Bad (but good) brace

[bugbear]

For most of the my screw driving, I use this little brace

It's really cheaply made; the arms
are thin, and the ratchet is weak, the swing is small,
compared to a "proper"
brace e.g. Record, Skinner, Stanley, Millers Falls etc.

It's marked "Foreign".

What I like about it for screw driving is that it's actually
rather light - the arms are thin - and it's a good deal
shorter than a normal brace. The overall smallness
and lightness make it very easy to handle, and
it more than strong enough for the task.

So whilst I wouldn't like to drive a 3/4" auger into hardwood
using, it's an ideal screwdriver.

BugBear

 

[Bod]

Looking at the ratchet, I think it could have been made for screwdriving, rather than drilling holes. Which would explain why you find it so good.

The old boys, knew a thing or too, about what was needed, without a battery.

Bod

 

[DTR]

What sweep is it? I often use a 5" brace for screwdriving. I've sheared the heads off too many screws with the 10"

 

[bugbear]

Looking at the ratchet, I think it could have been made for screwdriving, rather than drilling holes. Which would explain why you find it so good.

The old boys, knew a thing or too, about what was needed, without a battery.

Bod

That's an interesting thought, but would a dedicated screwdriving brace have a normal chuck (which this does) ?

I would very much love a fully dedicated screw driving brace; light, 7" sweep, ball bearing head and handle, magnetic 1/4" hex socket at the bottom.

Undertakers used to have small folding braces with screwdriver bits, for running screws in and out of coffins.

Often quite finely made, now rare and collectible.

BugBear

 

[DTR]

That's an interesting thought, but would a dedicated screwdriving brace have a normal chuck (which this does) ?

Why not? Screwdriver bits with a standard tapered square shank are not uncommon.

 

[bugbear]

That's an interesting thought, but would a dedicated screwdriving brace have a normal chuck (which this does) ?

Why not? Screwdriver bits with a standard tapered square shank are not uncommon.

I was thinking 1/4" hex would be more useful, at least these days; compact, and giving
access to almost limitless bit variants.

I do have some old "tapered square shank" screwdriver bits, but they're all really
big, flat tips, presumably for driving large screws, which might well
need the full torque of a "proper" brace.

BugBear

 

[Rhyolith]

I like a joist brace for screws, particular large for ones, but it works well for small ones too. They fit into small spaces, provide overwhelming leverage and are very easy to control.

My skinner joist brace has a god awful chuck that never releases bits easily, I would not mind a better one.

It is hard to find anything other than large flat driver bits for braces, though personally I prefer ratchet and spiral screwdrivers for small screws anyway, particularly phillips & pozidrive.

 

[bugbear]

It is hard to find anything other than large flat driver bits for braces...

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.a ... 2337,32300

Item (C) FTW!

...though personally I prefer ratchet and spiral screwdrivers for small screws anyway, particularly phillips & pozidrive.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.a ... 3411,43417

BugBear (who "may" have both)

 

[Rhyolith]

Ah! just what I need Thought one of those must exist but this is the first example I have seen of one.

I already have the yankee adapter, though I find those ones too chunky, I prefer this one due to its narrower design http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-4-Hex-Bit-A ... RbMVDwFNyg

 

[NazNomad]

The old boys, knew a thing or too, about what was needed, without a battery.

As did the old girls ...


I'll get my coat.

 

[Woodchips2]

Undertakers used to have small folding braces with screwdriver bits, for running screws in and out of coffins.

Often quite finely made, now rare and collectible.

BugBear[/quote]

Like this http://www.millersantiquesguide.com/ite ... screw-bit/

Regards Keith

 

[bugbear]

Undertakers used to have small folding braces with screwdriver bits, for running screws in and out of coffins.

Often quite finely made, now rare and collectible.

BugBear

Like this http://www.millersantiquesguide.com/ite ... screw-bit/

Regards Keith

Heh. I'm with the seller - if I found one of those to sell, it would certainly have a screwdriver bit in it by the time I sold it

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

The "sixpenny" or "common" brace is like the undertaker's brace, but without the hinge. It is light and strong, and like BB's brace, ideal for screwdriving.

They cost a lot less than the highly collectible sort.

 

[AndyT]

Here's a thought especially for DTR with his metalwork skills - it must be possible to join the square taper end of an old drill bit onto a standard 6mm hex magnetic socket, so any old brace could hold any modern screwdriving bit.

I think one of the German tool dealers sells an adaptor that does this job, but there's less fun in just buying stuff. :wink:

 

[bugbear]

I think one of the German tool dealers sells an adaptor that does this job, but there's less fun in just buying stuff. :wink:

I suspect it's "that" Chinese factory copying LV or LN again...

EDIT; IIRC someone on the OLDTOOLS carefully ground a "normal" magnetic bit holder to fit a Yankee screwdriver.

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

This is what I was remembering

Lots of good options here from Dieter Schmid

http://www.fine-tools.com/bohr1.html

- even including a lightweight "Kuri Kuri" Japanese brace, especially for screwdriving!

 

[bugbear]

Stanley used to make their own Yankee Hex adapters:

The #3080 and #2310



BugBear

 

[DTR]

...though personally I prefer ratchet and spiral screwdrivers for small screws anyway, particularly phillips & pozidrive.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.a ... 3411,43417

I have something very similar from Axminster. I used to use a plain magnetic one (converted from a common hex-shank bit holder), but every time I released the Yankee spiral it would catapult the bit across the workshop! #-o :lol:

Those taper-shank bit holders are an interesting idea, but I find a common hex shank is gripped just fine by a 2-jaw chuck.