Old steel brace drill

[Half-fast eddie]

I recently acquired this old brace, trying to learn more about what it is. It is all steel, no wood. From what i have found so far, it is similar to a Jeremy Taylor brace with a spring catch for the bit, in the Scottish pattern, and dates to around 1850. There are no markings. I believe Scottish pattern applies to the hex shaped frame. The sydnassloot site has a picture of an identical tool, but with no additional information. The one difference mine has is the washer under the head. I “think” the washer has been added because the retaining pin looks like it might have been replaced … one end is perfectly flush and almost invisible, the other end is slightly mushroomed … visible in the picture.

 

[crguy]

There is a Facebook group that some of the most knowledgeable drill collectors in the country belong to.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Any idea what the name is?

 

[four.cycle]

the first URLs I would check would be:

Index of /braces

BIT BRACES

that is a nice old piece. I am assuming the auger bit just slips into the business end and it's effectively an "interference fit" that keeps it in place.

 

[crguy]

Any idea what the name is?

Vintage Drill Use, Collecting and Restoration.

 

[Half-fast eddie]

that is a nice old piece. I am assuming the auger bit just slips into the business end and it's effectively an "interference fit" that keeps it in place.

Nope. There is a notch in the shank of the bat wing style bit that catches the spring clip.

 

[RTM]

of the bat wing style bit

Commonly called a center bit, or centre bit if you use that British English language.

William Marples & Sons, Ltd. : Price List : 1928 Centenary Edition : William Marples & Sons, Ltd. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

262 p., illus., 27.2 cm, trade catalog

archive.org

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Nice. Interesting that none of those had the notch.

 

[kwigly]

Nice. Interesting that none of those had the notch.

Owners or brace&bit Sellers were expected to file their own notches since different brace Makers had latches that closed in slightly different locations and the notch needed to be filed to suit

 

[RTM]

Nice. Interesting that none of those had the notch.

On top of Kwiglys answer, that’s a later catalog, so an older bit stock catalog might have them. The standard bit brace chucks were running the world by then, I think yours is quite earlier.

 

[kwigly]

A selection of bits showing the variation in notch locations necessary to suit different braces. The one on the left has 2 notches to suit different braces, and the one next to it has had the notch modified/lengthened to adjust to a "new" brace.

And some of my latch type braces (clean one is Marples, long lever is un-marked, other lever is Fenton & Marsden). [These 3 have wooden heads, although I have some metal head braces too]

 

[Half-fast eddie]

Interesting. I don’t have any chucks just like yours, i have the spring lever i posted, and i have a fray & pigg with a spofford chuck.