Thread: Brace Fanatics

From what I understand, these were mainly used, by the 19th and into the 20th (in some places) centuries by watchmakers and jewelers who needed to drill small holes. There's an American company, Micro-Mark, that still sells a version of this: Micro Hand Drill, steel chuck holds bits from #61 to #80, drill wood, plastic, thin brass quickly, for delicate drilling

Image take from link above for convenience:
Screen Shot 2022-12-26 at 3.28.07 PM.jpg
Search on "watchmaker's archimedes drill" for more references; "jeweler's archimedes drill" might get you a different set of references. There were even places selling bits - might fit yours.

So, as to selling, you might look around and see if there are watchmaker's and jeweler's forums there in Oz where you could market your example to someone. It looks to be in perfectly usable shape, from your photos.

Hi,
They were used by fret-workers.
My Hobbes Fretwork set I recited in the 1950s had one in it.
It used a diamond pointed bit that drilled in both directions, for the up and down stroke.
Hope that helps.
Regards

Bill and Hugh, thank you for that information confirming that I'm on the right track with that one.

I can also see now how a "diamond pointed bit" would allow it to work more efficiently with both the up and down strokes.

Understandable that they have fallen out of use, other than in limited applications now, given the range of power tools that came along in the 20thC, including Dremel style tools and CNC routers and laser cutters. Also, not much fretwork done now by hand.

Thanks for your help

I wanted a depth stop for an auger bit. Stanley 49s will cope with auger sizes up to 1" but are rare and expensive in the UK. Eclipse 88s are more common but only go up to 3/4".
0eclipse88stanley49.jpg


I made my own slightly upsized 88 copy for 1/4" to 1" from an angle bracket and a couple of joining plates.
1bodyonly.jpg


Any metal workers could knock this up quickly and would weep at my crude workmanship, but it gave me a depth guide with a few inexpensive joining plates and some epoxy. The only metalworking tools I have are a hacksaw, files and thread taps.


First of all I cut some slots in a metal corner bracket to match some 5mm steel rod I had salvaged for my parts box when we junked an old ironing board.
Tip, when cutting the slots make sure you have the angle the right way, otherwise you'll need to find a Left Hand screw auger, start again or put the corner bracket in the vice and apply a large hammer to turn it inside out while praying it doesn't break at the corner. DAMHIKT.


The bracket by itself wasn't long enough to span the gaps in a large Irwin pattern auger so I extended it with a couple of repair plates fixed with metal epoxy, one slightly longer than the other so that I could bend over the end for the depth stop foot.
2extending length.jpg 3testfit 1inch Irwin.jpg


After that it was just a case of drilling clearance holes for the rod in the screw plate and tapping an M5 thread in the centre hole. Not obvious in a lot of the listing pics for the Eclipse 88 but there's a spud on the end of the screw which engages in a hole on the spine to keep the bolt toe in position.
4pins and bolt.jpg 5pinsinplace.jpg
I wasn't sure epoxy would give a good enough fixing to hold the rod in the screw plate when tightening so I drilled 2mm holes in the rod on the outside for some pins cut from a small nail.

To kink the 5mm steel rod I used three bits of the same rod in the vice.
The inward kink allows small 1/4" augers to be held.
6kink.jpg 7kink2.jpg 7ajennings.jpg


Doesn't look pretty but it's a functional depth stop and more repeatable than a piece of tape.
8trimmed rods rounded edges.jpg


Perfect for a low speed brace, the projections would make it dangerous on a power drill.

32mmauger.jpg

Good morning All,
I have a handful of flat tang bits comprising centre bits and gimlets.
flat tang2.jpg flat tang4.jpg

They are used in this Gentlemens brace which can also accommodate common square tang bits.

flat tang17.jpgflat tang16.jpg
The majority of my bits are German and Swedish, one may be British. According to an article I read in a TATHS publication, manufacture of the flat tanged bits in Britain finished in about 1810. I have two questions, when did these bits first come into production, and did manufacture of these bits continue after 1810 in other countries?

Cheers,
Geoff.

Geoff, let me state up front that I know diddly-squat about braces & their somewhat complicated history, but fwiw, here is a Tyzack catalogue page from "early 1920s":

Tyzack 1920 b.jpg

Clearly, the flat-tanged bits were still readily available in 1920 (as well as gimlet bits & spoon bits), so unless they were coasting on very old stock, one could assume they were still made well after 1851 & likely into the early 20thC. Of course we cannot say for sure that they were made in England, but the demise of Sheffield as a major tool-making centre was still a little way off in 1920, so it's reasonably likely they were made locally & not offshore somewhere.

Incidentally, a page from the same catalogue shows two braces with old style 'square' chucks (the cheapest one still has a thumb-screw clamp!) and two braces with modern jawed chucks (one of the latter type is the rather weird "improved drill brace" which I think you've shown us examples of from your collection). Tradition died hard in some trades:

Tyzack 1920 c.jpg

Apologies for the poor quality of the pics but the reproduction in my book is of rather poor quality to begin with.....

I hadn't read this book for donkeys' years (a 'Christie's collector's guide' from 1981), but I remembered it has a goodly section on braces (which I skipped over lightly at the time ), and especially the wood, brass-plsted wood, & the later brass-framed/wood infill variety that were still popular in Britain into the early 20thC. The time-lines given in the book chapter are a bit confusing, but it would seem iron braces were in use (particularly on the continent) at least as early as the 16thC in some trades like wheelwrighting where large holes had to be drilled in hard woods. Some definite dates given include: Spiral bits, 1770 (invented by one Phineas Cooke) Jennings patent 1855, plated wooden braces 'around 1820', and the Cartwright metal-framed brace with ring-chuck, 1849. The latter, which Marples made famous as the "Ultimatum" were thus made from the early 1850s to the early 1900s, before being swamped by American-made steel braces with expanding-jaw chucks.

The book has a luscious colour plate of Ultimatum style braces with ebony & boxwood infills - it's easy to see why they are magnets to collectors. I wouldn't mind attempting a reproduction, some day, brass casting is one of those things I've always said I'm going to have a crack at "some day" (when I finish all the other things I'm going to have a crack at some day )

Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian,
I'm pretty sure your 1920 catalogue page actually shows square tapered tanged bits. I found online a 1930 S. Tyzack & son catalogue with the exact same page, same page number 42, I think the prices may vary, polished my glasses but still had difficulty reading those on your photo. S. Tyzack & Son, Ltd. : Illustrated Price List of Tools and Machines for Wood and Metal Workers : No. 630 : S. Tyzack & Son, Ltd. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
The 1930 catalogue has dropped the thumbscrew chuck braces and the drill brace from their listing.

There's no doubt the brass and ebony Ultimatum braces are a thing of beauty, I've seen them often enough but don't own one, I'm looking forward to your WIP when you knock one up.
Cheers,
Geoff.

Geoff, yes, in the cattle dog you linked to I can clearly see the shading meant to indicate a taper on the side facing the viewer. I couldn't see that in my book pic, but the accentuated side taper should have alerted me that it was a full square taper, I suppose. I guess I also jumped to the conclusion too readily that if they were selling the old braces, these were the bits to match. Looking at the better picture, I can't see any bits with flat tangs and it would seem that by 1930 the old chucks had had their day, too, all of the braces in the later catalogue have "hold all" chucks. A full-tapered bit would not sit well in the old-style chucks unless they are broached with a matching taper, so obviously the square-tapered bits aren't meant for them - have you got a pic that shows the top of the old style bits clearly? There are some in my book, but the bits are lying flat & I can't see how thick they are, but they look a lot thinner than their width.

Originally Posted by Boringgeoff

....There's no doubt the brass and ebony Ultimatum braces are a thing of beauty, I've seen them often enough but don't own one, I'm looking forward to your WIP when you knock one up.
Cheers,
Geoff.

Don't hold your breath old buddy - it may be some time......

I can see why you don't have too many in your collection....

Cheers,
Ian

Perhaps this one is more within range, but it's "only" beech infill, but Flather was a very early maker, according to my book, so that ought to add to the value.

It's just down the road from you, you might even be able to beat them down a $ or two....

Hi Ian, nice try, the only wooden brace I own I bought in NZ and paid far too much for it. It was the first one I'd ever seen, I was accompanied by my older brother who said something along the lines of " if you don't buy it you'll regret it for the rest of your life". I don't regret buying it, but for the same money I could have bought eight or a dozen American steel braces.

flat tang3.jpg
Here's a close up of the flats with one on edge. I've not seen any catalogues showing these bits.

Cheers,
Geoff.

Hi all,

My father must have purchased this Ultimatum framed Brace
by William Marples of Sheffield. It is before 1901 as it say's by her
Majesty's. It is Brass and Ebony and a small ring of ivory in the Button
head of the Brace. There is an inscription of the owners name on the
Brace which reads ARL.

Martin.IMG_20230703_081857.jpgIMG_20230703_081927.jpgIMG_20230703_082016.jpg

You do seem to be able to pull out some pretty interesting tools, Martin! That's a lovely thing for sure, & there are at least two people reading this thread that I know will be envious...

I wonder what those braces are like to use compared with an iron brace? It strikes me it would take some time getting used to the weight & balance if you've been raised on metal braces. But I suppose someone raised on that style would find a metal brace a bit odd, too.
Cheers,
Ian

Hi Ian,
The Brace weigh's 1313 grams. It would be
easy to use as the mechanism is really top notch.
There is no play in the head or the sweep handle.
It has an 8" sweep which feels nice in the hand. If
you did try to make one good luck.

Martin.

Hi Ian and all,

What else would you like me
to find of interest in my treasure trove?
My father left me too much.

Martin.