>I think these were fairly common, but I saw a nice one for 2 bucks at a flea market. The action is smooth, and the jaws work but are a little rough. This is the first brace I've picked up, so I figured I couldn't go wrong for 2 whole dollars. It's the Ma Bell type that Stanley made for the company. Doesn't say Yankee on the handle, so I think that means it's a slightly newer model.
What surprised me is just how easy a brace is to use. I have a 1/2" auger bit that both my drill press and corded hand drill can't run slow enough with sufficient torque to use (it just binds up). Chuck the bit in the brace, and I'm cutting holes in no time. I think I'm gonna like using this. I even saw an article about how to dissamble and clean one, so maybe I can get the jaws to work a little smoother.
>Personaly I think these are one of the best made Braces going very well built and heavy duty. I agree with you that it is probably a later example. I don't know quite when Stanley dropped the Yankee name on these braces, Stanley bought out Yankee in 1946 but I have seen many where both Yankee and Stanley were on the brace.
The push button selector I really like though they do seem to feeze up if the grease solidifys from setting around for 30 years or so. But not to hard to take apart to put right.Sounds like the only thing you have to do is take the jaws out and clean them which is an easy job, just be careful to not loose the springs and put them back in right.
The one disadvantage with these braces I do think is the same as thier advantage....they are big and heavy and for some jobs a lighter smaller brace would be a better choice...but hey with most braces being cheap no real reason to just one or even a couple. I have heard about a 6 in. Yankee but have never seen one, have only ever seen a couple of 8 in. even .....Todd
>There was a 6" Yankee Bell System brace at a CRAFTS meeting/tailgate a couple of years ago. I should have bought it then. I keep hoping it will resurface.
>I think the Yankee is the best brace made. I have an 8 and 10 inch and am on the look out for a 12 and 14 inch. Of course I'd jump on a 6 inch if I ever saw one but they are as common as unicorns I think.
>Todd I'm suprised you missed the 8" 2100 Yankee that I found at PATINA last sale. Two years ago I picked up the 12" 2101 that was frozen up after you tried to talk the seller down then put it down. Remind me to follow you more closely next year :-) I would like to find a 6" too. Agree it is the best all around brace you can get.JR
>Well guess I can't get them all. I do remember that 12 in. one but I thought the price was to high for one that was frozen up. I'm sort of spoiled I guess but I have bought to many nice ones for $5 or less to pay much for one esp. one where you have to take a chance that you can get it straight .....Todd
>Taking one apart and reassembling so it works can be a bit daunting--at least it was for me the first time I tried. Try soaking/spraying with "PB Blaster" or some sort of similar break-free solvent. I have several of these braces and both were Bell System and Bell used a special green colored grease that froze up something horrible. As I said the first I took apart, the second got a lot of sprays and some working back and forth and it works fine now without disassembly.
>I was reading up a bit, and I discovered that there's a little push button to make the brace a ratchet. And here I thought it was just a drill, spin it around, and the bit cuts the wood. Spin it the other way, and the bit comes back out. Guess I'll have to check that out when I get home. Kinda cool, especially in tighter quarters where you don't have room for a full swing (at least I image that's why they would have ratcheted them).
Guess I really can learn something new every day. Maybe after a few years of this, I won't look quite so dumb.
>Don't be afraid to open it up, that's the only way you'll get it totally clean. I did it with my first one and it wasn't hard to figure it out. It works infinately better now that it was properly cleaned.
>Hey, if it's easier than reassembling my Bosch router, I can do it. That thing was a real pain to put back together after fixing it.
I figure I'll try the spray and see how it works, and then open it up if I need to. At 2 bucks, I don't have a large investment.
The only thing that's rough (and I haven't obviously tried the ratcheting setting) is that the jaws work a little rough, you can just give it a spin to open or close. That may even be due to dirty threads, since you turn the head up and down the threaded spindle to open and close the jaws.
Always some fun, though. I just like not having to drag 2 extension cords across the yard to put a hole in something. And yeah, I don't have a cordless drill yet. Well, I guess I do now, but, you know what I mean. I've had a long day of staring at my computer screen deciphering data structure issues, and I'm getting a bit loopy.
>is that, with larger bits, you can use the portion of the swing that is strongest for your particular position (for me, as a lefty, this is often using the portion from 6:00 to 9:00) to get more grunt. Grunt-ah-grunt-ah, repeat until hole is complete.
>Most old braces take bits that have a square tapered shaft, as shown. Miller Falls and other make what known as "hold-all" or "lion" chucks that can hold any bit...round, hex, etc.
>I love these braces. I have a 14", 12", 10", and 8", but would also like to find the 6". I bid on one on eBay, but it went for more than I threw at it. They also made a wimble style Yankee brace that isn't rare, but uncommon for sure. Would someone please post the link to the page that describes how to service the chuck? I have a 12" that probably just needs to be cleaned. -wayne
>Once I got home, I gave the ratcheting a try. Works nice and smooth. So, other than cleaning the threads for the chuck, I think I'll just leave her sealed up for now.
>I agree with Todd, the Yankee brace is the BEST user brace ever made. I've got several types of Stanley, Millers-Falls, Pexto, etc. and the ones I reach for are usually the Yankees. The hold all sorts of bits. They also will easily center tanged bits which I can't say about all of my M-F Lion and Holdall chuck braces.
The attached link gives a good overview about braces, from Sandy Moss' website. Follow the links and there's a pretty good education here. Sandy is also a fine man to buy tools from.
Very briefly, all of the 'old' braces require the tapered square shanks--the taper is one of the Morse tapers. The genius of this configuration is that the taper won't let the bit 'back up' in the brace jaws, and the square shape won't let it rotate. It ain't got no place to go except into the work.
Later, however, but while handtools were still being used, a number of manufacturers began coming out with 'universal' chucks, which would take round shanks, hex shanks, etc, along with the original square tapered shank. From memory, some models which have universal chucks are Stanley 923 and 813 (813 is ballbearing chuck); Millers Falls 730series and 770series (77x = Lion chuck, ball bearing--there's also an 87x you'll never find, ever); Pexto 'Samson' chucks, also ball bearing; and North Bros. or Stanley Yankee #2101 or #2100, ball bearing chucks.
There are undoubtedly some I've left out of the above listing, but the ones listed will take the ubiquitous round-shanked bits, and hex shank bits.
