Four reasons to own a bit-brace. 

I am a night person and live so close to neighbors that using power tools at night is not nice. I’ve been using braces late at night without problems. They are also softer on your own ears. Another aspect: braces generate slightly less dust (particulates) than power drills. Shavings are better for you than dust and particulates.

As someone who has to repair large engines and generators after they've been "fixed" using impact guns, I can tell you the skill of being able to know when and where to use hand tools is invaluable and something sadly lacking in young engineers today.

I worked in a gasoline refinery, and i used braces all the time. I would hole saw through a plastic boxes at the top of remediation wells that may well of had explosive gases inside. I made adaptors to use hole saws, screw driver bits, socket wrenches. and even regular twist bits. Yes slow but no electricity required and it does not make any sparks, No explosions, and some times it did jobs safely when no one else could even think of a safety approved method. I am retired now but my brace was left behind to keep on working slow but safe.

It's THE original cordless drill.

Also you can put a screwdriver bit on the brace, you can turn screws,bolts or nuts with a lot of torque and control

One of these is also good for drilling plastic. The very precise speed control prevents the plastic from melting while you drill it

I inherited one from my grandfather. Every time I use it, it reminds me of him. One of the first times I used it I was at an SCA event, one of my buddies went to replace a couple of broken boards in his wooden walled tent that required him to drill a few holes and realized he didn't have any charge for his electric drill. I also tend to be awake at night and they are silent so I can still get some work done without waking my wife, dog or neighbors.

5. Has enough torque to easily twist the head right off of a lag bolt if you don't first drill a pilot hole. (I used to install satellite dishes, and never bothered pulling out my cordless drill to mount them, as my brace would quickly drill the pilot holes, then, with a socket mounted in it, easily drive the lag bolts home. It didn't matter if I was working on the side of a house or up in a tree; it just *worked*.)

Roy Underhill would describe the brace as "alcohol-powered" and would tell how the tool motor instantly detects contact with human flesh. Thumbs up on the video to kill a troll. Thanks much.

You forgot to mention that most bit-braces have a ratchet mechanism. (Every one of the ones you showed appeared to have them) Most people don't know how to engage them and don't even realize they are there. The ratcheting mechanism allows you to drill almost even with the floor, between studs or rafters and is really handy if you are using a screwdriver or nutdriver bit.

Another way to avoid a breakout on the back of a workpiece, even with a power drill: clamp a piece of scrap wood to the back and drill through both pieces.

When I was a little kid visiting my grandpa, I'd always make a beeline to his shop, liberate his bit brace (he always called it a 'brace and bit'), and would love making little 'test holes' here and there around the shop, for as long as I could get away with it. I was quite the little termite!

Two nights ago, at age 65, i drilled my first hole with a bit brace. OMG, to think of all the years i missed out. I was so, totally blown away. I srsly could not believe how, A. Easy it was. B. How damn precise. Thanks, subscribed.

never disregard old tech, I inherited one of these an love it

About a year ago I was at my local salvation army and I found a bit brace with a complete set of auger bits for I think 6 dollars so I snagged that before someone said that it was too cheap haha

Years ago I was contract Lineman for a Power Company. I used a Brace and Bit every day over and over drilling holes in Power poles for hardware. 60' up drilling away, never thought a thing about it.

Once I get past that "Blues Clue" vibe I have to say your site is truly refreshing, so many woodworking RU-vidr channels start with the unspoken premise that we all have 100k in equipment available to us, Bravo on your channel. It's now my fav!!!!

Dad had one in the late 60's, thru the 70's to the 80's. I've used it. It was great. I recently bought a Brace. Just need to get some bits.

With good bits there absolutely amazing to use. I was blown away the first time I tried one. Great when working late at night when you gotta be quiet

Both the brace and bit and the 'egg beater' type are absolutely worth having. The control and precision are incomparable, and they are capable of working quite quickly as well. I've also used the 'egg beater' type to drill and tap steel. No issues, and worked surprisingly fast. Unrelated tip, you can use her shank drill bits in those multi-bit screwdrivers. It's best if the driver is set up for the longer hex bit tips, but it works a charm.

First time I ever used 1 I was 5, it was my grandads, , and it worked! !! Still have 1 now

I inherited my grandfather's bit brace and a block plane he made. Not only great memories come with them but very good tool experiences.

A brace and bit is one item I intend to have in my tool box, you have given me the impetus to now get one. In many areas of life, sometimes the old ways are the better ways.

Spent many hours with a brace and bit boring holes in framing. When I as in trade school in the 1960’s we were not allowed to use power tools until the third year. Using hand tools really gives you a feel for how tools work. Just finished restoring a brace that is probably around 75 years old. Also have two sets of bits, one the same as the roll up set you showed.

When I first started watching your videos, I was impress with how you used a brace to drive screws. Nice, controllable torque.

Great video, Rex!!! I can't count the times I've saved someone's bacon (including my own) because I have at least one brace that lives in the truck, van, or one of the travel-totes for job-sites... Whether the power goes out, or someone forgot integral electrical equipment (batteries, drop cord, generator...) OR just the boss doesn't have a regular drill bit THAT SIZE and THAT LONG... It's great to have a tool to "fall back on" in times of unreliability in the field. I love the fact that all my braces ratchet... in both directions. I love my adjustable sized bits as much as I love the set I keep... AND I'm just a wee-bit surprised NOBODY noted the gauges or size numbers! Quick guide is simple enough. The "#X" value is the number of 16th's of an inch for the hole-size. Thus, a "#3" bit drills a 3/16" hole. and a "#9" drills a 9/16" hole. It's old-school, and new companies ARE still producing bits for the brace, so... my own collection is probably dated. BUT if we're actually intent on getting this kind of info' to the folks who haven't used one before... It's mighty handy information. I even have "egg-beaters" and a smaller version (hand cranked) enclosed in a housing. They're absolutely WONDERFUL for really precise small jobs... The kind a "regular" or "power" tool would cause more trouble and aggravation than necessary. AND for REALLY TINY detail-work, I have a drill that's just a chuck in a handle! (I actually have several now... lolz) These wonderful little things are more often useful for "cleaning out" holes left by industrial functions, BUT in soft materials that would be destroyed or unduly wasted with power tools (even Dremels) you just can't beat them! ...and JEEEEZZZ do those bits get tiny!!! ;o)

My grandfather was a carpenter and my father learned from him and eventually he got to teach me a little about it. The bit-brace was the weapon of choice when it came to drilling holes when working in wood, and my father always had one close at hand. When I was a kid it was so natural to use the bit-brace but over time it was displaced, and I didn't even notice when it happened. A few years ago I grabbed one my fathers old bit-braces only to discover that the chuck was totally seized up. Took down another one and it had a broken jaw. These were the only two he still had, all the others he had thrown away years ago. I never did bother trying to repair those, nor have I thought about buying one. Electrical drills are just to convenient and as I don't do woodwork for a living or as a hobby I don't feel a real need for a bit-brace. Something I found interesting is that all of the bit-braces my father had came with three jaw chucks, so anything with a square shaft wouldn't have worked with them. Hex or round shafts however worked fine and I remember him using a bit-brace for drilling steel using ordinary HSS drills. He did however have a large selection of drills with square shafts, but I never thought of asking him what tool he used them with. Just one more thing I'll never get the chance to ask now. I do still have a antique bit-brace that my grandfather might have made. It's mostly made of wood and is hanging in the basement just to the side of the worktable. I've never even considered using it as I'm not sure it would survive even the lightest use. That and a few wooden planes is all my father was able to rescue from my grandfathers wood working shop. Everything else had been "borrowed" over the years.

Admittedly I don’t use one very often but I think they are cool. Your right about how easy it is to come across one the bits, not so much. Too often they have been modified to work in a electric drill so they are useless in a bit brace but I found a whole set a while back. I need to clean them up so I can use them again. As a kid it was the only thing available to me 60 years ago. Funny how we go in circles.

im a retired chippy 77 yo, that's all we had before electric drills came in. a very handy tool

For years I have kept a Yankee screwdriver and Yankee drill in my tool bag they have saved my ass many times

That's what we learned to use in wood shop class back in the 60's... there wasn't a power tool of any kind in sight.

I get blown away at how easy it is to use one of these. I've been dumped with like 100 or so, and just amazed every time how easy it is.

My grandfather was a master carpenter, I inherited his tool collection. Lots of old-school tools, including bit-braces, hand drills, chisels, mallets, wooden foldable measuring sticks... too many to list. They are all still used today, but, not as much. Great video Rex... :)

I like power tools but I started my joinery career with mandraulic drills and screwdrivers. Sometimes they're better. One good thing that you didn't mention is that most auger bits are pretty long when compared with the equivalent twist drill. You can drill a perfectly clean and straight 1/4" hole right through a 6" wide joist. Another thing you can do with an auger bit is drill perfectly level by hanging a bunch of keys on the shank - if the bunch creeps forward or backwards on the shank as you turn the brace, then you know you're out of level.

I love mine. I went out an bought a set of augers on ebay. Works great. Not much dust, quiet. I'm finding that I'm using my unplugged tools as a first choice more and more.

I like how hand tools can create a sort of emotional bond between the person and the object since they are actually putting muscle work into it, instead of just standing there holding a button. When a wood forces you to break a sweat while working on it, you will remember it. Thats like the woodworking equivalent of having respect for the bears some people fought in hand-to-paw combat

I still have my Dad's bit brace, a few drills and his push twist drill and have used both several times. after seeing your video I will now be on a mission to clean them up and use them more often. great tip on the controlled countersink. thanks for posting. because of this video I am now a subscriber to your channel.

My brace, bought new because in those days people who had them still used them, was among my first tools. I still use it now and then, most recently to hold and turn a tap. It gave me more grip and control than the holder sold with the tap and die kit. Good video, Rex, as usual.

I own a "sparkies" brace. I was an apprentice electrician from 1976 to 1980, at the time we drilled floor joists to feed cables through, not an easy task as the joists were always closer than 16 inches and the holes were invariably 1.5inches in diameter. The key to using the brace was that the bits had to be really sharp. The "electricians" brace differed from the carpenters brace, by the handle being offset by only 3 inches instead of 5 or six inches, allowing it to be used in confined spaces. There was also a brace that worked like a rachet spanner the mushroom shaped grip was attached directly behind the ratchet, with the working handle being about 8 inches long, making the brace only about three inches high. I had many scraped knuckles with using the brace in confined spaces. I enjoyed the video, thanks.!

I was born in 1948 and my carpenter / plumber Grandfather used to take me out on jobs from age three and a half. He virtually treated me as an apprentice and the Bit Brace was a much used and loved tool. He also had a ratchet screwdriver and a Yankee Screwdriver, which were viewed as technological marvels at the time, haha. In late 1990 , when I moved into the big country town that I now live in, the big Department store in town was rationalising and selling out their hardware department. I picked up a new Yankee Screwdriver! Cordless drills and screwdrivers were just starting to become available. It s hard to explain how satisfying using these tools are. There was a Russian store in Sydney and I picked up a 'Modern' Russian Bit Brace with a gearbox attached! Win. No electricity in the Russian back blocks.

I'm lucky enough to have one of these handed down to me from my Grandfather to Dad to me. He used it on the farm for wiring fence posts out in the middle of nowhere. I never met the guy but it's cool to have something he used daily.

Two years later and this video STILL...holds up. I just shared it again to someone to explain why they need a bit brace.

RU-vid doesn't often recommend great channels to me, but boy am I glad when they do.

Never donned on me about using a brace bit and how it could prevent blow out! Great tutorial

Hi Rex, I've been building in the forests of Britain...benches, fencing, permanent structures etc. I swapped out my electric drill for a bit and brace in my tool box after the power tools let me down again and again. Not many charging points in the woods yet I can still build even solid structures, nowhere near power supplies thanks to this wonderful tool. After a little time, this can be used as quickly and easily as powered options and get a nice bit of exercise too. This drill method actually INCREASED the side of my pectoral muscles too

I concur with all you've said. I've always had a bit brace since I was a kid just starting out, it can be an invaluable tool for all the reasons you've mentioned, and more that you haven't mentioned. Good, informative video, thank you.

My father and grandfather were carpenters and I inherited a couple of braces from them-wonderful tools!

I do drill holes with mine at times, but mostly I use it for countersinking holes, and driving screws.

Man, this guy is gonna have my shop looking like its 1902. Lol. Old tools definitely have their place! New tools solve som issues, but nearly always create new ones.

Love it!! I'm going to Garage sales and getting me a bit brace asap for all my fine wood working needs!!

Sometime I don't have electricity at home and the bit-brace comes in very handy. Thanks for sharing.

Great points Rex. I have my dad’s brace and some bits but I don’t use then enough. After watching your video I think I’ll use them more. Thanks.

My father had a brace with a set of bits, and an eggbeater drill. When he bought me my first tools one was my own eggbeater. His only (for many years) electric drill was a massive 1/2" Powercraft (Montgomery Ward) monster. Single speed. Single SLOW speed. Massive torque, especially noticeable when the bit jammed. Later he added a cheap no-name 1/4" electric that was much faster. I learned to use the brace and auger, and loved it. That trick about breaking through and then going to the other side was my favorite. I loved the clean hole that those edges cut. He also had two large screwdriver bits with the same tapered square shank. Large, as in #3 or maybe #4 Phillips. I'm surprised that you didn't reference the tapered square end on the traditional auger bits, at least in passing. Also, the traditional auger bits are long, and can make deep holes.

I've got over five braces. I especially like the ratcheting ones, but they're all good. I love a brace for hanging gates out on the farm. The ratchet feature allows me to put the bottom hinge part close to the ground, into seasoned Locust gate posts. Never ran out of battery with a Bit Brace, though I have run out of energy, tapping Maples...

I watched a couple of videos of yours thinking this guy is less experienced and has less class than other woodworkers on youtube then I watched a third video and a fourth video. Changed my mind, down to earth, honest and probably a great company to have a beer and chat, you are one of the best, I'm your new fan; Thanks a lot man;

A brace with a screw driver bit is my favorite way to put in long wood screws-- especially if you have the square drive stuff. It is nearly as fast as a cordless driver, but less chance to screw up. A brace is also nice for driving taps in less critical applications. Again, nearly as fast as a drill, but with a wider safety margin.

I have a couple of old braces and still got most of my old auger bits, I'm a plumber and it was one of my first tools the boss made me buy when I started my apprenticeship and I gave that old brace a hiding drilling holes, didn't think anything of it , it was just part of the job no matter how hard or awkward it might have been, you just got on and done it. The brace and bit sets I had back then back in 1972 I still have today they are Stanley tools manufactured and they had these cast-iron jaws in the business end of the brace and you could quite easily snap those jaws clean thru if you went too hard and that what I did so if I want to use it again I have to get spare parts. As you say Rex, nobody bothers with those old ways anymore because of battery drills, their dependability and cheap cost, I reckon they would all roar with laughter if I was to bring an old Stanley brace onto the job-site these days. Well they're slow but they still get the job done eventually.

Right Tool for the RIGHT JOB - LOVE THE video!

Great video, Rex! Thanks for the info man! Love the new editing style, too! Content just keeps getting better and better 👍🏻

Really nice for screwdriver bits, too.

I'm glad I watched this. Thanks

I like these old tools. They seem very practical. Thanks for the vids. 😊

I agree with everything you said, and commenters that mention driving screws. These are fantastic for backing out old, stuck screws. You can put far more pressure and control on it to keep it engaged in a shallow slot head and turn very slowly to maintain control without giving up torque. I also have one for working on machines using sockets for all the same reasons- really good control. There's one more, if you're a prepper/survivalist you really need hand-powered drills. They always work.

When you drill a hole at the bench, don't do it like you do it, holding the end in your hand. You can see your hand wobble all over the place, and it is difficult to judge what is a vertical. Instead, clamp the work piece vertically in you vice and put the brace against your belly or chest. As you look down at the work, it is easy to see if you are a little off on the angle. You are also rock steady while you do it, unless you are drilling on a boat at sea, or something. You can also lean a little into the work, which gives a good amount of leverage with almost no effort at all. So go horizontal, not vertical.

Strongly agree! Lots of additional great reasons in the comments below, plus it is QUIET. Thanks Rex

Excellent video. I own several for all different issues....just like Matias Klein says used them for screws & lag bolts

I bought a brace on eBay a few years ago...it came with 27 auger bits. I had no idea how lucky I was to find such a deal. It has adjustable spade bits, a countersink, and even a flathead screwdriver bit as well as many sizes of auger bits. I LOVE your videos, Rex. By the was, my grandfather on my dad's side was named Rex, and it's my dad who was in to woodworking...I inherited a bunch of his hand tools. 🙂

Also a "hybrid" woodworker and surprisingly i also use the pokie old brace quite often.. especially driving screws and larger holes.. And brother i feel your pain when it comes to installs...

I found one in my grandpa's old wooden toolbox along with those drill bits, it is actually easier to drill with that thing than I thought.

Another use of a brace is driving tech screws. The ones with the built in washer under the head. We use them for bog bridges on trails in wet areas. Instead of lugging a cordless drill we take a brace and a couple of the correct star bits--they come in the box with the screws or you can buy them separate. I think, off the top of my head they are #28s. It takes a bit longer than an impact driver, but it does work.

I have one. Picked it up years ago before I ever even considered working with wood just because it looked cool. Don’t know that I’ll use it, but it’s good to know I have it just in case.

Really useful. Here in the UK they can often be found at rubbish (garbage) dumps! I have 2 of them, one from my dad, and one I found thrown out. Far better control than power tool for many jobs.

I have a brace, and a few bits, that belonged to my grandfather. I’m a grandfather now, and just recently introduced it to my 5 year old grandson. A full set of bits run in size from 4 to 16. The are marked in 1/16 inch increments, which allows you to know the size of hole each makes, 1/4” to 1”.

@7:00 I never realised this tip. It's so simple it's genius. accurate to 16th of an inch even if you think about it. Thank you for these Videos.

Hey Rex! After watching two vids on bit-braces, i ventured out to my garage/shop and dig up some treasure. My father-in law, several years ago, gifted me with many of his woodworking tools. 5 or 6 different hand planes(all stanley) and lo and behold, a (previously un-opened) tool box containing two bit braces and a full set of auger bits. They look to be in great condition, no rust, no nicks, no problems. Lucky me. Thanks to you and your channel, i fully intend to put down my power drills and start reaching for these more often. Thanks so much for the work you do, the vids and the inspiration to become a real woodworker as opposed to the “bash it up” style I’ve relied on previously. “Bash it up” you ask? Yeah. Always sturdy, rarely pretty, never elegant. Thanks again. Also sorry to hear/watch the thumb/saw i jury

You can buy a depth gauge which clamps onto the bit. I used all this gear when I was an apprentice joiner with CWS Shopfitting, Manchester, UK. I left grammar school to become an apprentice aged 15. This was to ensure your 5 year apprenticeship ended before your 21st birthday.

Great upload. Very informative. I’ve got a bit brace but didn’t actually realise how useful it could be. Thanks

That's what I love about the bit-brace.Clean precise holes. Yup, revolution counting 10/10. With the ratchet feature, you can crank a hole pretty much anywhere. And, it gives you incredible control for taking off nuts and bolts, for using screw outs, and you an even drill holes in metal. I just totally love my bit-brace. I do however need a new chuck for mine, I got it for free and it is somewhat worn.

Large diameter holes with good accuracy without the cost of Forster bits, which also stall out battery drills.

I have used my Grandpaws, have used it more times than I ever expected! I have had many jobs requiring many different tools, now 70+ and retired, love my brace from the 1920's still going strong, never needs batteries or charging!

All excellent advice. I still have my grandfathers "egg-beater" drill from the late nineteenth century, and I respect it... Please do a similar video on the Stanley "Yankey" spiral action screwdriver. The biggest one. I have restored several wooden boats over the last fifty years or so, with hardly any power tools... These tools were/are, professional grade tools and cost a lot of money at the time. It's a good idea to learn the skills that justify them.... I usually referred to the later type of brace as a "ratchet brace". Well done. Best regards from Scotland.

Goathead and I ported and gasket matched a set of Mopar cylinder heads with a grinding stone in my stanley brace and it took a REALLY LONG TIME!

I'm enjoying your videos a lot. Thinking about starting woodworking and I'd like to start cheap. As in with hand tools. Your videos on woodworking on the cheap are really helpful.

Rex, I've just bought two more. A 12" sweep and a 14" sweep, both made by Stanley Australia. I don't buy _dumb_ tools, only useful ones. My first brace purchased two years ago, was 10" sweep, made by an old Australian company. The ease of use, control over the bit and the accuracy was unprecedented. Far better than a power drill or even a drill press for the job I was doing.

our father manual tools r great like blues music, they do what u want, the way you want, quietly, no need to rush :)

Amazed at how much I have learned from your channel. Entertainme t and info. Thanks!

Random comments in no particular order: * The leadscrew or snail pulls the auger through the wood, so you don't really have to apply downward pressure to drill the hole. It's actually quite easy and not strenuous at all. * When buying a used brace, a couple things to look for is check that it's not completely seized up inside, and check that the parts inside the chuck are there. Sometimes they are missing or broken. * Once you set the angle you want to drill, hold the back pad with your hand and brace it against your body. You can drill surprisingly accurate angles this way.

I used them as a telephone company installer and lineman from the mid 70s till I retired. I even used them installing phone systems and networking systems.

I first learned about using a bit brace about ten years ago when working as an apprentice aircraft maintenance engineer. I spent quite a bit of time removing an endless series of x head screws holing down access panels. Many of the screws were difficult to remove and I stripped quite a few of them in the process of removal, frustrating to say the least. My mentor then gave me a brace and showed me how to rock it back and forth to break the screw loose, the brace was fantastic for doing this. Just now I am finding out they have another use, drilling holes, amazing! ( not being sarcastic). I do some woodworking so I will look out to buy one now for drilling, at the very least I will feel like I am unleashing my inner Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Thanks for the informative video, good to hear about the less fashionable and dare I say it , sexy tools and techniques.

Very good Rex.

I know that this is older and you may not see it but I was thinking about my Fathers ofd 'Bit and Brece' as he called it he would give me an old scrap of 2X4 let me drill holes to my hearts content. When I was older he would say, "how are you going to make the hole perpindicure to the bord?" and let me figure it out. Thank you for bringing back these memories for me.

Very good Rex. Like your style.

This was the first video I have ever watched from you. I just subscribed after finishing it. Really enjoy what you are doing here. I'll be back

Brings back memories from my childhood 😢 Hey don't forget the Forsner bits!

It's a good thing to have great "sensitivity and know what's going on in the hole".

Bit braces is wonderful, I got them not because Im a cabinetmaker, but because I do bushcrafting and non electrical tools just come in very handy.

One of the first tools I used as s kid. ( After claw hammers, hand saw, and screwdriver). My Dad and Grandfather were carpenters and had some cool tools. I still have two of these I use occasionally. It’s always fun to get in my Dads tool trunk and find uses for his old tools.

this is informative and surprisingly funny. Well done.

Mine looks exactly like the click pic, and belonged to my Grandpa, who was a carpenter from around 1900 thru 1957. I also have all of his planes, ranging from a 4" to a three foot door plane, and his draw knives. The brace bits range from 3/16" to 1-1/4", plus an adjustable 3/4" to 3". I use them all regularly.

My father gave me a set of bits and a brace fifty years ago, and I still have them. Even gave me an extension for the bits. Thanks Dad!