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Thread: Brace Fanatics

  1. #16
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Paul,
    The only one I've got that looks like that is an unmarked Footprint from England, and the only clue is a paper sticker on the head with the Footprint brand.Footprint 001.jpg They may be the same make though the chuck shells are slightly different. I've taken it apart so you can have a gander at the jaws and also to show how mechanically adept I am.

    Geoff.

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  3. #17
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    Yup.
    Brother from another mother.

    20140207_130141 (Medium).jpg

    the frame on mine is more square, but I bumped into this one on US ebay ... it looks like yours I think ... maybe it is pretty common?

    ebay brace.JPG

    hmmm not as similar as I first thought.

  4. #18
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    This on ebay is described as a Miller Falls 772 lion-patent chuck.
    And it has "Lion" on the chuck, so ... no brainer there.

    mf lion 1a.JPG mf lion 1b.JPG

    But it is a bit different looking from these two ...

    20140129_043638 (Medium).jpg 20140129_043711 (Medium).jpg 20140129_043704 (Medium).jpg

  5. #19
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    From the top, your "Footprint" looks like it's got a ball bearing in the head mount that mine lacks.
    The next pic' looks like possibly Stanley although the chuck looks a bit unusual, but you see the small piece of wire poking out from the back of the chuck shell that tells us it's the jaw design patented by A Stowell in 1932 and used on the Aussie Stanley No 73, for instance. Incidentally, also used on a Russian brace I've got....no Paul, you don't want to see a photo of it.
    The pair of braces below the Millers Falls Lion look similar but they are actually by Peck Stow and Wilcox (Pexto). Gasp..."the man's a genius" I hear you say and "he needs to get out more" I also hear you say, but no, if you look closely you can see part of Wilcox written on the chuck of the leftenmost of the two in the second photo, so no genius required there.
    Here endeth the lesson children, grab my hat I'm going out!

    Geoff.

  6. #20
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    Thanks again, Geoff. Sorry - I forgot to say they were "Pexto" (... although not actually)

    The small one I got without planning it ... liked it ... and went after the larger one.

    The small one only has "PS&W" stamped, and the larger one "8016 B" and "Samson" (I hadn't noticed the chuck section)


    I had thought that *was* the Lion chuck ... in fact it is possible someone not a million miles away from me had told me on this forum that it was ...


    Funny conversation ... OldTools Archive -- thread with message 229643

    ---
    > These Samsons are my favorite ratcheting brace, because they're
    > well made, and just nice to look at and use. Now to find an 8008
    > and maybe an 8010...though I'd feel guilty getting another 10" of
    > any variety.


    My biggest is an 8014, cosmetically rough, and I really appreciate that
    big sweep when putting a 1-1/4" RJ bit through a moderately hard wood
    like cherry. Get down around 1", though, and the big sweep seems a waste
    of time. You really need the full range of sizes.


    Preaching to the choir here, Tom . So far I have at least 2 of each in 6, 8,
    10, 12, 14" sweeps. Sandy Moss' page [1] says that Fray had a 17" that is
    seldom seen, but I'm happy with a 16"...and like you say, even the 14" isn't
    necessary unless you're using a big bit.


    The other use for 12-14" braces is letting the GITs practice. They can't muscle
    the smaller sweeps around, even with a 1/2" bit, but the big ones are no
    problem.




    Hey, don't forget the Whimbles and the tiny little 5in braces
    that Millers Falls made. Always happy to continue your slide down
    the slope


    Shoot, I did forget about the tiny ones...didn't you post on those last year?
    Got another one to unload? I still have no Whimble or corner braces, so I can
    safely tell my wife that I'm not a collector .


    Adam, maintaining plausible deniability of collectorhood in Port Angeles, WA

  7. #21
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Paul,
    Something I haven't looked into (yet) is the dating of their brands from Peck Stow and Wilcox to PS&W to PEXTO. I'm sure the info is readily available but the few braces I have of this brand are "by catch" so haven't found the need as yet. Was it me that told you it was a Lion? If it was I was a Lyin' but it's a big learning curve and wouldn't be the first error I have made. My hope is that a mistake will be picked up and rectified by another forumite........ perhaps that's a reflection on how uninteresting brace threads really are, specially in comparison to saws, chisels and planes.
    Interesting comment in your post about 17in braces. You'd have to be a fairly long limbed fellow to crank one that size to avoid lateral body movement. It's all I can do to crank a 16in and keep the bit steady and I haven't found a 17in yet.

    Geoff.

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  9. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boringgeoff View Post
    Was it me that told you it was a Lion?
    I wasn't trying to put too much emphasis into my 'accusation' ... I was being hurried out the door when I pressed the button.

    Here's the thread ... https://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/s...7/#post1649556 ...

    I think I build a small bandwagon and then leapt on board.

    --
    Samson repair post here: Pexto Samson Brace Repair by Adam Maxwell


    And someone's small collection here ... Different kinds of chucks | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
    "Millers Falls MF 1710Stanley 813G-8 IN.
    Millers Falls 733- 8 IN.
    PS&W (Peck, Stow & Wilcox) 8010
    Millers Falls 772"

  10. #24
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    Can you tell me anything about this type ...

    Peck, Stow & Wilcox 1710? | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
    Peck, Stow & Wilcox 7010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

    "Peck, Stow & Wilcox 1710This brace was bought at auction as a PS&W 1710 which is what it appears to be although the only distinguishing mark, thus far, is the # 1710 on the arm. The brace has been soaking and getting daily work with wire brushes, starting at the chuck. Rust and "patina" are beginning to give way to my brushes on the chuck where my efforts have been centered in the early stages of this restoration. The interesting thing to me about the brace is the enclosed ratchet, all the other models of this brace I have seen have exposed ratchets."

    pexto 1710a.JPG pexto 1710b.JPG

  11. #25
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    Open-Head surgery on this "brace" ... Tools - maxwells


  12. #26
    Boringgeoff is offline Try not to be late, but never be early.
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    Thanks hiroller for that Pexto info, reading the names of the people involved in the various companies serves to show how convoluted their history can be. For instance, the Smith mentioned may well be H V Smith who was an inventor and tool manufacturer in his own right.
    The Pexto chuck is similar to this one Tool Register 005.jpg which is Peck & Powers 1879 invention (212110) but this brace also has the ratchet as patented by C Reising in 1884 (309876) It has lost any plating it may have originally had and is that badly pitted the only visible mark remaining is No102.
    The interlocking chuck invented by Joseph Bartholomew of Stanley is a direct development from the Pexto example and is quite common and can easily be mistaken for the Pexto . Here's one made by Stanley at the Fray works for E C Simmons, Keen Kutter.FS8.jpg
    As far as the Adam Maxwell Samson repair job goes I'm wondering if the 1/8 balls are the wrong size and should perhaps be a 1/32 or 1/16 bigger. Dammit now I'll have to open my Samson and measure the balls.

    Geoff.

  13. #27
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    I'd actually like to invest in a brace. Mainly because i do most of my woodworking at night when the wife & little 'un are in bed. I have no idea of where to obtain one (other than keeping an eye on ebay/gumtree or getting myself to a market somewhere) or what to look for tbh. I have seen that Lee Valley have a 2 & 3 jaw brace but have read that they're not as good as the "old ones" I think even Rob Lee eluded to this fact.

    What should I look for in buying a 2nd hand brace & bits ? I don't mean to hijack a thread, so if mods want to move this feel free or let me know & I'll start a new thread.

    Many thanks in advance.

    Scott

  14. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boringgeoff View Post
    Interesting comment in your post about 17in braces. You'd have to be a fairly long limbed fellow to crank one that size to avoid lateral body movement. It's all I can do to crank a 16in and keep the bit steady and I haven't found a 17in yet.
    17" Cripes, I can't even find a 14" - nor a 6" . Almost everything I've got has been 10", but I've managed to pick up four 8" braces (three Skinners* and a very nice Stanley 917) and two 12" braces.

    * which will make one (or two if I'm not fussy) working 8" Skinners.

    Cheers, Vann.

    ps I've just picked up a 10" Tough, for which I can't quite blame boringgeoff - my first Aussie brace.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

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    I have a nice Pexto chisel or 2 and spent a bit of time trying to track down a bit of history.
    Their braces seem to be well regarded, usually mentioned with the Millers Falls and North Bros braces.
    There is a bit of analysis on George's Basement (along with the Miller's Falls drill Type Study that I've spent so long looking at):
    Patented and Distinctive Bit Braces, a Research Study by George Langford
    Also a bit on the Sandy's Tools site:
    P.S.&W

  16. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    I've managed to pick up four 8" braces (three Skinners* and a very nice Stanley 917) and two 12" braces.
    Pictures, dammit.



    Also a good write up on the "Millers Falls Hand Drill No. 2 - 1903" by Wictor Kuc ... Anatomy of the Millers Falls Hand Drill No. 2 - 1903 by Wiktor Kuc

    Paul

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