A Brace, also referred to as a
'Drill Brace',
is a traditional tool used for drilling. The brace holds a 'Bit', 'Auger Bit' or
'Drill Bit' and is then rotated like a crank to drill.
The most common type of brace has a C-shaped frame with a broad button pad at one
end and a chuck for securing the drill bit at the other end.
There have been other specialist types of brace developed over the years which
are less common including the corner brace or joist brace.
The combination of the brace and bits developed the commonly known name 'Brace
and Bit'.
There were / are a variety of bits made to fit braces such as:
There are two main categories of brace, the wooden brace and the iron brace:
The first braces were made from wood at least five or six centuries ago in
medieval times and quite possibly well before this.
The wooden brace went on to be made for many hundreds of years all the way
into the first part of the 20th century; a good hundred years or so after
even the mainstream metal brace was introduced to market.
For a long time the woodworkers would have made their own braces before mainstream
drill manufacturers started getting established in the 18th century.
Wooden braces were very plain and simple tools for a very long time. The simple
wooden brace went on to see more and more grand, elaborate wooden brace designs
mixed in with brass parts with braces like the
Marples Ultimatum
being the pinnacle of grandure.
The iron brace began being produced in the early part of the 1800's and went on to
evolve with different designs for different jobs as well as enhancements to the
iron brace design.
Early designs included a screw tight clamp head for securing the bit.
As the iron brace evolved they went on to include chuck heads with universal clamping
jaws including the highly successful ratchet head chuck.
Universal jaws allow any standard tapered tang bit to be used with that brace which
was a great advancement.
By far the most widely seen braces are those made by Stanley.
If you have a brace with a ratchet, the ratchet on the brace usually has three
settings: turning the ratchet to left, right or centre. The centre setting allows
the brace to be rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise whereas the left or right
positions only allow single direction rotation.
The purpose of the ratchet is to give the user more control in certain situations
such as when trying to use the brace in confined spaces where there isn't enough
room to complete a full rotation.
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