Forstner bits for Brace

Re: Forstner bits for Brace

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native now in Jax Fl.


>I know that they used to make Forstner bits for the brace, but I don't know if they are made anymore. Don't see why you couldn't make a modern set fit a brace with some creative filing/grinding tho. They should work just fine. I have a few brace Forstners and they don't have a lead screw, so there really should be a problem.

Todd O.

Re: Forstner bits for Brace

George Makowski


>Roy, I have wondered about forstners for braces too. I think that Highland hardware is selling a brace with a chuck that will take traditional square base or round/multisided shank bits. If I recall, it is cheap. That and some modern bits may solve your problem.

George in AL

I've seen them on ebay...

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>upon occasion. It seems to me it would be hard to bore with them, because they take a lot of downward pressure to get them cutting.

Re: Forstner bits for Brace

John Lucas


>Stanley used to sell a bit that worked sort of like a forstner. I have one in 5/8". I don't remember what they called them and I think they quit making them. I can look it up when I get home and see what it was so you can do a search.

What I do, and it works.....

Wiley Horne


>Roy,

There are several lines of braces that will take round-shanked or square, Morse taper shanks. Some of these are North Bros. or Stanley Yankee (2100 and 2101), Stanley 813 and 923, Millers Falls 730series or 770series (Lion chucks), PSW or Pexto 'Samson' line. Of these, the ones with ball-bearing chucks such as the Yankees, Stanley 813, or the Lion or Samson chucks, will really get a bite.

Here's where I'm going with this. I have found that the above braces will get a good grip on a round-shanked Forstner, provided the bit diameter is, say, about 1" or less. YMMV, depending on your hand strength.

But what about above 1" diameter. Try sawtooth bits with hex shanks. I have a 1-1/2" Lee Valley sawtooth (they're listed alongside the Forstners), with a hex shank, and this is a very fine bit. Cuts very smoothly and faster than a Forstner.

Now if you want to use braces that only work with square tapered shanks--none of this will work.

Also, if you want to drill overlapping holes, it looks to me like only a drill press will do that job.

But for plain ole flat-bottomed holes, the braces listed above are easy to come by, and they will do fine. Just remember about the sawtooth, hex-shanked bits. LV's start at 1-1/16" diameter, if I'm remembering right.

One other thing, if you need literally pin-point accuracy in locating the hole, then the lipped brad-point drills will give you for most purposes I can think of a flat-bottomed hole (up to 1" diam.) that is on the money as far as location goes.

Wiley

Thanks for the heads up Wiley

Roy Anderson


>Got the 1201, got the brad point bits, going for the saw toothed bits next. See pic of my 1201 which I picked up for 50 cents last year on a looting spree through Northern Kentucky. I love this brace. I gave away all my other braces and kept this one.

Fifty cents!

Scott Burr in Ben Lomond, CA


>That's a truly "you suck" worthy gloat!

Re: Thanks for the heads up Wiley

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia


>I have three. 8" 10" and 12" sweeps. There are no braces I would rather have for users. But I think the 2 comes first:-)JR

Re: Thanks for the heads up Wiley

Wiley Horne


>That Yankee brace is sharp, Ray (and surely Joe's right that it's a 2101). Is it an 8" or 10" sweep? I really like the Yankees also. Nother thing, they're the best screwdrivers in the world (in my opinion, that is), when combined with square drive screws. Because of the light ratchet action.

Wiley

Feeling better about braces

Bill Houghton, finally Spring!! in Sebastopol, CA


>The same sale that had the M-F Parsons brace that I missed yielded my first North Bros. brace, a 2101A - so I don't feel so bad, I guess.

regarding the pic...

V Parisian


>how in the world did you get those beautyful square holes with that brace and bit??? :>)

Victor - shutting it down to do some work -erk.