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.

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.

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.

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

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

It's THE original cordless drill.

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*.)

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 ❤

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Once I get past that "Blues Clue" vibe I have to say your site is truly refreshing, so many woodworking KZfaqr 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!!!!

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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)

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.

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

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.

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.

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...

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

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

So I'm putting together (as a beginner) my very own woodshop from equipment I get at auction. Today I picked up a huge lot of miscellaneous hand tools, and one of them is a bit brace. Then I get home and turn on the tube and this video pops up. I had no idea it was called a bit brace until I watched the video. My question, is how the heck did KZfaq algorithms know, lol

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.

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.

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

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... :)

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.

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.!

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Man, this guy is gonna have my shop looking like its 1902. Lol. Old tools definitely have their place! New tools solve som issues, but nearly always create new ones.

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.

Ihave never heard the term snail used before,just lead screw.. Once the only bit of size I needed was an auger bit. I chucked it up in a drill prees and dutifully clamped the wood to the drill press table. Not wanting the bit to tear out the back side, slowed the feed by holding back the spindle feed lever. That lead screw had wnough crap in it's shorts to pull the chuck off the Morse taper.

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

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.

I used them as a telephone company installer and lineman from the mid 70s till I retired. I even used them installing phone systems and networking systems.

I found one in my grandpa's old wooden toolbox along with those drill bits, it is actually easier to drill with that thing than I thought.

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.

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

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.

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.

I inherited a set from the 1940's from my great grandfather. They still work better than any power drill on large beams and rough in work. They're a prized family heirloom now. I bet my grandsons will use them with me on some projects before I pass them along.

I know that this is older and you may not see it but I was thinking about my Fathers ofd 'Bit and Brece' as he called it he would give me an old scrap of 2X4 let me drill holes to my hearts content. When I was older he would say, "how are you going to make the hole perpindicure to the bord?" and let me figure it out. Thank you for bringing back these memories for me.

Agree on all points, however possibly the best use for a brace: endless hours of entertainment for your kids! My little guys have spent many hours on the floor drilling holes in their projects and just having a blast- and they can’t get hurt or twist their wrists as with an electric drill.

It's a good thing to have great "sensitivity and know what's going on in the hole".

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.

My dad tapped 100-200 maple trees every spring using nothing more than a brace and bit. He eventually got an attachment for his chain saw but when you factor in the time it took to remove the chain and bar then add the attachment, do the tapping, then return the saw to it's tree cutting purpose, it really wasn't much of a time saver for only 100 trees. When he got a new chain saw, he left the tapping attachment on the old saw permanently. He also started tapping closer to 300 trees. Only then was the time saving a factor. But it was still easier to tap to the correct depth using the brace and bit. Guess what I am saying is that there is always a place for simple hand tools. And this is coming from a guy who loves power tools!

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.

I'm an electrician. Sometimes I need to extract screws that are deep, damaged, rusted, or have had the head stripped by a chordless. Nothing gets damaged screws out like my bit brace with the right screwdriver bit; it even works with reverse thread stud extractors. I use this thing all the time.

Krueger speaks with clear concise direction eloquently with elegant elocution without sounding namby pamby despite willy nilly sometimes silly

I still have my father's and grandfather's bit braces and many other tools, including wooden and steel planes, a Starrett level, clock makers reamers and tools from other trades. I don't know how many generations some of this goes back. An old trades and crafts family originating from Bootle Merseyside where 2 streets carry the family name. Not sure my kids will keep much of it though. When I was kid, houses were still built with hand tools.

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.

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.

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. 🙂

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

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 !

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.

In the beginning I just had a tool box. I often needed a tool I didn’t think I would need. So I bought a panel van and made more tools I still often needed a tool I left at the shop. So, I bought a bigger van. Now I have my work shop in the van AND I CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING!! Now, I carry all the tools I need in a bucket. It took years but I now carry all the toolsI need.

There are also models of bit braces that will hold round shanked drills (e. g. Millers falls holdalls or North Brothers Yankee). Also you can get hex adapters and socket adapters to use with socket sets.

I have a few braces and prefer them for some jobs, but the best use I know for them is when screwing down plastic roofing, either corrugated or other, the ability to precisely screw down the roofing so that the rubber washer is tight, but not deformed is invaluable, you don't want a leaky roof in your shed, patio extension or DIY sunroof. I have seen quite a few leaks caused by the washers scewed off or the plastic cracked from screwing too far, something that is hard to do with a brace. Another tip, good for any tool, PLAY with it a bit, learn from experience what it can do, and can't (By the way, not much a good brace can't do).

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.

Another feature to be aware of is the throw of the brace. It is usually stamped on the upper arm of the handle and is a measure of the diameter of the circle made by the handle as it turns. A longer throw gives you more leverage with the larger diameter bits, but may not seem comfortable to use with smaller bits (kind of like trying to pedal a bike in a really low gear at a high speed). As you mentioned, braces are relatively inexpensive, so buying a few in various sizes isn't much of a problem. An 8 inch throw is a good compromise to start. I also have 10 inch and 6 inch braces.

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!

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.

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.

You are right. I keep the cordless in my truck, and grab one of these to do the work my egg beater won’t do. In the summer you get a good sweat going, but isis the right tool for a one off or any large size hole. The file to to sharpen these are Pretty cheap. Buy a used set and sharpen then. Like a good hand plane the wood will do what you want and you will have super clean edges. I have 3 of them and they never break or run out of battery drilling deep 3/4 inch holes. Just me and my sweat. Super quiet and reliable to get the job done.

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

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.

Hi we call it ratchet brace in Singapore or UK :) I have been using it for the longest time. Best for drilling stuck screw heads or rivets using High speed steel twist drill. It gives plenty of torque and quiet too. My braces were made by Stanley/UK. My Bosch power drill has been idle for years! Do feature the breast drill and hand drill. All are good companions in wood, concrete and metal work.

I regularly use a bit-brace but not often for hole drilling. I use it mainly for driving wood screws, where it is particularly useful with the ratchet. This works very well either in a restricted space where full turns are not possible, OR to add controlled torque to the screw in order to control the depth of penetration into the work. Another advantage of using auger bits is in a case where a long hole is required. and here again the ratchet is useful as the resistance torque increases as you get deeper. I would never use a Forstner bit on anything but a drill press.

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

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