, van, or one of the travel-totes for job-sites... Whether the power goes out, or someone forgot integral electrical equipment (batteries, drop cord, generator...) OR just the boss doesn't have a regular drill bit THAT SIZE and THAT LONG... It's great to have a tool to "fall back on" in times of unreliability in the field. I love the fact that all my braces ratchet... in both directions. I love my adjustable sized bits as much as I love the set I keep... AND I'm just a wee-bit surprised NOBODY noted the gauges or size numbers! Quick guide is simple enough. The "#X" value is the number of 16th's of an inch for the hole-size. Thus, a "#3" bit drills a 3/16" hole. and a "#9" drills a 9/16" hole. It's old-school, and new companies ARE still producing bits for the brace, so... my own collection is probably dated. BUT if we're actually intent on getting this kind of info' to the folks who haven't used one before... It's mighty handy information. I even have "egg-beaters" and a smaller version (hand cranked) enclosed in a housing. They're absolutely WONDERFUL for really precise small jobs... The kind a "regular" or "power" tool would cause more trouble and aggravation than necessary. AND for REALLY TINY detail-work, I have a drill that's just a chuck in a handle! (I actually have several now... lolz) These wonderful little things are more often useful for "cleaning out" holes left by industrial functions, BUT in soft materials that would be destroyed or unduly wasted with power tools (even Dremels) you just can't beat them! ...and JEEEEZZZ do those bits get tiny!!! ;o)

[@tomgauntlestrange]

never disregard old tech, I inherited one of these an love it

[@kennyb2497]

With good bits there absolutely amazing to use. I was blown away the first time I tried one. Great when working late at night when you gotta be quiet

[@Feathercraft275]

My brace, bought new because in those days people who had them still used them, was among my first tools. I still use it now and then, most recently to hold and turn a tap. It gave me more grip and control than the holder sold with the tap and die kit. Good video, Rex, as usual.

[@RexKrueger]

Holding a tap! Brilliant. Add it to the list!

[@davyp2993]

I own a "sparkies" brace. I was an apprentice electrician from 1976 to 1980, at the time we drilled floor joists to feed cables through, not an easy task as the joists were always closer than 16 inches and the holes were invariably 1.5inches in diameter. The key to using the brace was that the bits had to be really sharp. The "electricians" brace differed from the carpenters brace, by the handle being offset by only 3 inches instead of 5 or six inches, allowing it to be used in confined spaces. There was also a brace that worked like a rachet spanner the mushroom shaped grip was attached directly behind the ratchet, with the working handle being about 8 inches long, making the brace only about three inches high. I had many scraped knuckles with using the brace in confined spaces. I enjoyed the video, thanks.!

[@RexKrueger]

My pleasure! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@michaelthibault7930]

This strongly suggests a potential YT video showing how to modify a ratcheting brace-and-bit to have this low-profile arrangement… Tools are a contagion.

[@wayne9518]

I was in a technical high school, ‘73-‘76. We had Milwaukee Hole Hawg drills for the field. We did actual work inside and outside of the school. $4.75 /hr got you the teacher and up to around 10 students. But, we had to learn with a bit and brace and do all our in class work. (quiet). I still have my grandfather’s brace along with an 18” bit for drilling up into walls. Also another I inherited from an uncle. My favorite bit is adjustable. Dial it in on a piece of scrap for a perfect or extra loose/tight fit. I really flummoxed a coworker in the early days of cordless drills. He had to do some work at the end of his long driveway and didn’t have nearly enough extension cord. He commented at lunch how he wished he had a cordless drill. I told him I had a couple and would be glad to lend him one. When I handed him a big Stanley egg beater drill and he was speechless. I demonstrated how easy it was and he begrudgingly took it home. He later said it was way easier than he thought it would be.

[@jamescade4723]

First time I ever used 1 I was 5, it was my grandads, , and it worked! !! Still have 1 now

[@DaveLennonCopeland]

My grandfather was a master carpenter, I inherited his tool collection. Lots of old-school tools, including bit-braces, hand drills, chisels, mallets, wooden foldable measuring sticks... too many to list. They are all still used today, but, not as much. Great video Rex... :)

[@RexKrueger]

So glad you liked it! I bet that tool collection is filled with treasures!

[@DaveLennonCopeland]

Rex Krueger - Yup... :)

[@trackie1957]

When I first started watching your videos, I was impress with how you used a brace to drive screws. Nice, controllable torque.

[@thomasgreen8532]

Admittedly I don’t use one very often but I think they are cool. Your right about how easy it is to come across one the bits, not so much. Too often they have been modified to work in a electric drill so they are useless in a bit brace but I found a whole set a while back. I need to clean them up so I can use them again. As a kid it was the only thing available to me 60 years ago. Funny how we go in circles.

[@channelsixtysix066]

Rex, I've just bought two more. A 12" sweep and a 14" sweep, both made by Stanley Australia. I don't buy _dumb_ tools, only useful ones. My first brace purchased two years ago, was 10" sweep, made by an old Australian company. The ease of use, control over the bit and the accuracy was unprecedented. Far better than a power drill or even a drill press for the job I was doing.

[@tabhorian]

I love mine. I went out an bought a set of augers on ebay. Works great. Not much dust, quiet. I'm finding that I'm using my unplugged tools as a first choice more and more.

[@RexKrueger]

Agreed!

[@gordy6453]

im a retired chippy 77 yo, that's all we had before electric drills came in. a very handy tool

[@nemtudom5074]

I like how hand tools can create a sort of emotional bond between the person and the object since they are actually putting muscle work into it, instead of just standing there holding a button. When a wood forces you to break a sweat while working on it, you will remember it. Thats like the woodworking equivalent of having respect for the bears some people fought in hand-to-paw combat

[@johnaustin3187]

Hey Rex! After watching two vids on bit-braces, i ventured out to my garage/shop and dig up some treasure. My father-in law, several years ago, gifted me with many of his woodworking tools. 5 or 6 different hand planes(all stanley) and lo and behold, a (previously un-opened) tool box containing two bit braces and a full set of auger bits. They look to be in great condition, no rust, no nicks, no problems. Lucky me. Thanks to you and your channel, i fully intend to put down my power drills and start reaching for these more often. Thanks so much for the work you do, the vids and the inspiration to become a real woodworker as opposed to the “bash it up” style I’ve relied on previously. “Bash it up” you ask? Yeah. Always sturdy, rarely pretty, never elegant. Thanks again. Also sorry to hear/watch the thumb/saw i jury

[@johnaustin3187]

Oops... injury video. Wishing you a speedy recovery and avidly awaiting more content! A new(ish) fan J

[@alwaystinkering7710]

I agree with everything you said, and commenters that mention driving screws. These are fantastic for backing out old, stuck screws. You can put far more pressure and control on it to keep it engaged in a shallow slot head and turn very slowly to maintain control without giving up torque. I also have one for working on machines using sockets for all the same reasons- really good control. There's one more, if you're a prepper/survivalist you really need hand-powered drills. They always work.

[@aldreymenezes7652]

I watched a couple of videos of yours thinking this guy is less experienced and has less class than other woodworkers on youtube then I watched a third video and a fourth video. Changed my mind, down to earth, honest and probably a great company to have a beer and chat, you are one of the best, I'm your new fan; Thanks a lot man;

[@RexKrueger]

People warm up to me slowly. Just ask my wife!

[@NonFerricIrony]

Two years later and this video STILL...holds up. I just shared it again to someone to explain why they need a bit brace.

[@mickmoriarty7780]

I was born in 1948 and my carpenter / plumber Grandfather used to take me out on jobs from age three and a half. He virtually treated me as an apprentice and the Bit Brace was a much used and loved tool. He also had a ratchet screwdriver and a Yankee Screwdriver, which were viewed as technological marvels at the time, haha. In late 1990 , when I moved into the big country town that I now live in, the big Department store in town was rationalising and selling out their hardware department. I picked up a new Yankee Screwdriver! Cordless drills and screwdrivers were just starting to become available. It s hard to explain how satisfying using these tools are. There was a Russian store in Sydney and I picked up a 'Modern' Russian Bit Brace with a gearbox attached! Win. No electricity in the Russian back blocks.

[@westburybaldwin]

For years I have kept a Yankee screwdriver and Yankee drill in my tool bag they have saved my ass many times

[@RexKrueger]

I'm glad someone else has had this experience! Might as well just throw them in there. Not like they take up so much space.

[@noscreadur]

Yes! I always have my brace and Yankee with me. Other electricians laugh, but not for long.

[@wimwiddershins]

I'm lucky enough to have one of these handed down to me from my Grandfather to Dad to me. He used it on the farm for wiring fence posts out in the middle of nowhere. I never met the guy but it's cool to have something he used daily.

[@huvamae]

I'm 76. when I was about 10 , my grand father gave me his with a thumb screw chuck. He had been a carriage builder.

[@deezynar]

I do drill holes with mine at times, but mostly I use it for countersinking holes, and driving screws.

[@CleaveMountaineering]

The bit and brace is amazing, I use them regularly. People forget that the manufacturing methods and design of the brace is really quite advanced. It just doesn't have a battery and isn't made of yellow plastic. I just bought my third brace, for $3. I think I've got $23 invested in braces total, and they're all pretty nice. Now I can have one at work with a few extra bits. You can usually run 1/4" hex drivers directly in it, you can run hex shank bits, you can sometimes put round shank smaller bits in it unless its a high torque application. Every handy person needs them, especially if you have property and need to go fix the gate or something.

[@jeffreyblessing4011]

I bought a brace on eBay a few years ago...it came with 27 auger bits. I had no idea how lucky I was to find such a deal. It has adjustable spade bits, a countersink, and even a flathead screwdriver bit as well as many sizes of auger bits. I LOVE your videos, Rex. By the was, my grandfather on my dad's side was named Rex, and it's my dad who was in to woodworking...I inherited a bunch of his hand tools. 🙂

[@danmottesheard5294]

I still have my Dad's bit brace, a few drills and his push twist drill and have used both several times. after seeing your video I will now be on a mission to clean them up and use them more often. great tip on the controlled countersink. thanks for posting. because of this video I am now a subscriber to your channel.

[@allenwc]

That's what I love about the bit-brace.Clean precise holes. Yup, revolution counting 10/10. With the ratchet feature, you can crank a hole pretty much anywhere. And, it gives you incredible control for taking off nuts and bolts, for using screw outs, and you an even drill holes in metal. I just totally love my bit-brace. I do however need a new chuck for mine, I got it for free and it is somewhat worn.

[@johnoakley3068]

I concur with all you've said. I've always had a bit brace since I was a kid just starting out, it can be an invaluable tool for all the reasons you've mentioned, and more that you haven't mentioned. Good, informative video, thank you.

[@RexKrueger]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching!

[@joeseabert8391]

I worked on a wooden sail boat and the deck was teak. The owner didn’t want power tools used on the decking screws because he didn’t want the screws over torqued. So he had me using a brace with a flat head screw driver. It worked pretty good.

[@Canopus68]

Another use of a brace is driving tech screws. The ones with the built in washer under the head. We use them for bog bridges on trails in wet areas. Instead of lugging a cordless drill we take a brace and a couple of the correct star bits--they come in the box with the screws or you can buy them separate. I think, off the top of my head they are #28s. It takes a bit longer than an impact driver, but it does work.

[@RexKrueger]

A fantastic suggestion. It really seems like the brace is ideal when you're off the grid.

[@nicolashuffman4312]

A brace with a screw driver bit is my favorite way to put in long wood screws-- especially if you have the square drive stuff. It is nearly as fast as a cordless driver, but less chance to screw up. A brace is also nice for driving taps in less critical applications. Again, nearly as fast as a drill, but with a wider safety margin.

[@bomaite1]

When you drill a hole at the bench, don't do it like you do it, holding the end in your hand. You can see your hand wobble all over the place, and it is difficult to judge what is a vertical. Instead, clamp the work piece vertically in you vice and put the brace against your belly or chest. As you look down at the work, it is easy to see if you are a little off on the angle. You are also rock steady while you do it, unless you are drilling on a boat at sea, or something. You can also lean a little into the work, which gives a good amount of leverage with almost no effort at all. So go horizontal, not vertical.

[@michaelthibault7930]

Even an electric drill is susceptible to non-normal holes. The problem is exacerbated by short(er) bits. However, bits used in a brace are almost always long(-ish) enough to show up the deviation from vertical. Depending on the bit set, the shanks may be susceptible to the use of a funnel as a guide to keeping the shaft vertical to the drilled surface. From a radially-regular funnel with appropriate dimensions, cut away less than half of the circumference along the length of the taper, then veer outward away from the axis of the funnel to leave a spoon-shaped opening. A 'J-stroke' cut starting parallel to, but offset from, the funnel's axis, and ending in the cone… You can pass the shank through the large 'bowl' and clip the funnel's taper onto the bit shank (additional view-ports in the funnel wall to taste). When drilling, keep the brim/lip of the funnel uniformly above the drilled surface, particular when starting the hole.

[@gregre052]

YEAH, as a kid my father and a couple of his buddies built a boat in our garage. I hung around being fascinated. Loved that brace against the stomach or chest. When I first tried it I didnt follow the against the chest rule and I couldn't figure out how they did it without all the wobble. Caught on eventually.

[@ChimeraActual]

Yes, that's the way they are used.

[@Tehcarp]

And you can use the ratchet to repeat the 180 degrees in front of your body till the hole will keep itself straight

[@c.lafont931]

@@michaelthibault7930 I don’t know if you’ll se this, but that sounds very cool, but I’m having trouble “seeing what you mean. If you have any further descriptive or visual info, I’d really like it if you were to respond. Any thanks in advance.

[@harrypowers9412]

My father and grandfather were carpenters and I inherited a couple of braces from them-wonderful tools!

[@RexKrueger]

They really are! And very unappreciated.

[@chado3000]

Mine looks exactly like the click pic, and belonged to my Grandpa, who was a carpenter from around 1900 thru 1957. I also have all of his planes, ranging from a 4" to a three foot door plane, and his draw knives. The brace bits range from 3/16" to 1-1/4", plus an adjustable 3/4" to 3". I use them all regularly.

[@RickBoat]

Large diameter holes with good accuracy without the cost of Forster bits, which also stall out battery drills.

[@ArcaneTinker]

Or completely smoke them. I killed an m18 Milwaukee fuel drill with a 2" forstner

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

I have the (working?) theory that Forstner bits are the real reason God invented the "Shovel Handle" Power Drills I keep inheriting and collecting. ;o)

[@ArcaneTinker]

@@gnarthdarkanen7464 aka arm-pretzel makers! I finally found a 2" ship auger bit that can tank one of those too when you drive it into a pecan log and try to bore 14" deep into the endgrain. I had to stop a few times to let the drill rest

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

@@ArcaneTinker, I don't know... I do agree to your "alternative label" (lolz). Those BIG Augers pose a problem because even after the cut, you just keep adding metal to the friction equation... My standard operating procedure starts with polishing the bit (outer side at least) and then waxing BEFORE working it. It's not a lot of work (usually) and slick, shiny metal does a great job slipping past grain... Wax adds to the general cleanliness and lubrication (why I prefer waxed cardboard in reloaded shells for the twelve-gauge over plastic "sabots") If it still offers "difficulty" you can throw a bit of Silicone Lubricant (rattle can) down the hole with every "clear-out" which should (optimally) be about every four inches or less (depending on the actual length of the bit) just on principle... "A clean hole is a happy hole." The great point of Forstners in those shovel-handled behemoths is there's only the cutting head that has to "work" the motor, and when employing a "bit extender" you can get by with a lot of "lunacy"... in my dubious experience. Of course, keep in mind, I've been many times around and thrown across more than one room for my dubious expertise... AND I am on more than one record as "some kind of a nut". (just so you're warned) lolz... At least we can laugh at ourselves, too. Right? ;o)

[@phroedoux]

KZbin doesn't often recommend great channels to me, but boy am I glad when they do.

[@RexKrueger]

That's very kind of you. Thanks!

[@johngorman4052]

I have a couple of old braces and still got most of my old auger bits, I'm a plumber and it was one of my first tools the boss made me buy when I started my apprenticeship and I gave that old brace a hiding drilling holes, didn't think anything of it , it was just part of the job no matter how hard or awkward it might have been, you just got on and done it. The brace and bit sets I had back then back in 1972 I still have today they are Stanley tools manufactured and they had these cast-iron jaws in the business end of the brace and you could quite easily snap those jaws clean thru if you went too hard and that what I did so if I want to use it again I have to get spare parts. As you say Rex, nobody bothers with those old ways anymore because of battery drills, their dependability and cheap cost, I reckon they would all roar with laughter if I was to bring an old Stanley brace onto the job-site these days. Well they're slow but they still get the job done eventually.

[@avega2792]

I have one. Picked it up years ago before I ever even considered working with wood just because it looked cool. Don’t know that I’ll use it, but it’s good to know I have it just in case.

[@somebodypeculiar]

My father had a brace with a set of bits, and an eggbeater drill. When he bought me my first tools one was my own eggbeater. His only (for many years) electric drill was a massive 1/2" Powercraft (Montgomery Ward) monster. Single speed. Single SLOW speed. Massive torque, especially noticeable when the bit jammed. Later he added a cheap no-name 1/4" electric that was much faster. I learned to use the brace and auger, and loved it. That trick about breaking through and then going to the other side was my favorite. I loved the clean hole that those edges cut. He also had two large screwdriver bits with the same tapered square shank. Large, as in #3 or maybe #4 Phillips. I'm surprised that you didn't reference the tapered square end on the traditional auger bits, at least in passing. Also, the traditional auger bits are long, and can make deep holes.

[@JDeWittDIY]

Random comments in no particular order: * The leadscrew or snail pulls the auger through the wood, so you don't really have to apply downward pressure to drill the hole. It's actually quite easy and not strenuous at all. * When buying a used brace, a couple things to look for is check that it's not completely seized up inside, and check that the parts inside the chuck are there. Sometimes they are missing or broken. * Once you set the angle you want to drill, hold the back pad with your hand and brace it against your body. You can drill surprisingly accurate angles this way.

[@RexKrueger]

I do find that SOME downward pressure is necessary, but the rest of your points are very insightful.

[@JDeWittDIY]

@@RexKrueger You're right Rex. Some pressure is necessary. But the leadscrew really does help pull the bit into / through the wood.

[@ron4378]

I have used my Grandpaws, have used it more times than I ever expected! I have had many jobs requiring many different tools, now 70+ and retired, love my brace from the 1920's still going strong, never needs batteries or charging!

[@jeffmeyer9587]

I own and use three brace and bits, one over 130 yrs old. With a properly sharpened bit nothing can compare to the accuracy, and cleanliness of the holes. And as stated below the versatility is almost endless.

[@BoggWeasel]

That's what we learned to use in wood shop class back in the 60's... there wasn't a power tool of any kind in sight.

[@pinkeye00]

I get blown away at how easy it is to use one of these. I've been dumped with like 100 or so, and just amazed every time how easy it is.

[@dkruitz]

I have my Grandfathers brace and it is excellent for driving screws. I built an entire boat with Robertson screws and it never slid off the screw once. Also, I have a special drill bit which is adjustable for any size between 1 and 2.5" diameter. The original cordless drill that never runs down.

[@howardhagadorn9443]

25 years ago, my battery on my cordless drill died while going thru the side of the house to bring in the wire to my new breaker box. I had to go to the hardware store and buy a brace for 45 bucks. But I still use it frequently. Another old timey tool that I love is the yankee screwdriver, the original cordless drill. I put mini blinds in the rental houses and you can't get ANY motorized drill close enough to the jamb to drive those screws straight.

[@Leftatalbuquerque]

I'm a maple syrup producer - the brace and bit works outside in the cold....! And the sugar bush would need an extension cord 6 miles long... the sad thing is that the bits are no longer made. I heard from IRWIN today - they are a discontinued item. 7/16" are worth their weight in gold - that's the size needed for sap spiles. Hex shanks tend to wear out the innards of the brace... the tapered square is a wonderful thing.

[@RexKrueger]

As far as I'm concerned, you make the most valuable liquid on earth. Hat's off to you, sir!

[@royksk]

You can buy a depth gauge which clamps onto the bit. I used all this gear when I was an apprentice joiner with CWS Shopfitting, Manchester, UK. I left grammar school to become an apprentice aged 15. This was to ensure your 5 year apprenticeship ended before your 21st birthday.

[@Musicpins]

Bit braces is wonderful, I got them not because Im a cabinetmaker, but because I do bushcrafting and non electrical tools just come in very handy.

[@Musicpins]

@@TomAlter1000 haha thank you.

[@chrisreed3515]

Great video with good points. One that you missed is driving large screws - especially flatheads. The torque available along with the pressure that can be exerted to keep the driver engaged makes the brace one of the best tools to drive, or remove, flathead screws.

[@RexKrueger]

Chris Reed I need to try that!

[@boogiedaddy5469]

I have a brace, and a few bits, that belonged to my grandfather. I’m a grandfather now, and just recently introduced it to my 5 year old grandson. A full set of bits run in size from 4 to 16. The are marked in 1/16 inch increments, which allows you to know the size of hole each makes, 1/4” to 1”.

[@SeahawkSailor]

Strongly agree! Lots of additional great reasons in the comments below, plus it is QUIET. Thanks Rex

[@RexKrueger]

Glad you liked it!

[@Poor_Mans_DIY]

Never donned on me about using a brace bit and how it could prevent blow out! Great tutorial

[@RexKrueger]

I'm really glad you liked it!

[@arthurrsaker8893]

For apartment dwelling woodworkers for whom noise avoidance is an important consideration, a brace driven auger is a way to hog out most of the waste in mortices without annoying the neighbours with mallet on chisel strike noise. A little tidier too as an auger does not scatter the waste in the way that a chisel can. Tidy up the mortise with a suitably sized bevel edge or firmer chisel and its job jobbed, efficiently and well below your neighbour's noise threshold. Augers are a lot cheaper than mortise chisels too if you want to save yourself a bit of money to put towards your next expensive acquisition !

[@neilfurby555]

Really useful. Here in the UK they can often be found at rubbish (garbage) dumps! I have 2 of them, one from my dad, and one I found thrown out. Far better control than power tool for many jobs.

[@anchorbait6662]

This was the first video I have ever watched from you. I just subscribed after finishing it. Really enjoy what you are doing here. I'll be back

[@RexKrueger]

That's really nice to hear. Thanks!

[@lukedogwalker]

I have my geandfather's brace and bit. Just used it to put up the frame of a shed because I had a big box of old slot head screws, and the power drill kept slipping out of the slot. The brace was actually easier to use to drive slot heads!

[@wb_finewoodworking]

Great points Rex. I have my dad’s brace and some bits but I don’t use then enough. After watching your video I think I’ll use them more. Thanks.

[@RexKrueger]

They really are worth pulling out for some good reasons. Stay tuned for next week's video where I'll use it again!

[@kirkbrindley1951]

Love it!! I'm going to Garage sales and getting me a bit brace asap for all my fine wood working needs!!

[@RexKrueger]

You'll never regret it!

[@prjndigo]

Holesaws, adjustable span knife bits, *STEP BITS*, reaming forks... narrow C-clamps... You can also drive lagbolts with your brace. A brace with shims is THE go-to for driving lag-studs!

[@COLDROLD73]

Goathead and I ported and gasket matched a set of Mopar cylinder heads with a grinding stone in my stanley brace and it took a REALLY LONG TIME!

[@RexKrueger]

I can only imagine!

[@craigmouldey2339]

I bought one of these a few years ago new. I had no idea where in my rural area to find one. The one I bought is made in France. I've used it a few times and it is not just for drilling holes. I can also drive screws. And it has this cool ratcheting feature for tight spots. I was shocked and quite impressed to learn that the ratchet feature has been around since the very early 1900s. The best brace was called 'The Yankee' and apparently, all the linesmen carried them. An example of the difference in quality between that one and the made in France version I got is the ratchet. The Yankee would go tic, tic, tic. Mine goes clunk, clunk, clunk. That company got into trouble from the depression and was taken over by Stanley Tools who ran a Yankee Tool division for a number of years into the 1950s before they just killed it. Too bad. They are very handy to have when you are in a pinch and need it. Mine is on standbye. I also got an egg beater while I was at it. They are for tiny bits.

[@mskulls83]

Also a "hybrid" woodworker and surprisingly i also use the pokie old brace quite often.. especially driving screws and larger holes.. And brother i feel your pain when it comes to installs...

[@Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

I've got over five braces. I especially like the ratcheting ones, but they're all good. I love a brace for hanging gates out on the farm. The ratchet feature allows me to put the bottom hinge part close to the ground, into seasoned Locust gate posts. Never ran out of battery with a Bit Brace, though I have run out of energy, tapping Maples...

[@RexKrueger]

Another great point! I've turned Locust on the lathe. Damn, that stuff is hard.

[@jamesrodgers3132]

@Kris "Over five". You mean you've got six? Or is it five, but you work in marketing? Or can't you count any higher? Maybe you had an accident and lost one hand? I know: you took the rest of them apart, and now you don't know how many there should be. Just joking.

[@davidmurray6309]

Good evening; Not only for driving screws which I have done for years but also for tapping metal with a machine tap. In fact it is far easier and faster and straighter to tap with the brace than with conventional tap wrenches/holders.

[@RexKrueger]

I've heard this a couple of times and I just have to try it!

[@haroldyeager6124]

One of the first tools I used as s kid. ( After claw hammers, hand saw, and screwdriver). My Dad and Grandfather were carpenters and had some cool tools. I still have two of these I use occasionally. It’s always fun to get in my Dads tool trunk and find uses for his old tools.

[@12namleht]

Excellent video. I own several for all different issues....just like Matias Klein says used them for screws & lag bolts

[@mypony891]

That too is A MUST have. I don't own a cordless drill (only corded) but I have one of those. I had 7 acres to put fence around with 5 gates to hang. I was using black locus cut from my property, (very hard wood), and I needed to be able to put gate hooks in the posts. This too did the trick and honed muscles I hadn't used for years. Also, I have broken the nose of a paddle bit in a bit brace, actually just last week. It was the first time I used a paddle bit in a bit brace so I thought I wasn't supposed to.

[@StephenJoseph46]

I live in a remote mountain, where we have solar power that can run most power tools in the daytime, but a bit brace will enable me to do some work at night when the batteries aren't charging and we need to conserve power for the lights and the refrigerator.

[@hhoward14]

All excellent advice. I still have my grandfathers "egg-beater" drill from the late nineteenth century, and I respect it... Please do a similar video on the Stanley "Yankey" spiral action screwdriver. The biggest one. I have restored several wooden boats over the last fifty years or so, with hardly any power tools... These tools were/are, professional grade tools and cost a lot of money at the time. It's a good idea to learn the skills that justify them.... I usually referred to the later type of brace as a "ratchet brace". Well done. Best regards from Scotland.

[@Wayneawebb]

@7:00 I never realised this tip. It's so simple it's genius. accurate to 16th of an inch even if you think about it. Thank you for these Videos.

[@StuffUCanMake]

Sometime I don't have electricity at home and the bit-brace comes in very handy. Thanks for sharing.

[@RexKrueger]

No problem. Just checked out your channel. Good stuff. Subscribed!

[@PalmettoNDN]

I love these. I have a 160 year old antique one that I use constantly. It was used in a blacksmith's shop in Northern Georgia and even came with some original hand forged bits specific for metalworking. Those I don't use, sparing them labor in their well deserved retirement in favor or modern bits. The thing is, my hand drill actually has the lever beat out further to give longer cranks with more torque. Whoever used this thing exclusively must have had arms like Popeye.

[@bradster1708]

I first learned about using a bit brace about ten years ago when working as an apprentice aircraft maintenance engineer. I spent quite a bit of time removing an endless series of x head screws holing down access panels. Many of the screws were difficult to remove and I stripped quite a few of them in the process of removal, frustrating to say the least. My mentor then gave me a brace and showed me how to rock it back and forth to break the screw loose, the brace was fantastic for doing this. Just now I am finding out they have another use, drilling holes, amazing! ( not being sarcastic). I do some woodworking so I will look out to buy one now for drilling, at the very least I will feel like I am unleashing my inner Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Thanks for the informative video, good to hear about the less fashionable and dare I say it , sexy tools and techniques.

[@RexKrueger]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Until I did this video, I really had no idea that people used them to drive fasteners. We're all learning!

[@DumitruUrsu]

They are a lot more expensive here in Eastern Europe, between 4 and 10$, but they are still worth it. One more advantage - I find the bit brace lighter than most cordless drills, which sometimes is important. Some advices when buying a brace: 1. buy several - 2 is a good start, you can have a drill and a countersink installed at all times 2. look out for the ones with solid, milled metal hardware - the cheaper ones used stamped steel, which is just not the same (you will see it around the handle, in bearing on the top... knob or whatever it is called) 3. be careful when buying bits - many look okayish, but have he very tip snapped off, or the wings worn out after too much sharpening. They will not cut well, or at all sometimes.

[@RexKrueger]

All good tips! Thanks for the information!

[@AgentWest]

Haven't used a brace for drilling (cordless electric works well enough so far) but it's amazing for installing long lag screws! Since it ratchets it can be used near a stud or another obstruction. And a brace is pretty wide, so don't even have to tighten the screw with a wrench at the end. Just have to make sure the chuck is tight since a hex end of the socket adapter will try to slip much easier than square of a proper bit.

[@royksk]

Here in the U.K. it’s a brace and bit. For extra large holes you can use a trepanning bit. These are adjustable for hole diameter.

[@RexKrueger]

We have those over here too. We call them "expandable bits". Thanks for you thoughts!