Braces and eggbeaters

Re: Braces and eggbeaters

Patrick Gibbons, Houston, TX

>For eggbeaters you can't beat a Millers Falls #2 or a #5. Often the screw-on handle is missing. I believe the #2 came with 8 bits in the handle. A Millers Falls brace with a Lion's chuck will hold all types of bits and is more useful. Yankee braces are highly regarded. The Millers Falls page and, I think, Sandy Moss's site will give you details.

eggbeaters experience

bill tindall

>Context: I am not an old tool expert, or enthusiast, but I use egg beater drills most of the time for drilling small holes because I find them more convenient for the task than a cumbersome electric drill. Some where shy of 1/4" I swich to electric power. I have several and employ most of them when installing trim, one for each pilot hole size. One stays on the bench along with a set of number drills for pilot holes.

So, in this context I like the small Stanley drills with two small gears engaging the large gear. I have tried drills that have but one small gear and they don't work as smoothly. The more modern versions with a cast big gear and gobs of paint on it don't work smoothly either. The bigger the bit the more important is this smoothness issue. When buying look to see that the chuck works well.

I have had a number of braces that I use in remote farm locations for holes in fence posts, and the like, and I don't see any difference among them.

Re: Braces and eggbeaters

Bill Houghton, raining again...in Sebastopol, CA

>I own way more braces than I need, but they're so cheap... Tighten down the chuck with no bit in it, then grab the chuck in one hand and the body of the brace in the other; shake. If you get huge amounts of wobble, move on. Also look at the ends of the chuck jaws - ideally, you want sharp V shapes, not rounded off, although my first brace, used for some years, was very worn. Also, check to make sure that the ratcheting feature works both ways (occasionally, you'll find a brace without this, but very rarely). DON'T buy new - there are so many good used braces around, it's foolish.

Bits were engineered for hardwood or softwood, the major indicator being the fineness of the threads on the lead screw. Coarse = softwood, fine = hardwood. There's also a mid-pitch thread, but I haven't seen them commonly. The commonest coarse-pitch-lead-screw pattern is the solid center (imagine a piece of rod with the flutes of the bit spiraling around it), with Irwin being the commonest brand, at least around here. Good bits for softwood. The generally accepted best bit for hardwood is the Jennings pattern - imagine a flat piece of steel wrapped into a spiral, with the cutting parts on the end of it. I find bits of all kinds commonly going for a couple of bucks per coffee can, although I paid $10 last year for a full set of shiny Jennings bits in a fitted wooden box.

I agree with Bill Tindall - around 1/4", you need to move away from eggbeaters. If you're avoiding electricity, at that point you move to a brace and auger bit. In difficult woods, even 1/4" can be work with an eggbeater. If you haunt garage sales long enough, you'll find twist bits with a tapered square shanks, usually one at a time, so you can handle the upper end of an eggbeater's range with a brace.

There was a recent thread on sharpening auger bits - read through that.

Another drill to watch for is the Yankee push drill. This is an unbeatable tool for holes for mounting hardware and other small, not very deep holes.

Re: Braces and eggbeaters

JimG

>I'm no expert on this, but from what research I have done, I would stick with jennings pattern bits for the auger bits, assuming most your work will be in hardwood. Jennings pattern bits have the double spur. You can find sets on ebay, though they can be pricey and often get sniped (trust me on this). However, a good quality set new will run twice as much. I just won a full set of nice looking bits, plus an extension bit, a spoon bit and a countersink for around $50. But that was just the bits, no box or cloth roll. Looking forward to getting them. I also (stealth gloat) just bought a very nice looking, small-to-medium sized, Champion Blower Co post drill that I plan to start using from www.farmprimitives.com.

jim

HTH

Re: Braces and eggbeaters

Wiley Horne

>Andy,

This is regarding braces. For drilling, there are lots of good vintage braces, and they have been mentioned above, and Sandy Moss' site has some good discussion on them.

My favorite brace is Yankee 2101 or 2100. The reason is that I like to use braces, 8" is optimum or 10", as screwdrivers, in conjunction with square-drive (Robertson type) screws. The reason the Yankees are so good for this purpose is that the ratchet action is so light. With a Yankee, you only need to get about a 1/4turn (1/2turn max.) on the screw to get it to hold, so you can start ratcheting. On a brace with a heavier ratchet action, it'll back the screw right back out while you're trying to get it started.

The 2101 does not have as bright a finish as the 2100, which was the top of the line North Bros. brace. Only my opinion: Try to find a North Bros. (pre Stanley), or a North Bros. (Div. of Stanley), when the braces were still being made in Philadelphia. That said, I have had straight Stanley 2101's and they worked fine too. If buying one of these, you want to know from the seller if the action is tight on the brace--not wobbly.

Wiley

Beater brace with countersink

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>I have a *beater brace* that looks like it was thrown out in the trash. Keep a countersink bit in it and use it for that purpose only. Hangs within reach and is very handy. When I get another I will install a dedicated slot screwdriver bit in it. More torque than you should ever need.

Re: Braces and eggbeaters

Paul in NJ

>I like the Miller Falls #2 egg beater for small twist drills and I keep a countersink in it for flat head screws. The Stanley or North Bros #41 push drills are handy too especially when you don't want to carry a lot of weight. Most of the time I prefer to have my braces without a ratchet as there is no play once you tighten the chuck. You need a ratchet for tight places and it helps with hard to turn larger bits but most of the time I don't find ratchets necessary. Braces are so cheap; you can afford to get a couple different kinds. I especially like the old Fray braces with the wood pads and handles.

Paul Dzioba

Re: Braces, eggbeaters and Breast Drills

Kevin French, Antrim NH

>As long as you're buying Hand drills lets not forget the mighty Breast Drill. It will take you higher past the 1/4" bit of the eggbeater AND gives you more control because both ends are secure.

Andy - I e-mailed you

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

>and you may have responded, but I can't read my home e-mail at work. I'll see any reply tonight.

bracing square heads

bill tindall

>when all else fails a brace and a square head drive bit will either move the screw or break it off. I use the brace for driving these square drives into hard wood such as sheep pens, creep feeder slats, etc. They provide better control and outlast the batteries in a portable drill. There is little more annoying than a dead battery at the far end of the "back 40".

Thanks for all this info!

VTAndy2

>Wow, this place is amazing. Great tips, and now I feel better armed when I go to a flea market and into antique/junk stores in the near future.

The next step is to figure out what the fair prices are before I set out. I'll probably check out some recently finished eBay auctions and get some general idea of that.

Thanks,

Andy

Re: Braces and eggbeaters *LINK*

Dave Thompson

>Hi Andy.... I agree with just about everything said here. Miller Falls #5 is my preferred. I use egg beaters all the time for drilling < 1/4" holes (mostly pre-drilling for screws).

These drills are common on e-bay. One thing to watch for is a loose wood handle. The drill works fine, but it can be a minor annoyance, and on the models I have, difficult to fix. Prices vary significantly by condition and model.

With a brace, you'll need to invest in some bits. A good set isn't particularly cheap. Pay attention to the sharpness of the lead cutting edge for these. It's harder to insure sharp bits when buying on-line.

enjoy,

Dave


Here's a recent thread on egg-beaters...

Brace size

Roger Bell

>I prefer the 6" brace for driving screws, the 8" and 10" for auger bits and tapered reamers, and the 12" or larger for heavier work or for use with exceptionally long augers or unusually large diameter bits and for deep holes. Braces can be found good enough and cheap enough to justify having several....and at least one in each of the common sweeps.

It is worth paying extra for a concealed ratchet (such as on the Stanley/Yankee 2100's) and for ball bearing heads. There are plenty of common good-enough braces out there. But I would definitely pay extra for one of the premium grade models. Often, sellers won't charge any more for one brace than another. Pay attention to the type of jaws....you will benefit by having both of the typical kinds.

If you can find a ratcheting corner brace (such as the Stanley pattern, Model 984), it is an exceptionally handy tool classified in the "butt saver" category.

I don't believe that anyone suggested the Yankee pattern eggbeaters (most mentioned the Miller Falls). The Yankees (such as the 1540 and 1545) with the three jaw chuck are worth your consideration. The higher grade Goodell Pratts (later acquired by Millers Falls) are also worthwhile.

Re: Lee Valley 28K04.05

ThomD

>I know you don't want new, but for anyone in a rush, the eggbeater LV sell works really well. The flat metal in the crank could be a little stiffer, but it holds up fine, it would be easy to replace if anything actually broke. I reach for mine a lot more than a drill driver. The LV model has a large grip and is fairly easy to run large bits with. 28K04.05 is the LV number

Brace wise I agree the second hand market is much more favourable.