Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
What are these bits called?
Phil Joines Krum, Tx.
>I picked a handfull of these at an auction a couple of days ago. This one's marked Well & Co. Cast Steel. It's 1 5/16" wide. I remember seeing them in books but this is the first one in person.
They were in a box with a bunch of old D, half round and auger bits.
Re: What are these bits called?
mikew
>Center bits. Good bits. Unlike a standard auger which if the lead screw fouls, one can get center bits started again after a pause in drilling by a little pressure.
Watch out, braces and bits are a whole nuther slope to slide down Take care, Mike
Re: What are these bits called? *LINK*
mikew
>Hi Phil, almost for got--man I wish there was a view of the message one is replying to...
Anyway, the half-round ones are most likely shell augers, the D ones perhaps spoon bits? In anycase, look at the link below.
Take care, Mike
Boring Bits...
Re: What are these bits called?
Phil Joines Krum, Tx.
>Thanks Mike. Can you tell me how these should be sharpened? Looks to me like just the tip of the spur and the underside of the chisel edge. Does the point get sharpened at all?
It's kind of funny, my first drill (back in the 60's) was a brace. Couldn't wait to get an electric. Now I'm getting back into them. It woild probably have worked better if I'd known to sharpen the bits :>).
Re: What are these bits called?
Phil Joines Krum, Tx.
>I wish we had a spell checker but I'm sure Ellis has heard that often enough. :>)
There are a couple of shell reamers in the bunch. I didn't look closly at the augers before dropping them in the degreaser.
There is 1 spoon bit, about 1/2".
The D shaped aren't hollowed. They are slightly less than half round. I think they were for deep drilling with just the tip sharpened but don't remember the name. I have a copy of a book on old carpenter/cabinetmakers tools that was published by the Bucks Co. Pa. Historical Socity that has some good pics and discriptions.
The pile included a few carving tools, some round handled things with just a pointed rod about 1/4" long and some really neat calipers. And (of cource) the who knows whats.
Re: What are these bits called?
mikew
>Hi Phil,
There should be a bevel on the top side of the cutter. But I often have needed to flatten the bottom near the cutting edge just to provide good clearance as some of the ones I have gotten have been rounded. There after it is only the bevel I hone.
The tip, should be triangular and quite pointy. It works very similar to a birdcage awl.
The spur should be lightly honed so there is a rounded taper from the leading edge of rotation back to the longest portion. Wish I had my digital camera...think of a knife edge dragging into wood that has a curved cutting edge leading to the point, which would be the trailing point.
Take care, Mike
Re: What are these bits called?
mikew
>I really like spoon bits for starting angled holes. Start basically near vertical and lean the bit as it beging to cut in. As I have, ahem, a few braces, I'll often load on with a particular size spoon bit and one with an auger of the same size and after the proper angle is set, switch to the brace with the auger.
I too started out with mainly hand tools, eventually did the production thing, but still used a lot of hand tools, and have returned to primarily hand tools. For many things, they are quicker. But even those things which are faster with power tools are at least done at a speed my little brain can keep up with Take care, Mike
Re: What are these bits called?
Bill White
>I personally think that you are in over your head. Send all that old stuff to me. I'm already a lost cause.
(Nice haul.)
Bill