Shoulder brace drills. ?

[TRITON]

Ive had one in my tool box for about 2 decades and its probably seen action 10 times. I picked it up after a cellar conversion job of stuff being cleared out and had it since.
It appears to be 2 speed and from the crazed label it looks like the maker was someone called 'Pratt & Co :? USA made it appears.
Anyone know anythign about this ?


I still feel theres a place for these old tools. Cordless drills cant be recharged in the absolute middle of nowhere unles you have access to power and that might not always be the case.

I've a Stanley brace No73 and on a job fitting some very large gate posts i had to literally bolt it on. The big fixings were fine for pulling the oak into the edge of the building but the cordless drills(all pro) just didnt have the power and torque to get them done up.
We borrowed another builders 36v and it fully charged couldnt drive them the last 2 inches.
Then i remembered my old brace&bit was in the van and used that to 'crank' the bolts in .Have to say of the 5 or so pros there and about 20 grands worth of power equipment all and sundry were impressed but the usefulness of the brace 8)

 

[Vann]

It appears to be 2 speed and from the crazed label it looks like the maker was someone called 'Pratt & Co :? USA made it appears.
Anyone know anythign about this ?

That's probably Goodell-Pratt - they're a US company, taken over by Millers-Falls. If you google Millers Falls there's an excellent website that depicts just about every dill, brace, etc made by either company.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[bugbear]

I've found very little use for "breast drills" (the big cogged ones with the pressure plate).

They're only really useful for medium size holes in metal, which is a scenario well addressed by power tools.

However, I make extensive use of small hand drills (AKA agg beater) like the Stanley #803 for small holes in wood
and metal, and I make extensive use of braces for large holes in wood, and also (as you say) turning screws and bolts.

BugBear

 

[matthewwh]

The oft maligned brace and bit does seem to be making a comeback. We have probably sold more of them in the last six months than we have in the previous six years.

Power drills are wonderful, no doubt about it, but as you say, there are still certain applications where the massive torque of a hand brace comes in very useful.

I have now added Clico's hand forged Jennings bits and spoon bits to the range to compliment the braces and we are looking at doing some smaller precision braces for jobs where ultimate control and accuracy are needed.

 

[marcros]

The oft maligned brace and bit does seem to be making a comeback. We have probably sold more of them in the last six months than we have in the previous six years.

Power drills are wonderful, no doubt about it, but as you say, there are still certain applications where the massive torque of a hand brace comes in very useful.

I have now added Clico's hand forged Jennings bits and spoon bits to the range to compliment the braces and we are looking at doing some smaller precision braces for jobs where ultimate control and accuracy are needed.

I would be interested to see some small precision braces when you get them- I do like the control of drilling by hand. I am a recent convert to the brace and bit, wanting to drill nice and slowly by hand on a project using bits that were too large for an eggbeater. The amount of torque that you can get was a bonus that I didn't realise at the time of purchase.

One of the most useful bits that I have in a brace is a countersink. Have you considered adding these to your stock list?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A (sharp) snail countersink in a large yankee screwdriver is an awesome thing, too.

 

[marcros]

that is something I may try. I have been looking for an excuse to get a yankee screwdriver!