Thread: Antique Carpenters brace

I've got my dad's one, complete with all the bits in a canvas tool roll. Not as old as yours though.
Don

Looks like a good find Groms. What age would you put on it?

When my old Dad died I was able to get my hands on to my grandfather's Wooden toolbox which contained a lot of tools around that vintage as he used to make artificial limbs for Ex WW1 soldiers.

BUT, a couple of my Bros got to it before me & scavenged, AKA stole , most of the tools.
The box was then left out in the weather until it was all sorted out.

Out of that lot I was able to retrieve two wooden Jack planes & a few other minor tools, a shaped wooden Spoke- shave, a mallet, but not much else except the toolbox 36" x 20"which I have since restored to what I believe was "original" condition following the available rotted remains.

Originally Posted by 4bee

Looks like a good find Groms. What age would you put on it?

Some time in the 1800's but need to do some more research. It's made from brass & lignum vitae whereas all the other more modern ones I have use a steel frame and a proper chuck.

I have a lot of woodworking tools but mostly from boot sales in the UK and Trash & Treasure markets here.
They are used (not as often as I'd like) on various projects. I'm on my 4th traditional rocking horse (actually a zebra this time) and to help with carving the horses I'm on the lookout for a drawknife, I already have plenty of spokeshaves.

I've finished a pole lathe (must get round to trying it out) and a shave horse. Problem is life & other projects seem to get in the way......


Colin

I can't imagine what chuck would have been on that as the only other type I have see is a Split Clamp with a bolt & a wingnut to tighten it. I'm sure you would know what it needs.
I can't help with a Draw Knife though, the only times I have seen one used is by Cricket Bat makers in the UK on Willow.

No doubt you have looked here...vintage drawknife | eBay

Originally Posted by 4bee

I can't imagine what chuck would have been on that as the only other type I have see is a Split Clamp with a bolt & a wingnut to tighten it. I'm sure you would know what it needs.

There may be something missing on the brace, again I need to do some more research.
It has a socket to take the tapered square shank on old style drills. There must have been some sort of locking mechanism to hold it in place.

Thanks for the link, there are lots of drawknives available in the US but there must be some in Australia !


Colin

Mmmmmmm, not necessarily, Colin. Remember the Morse Taper drill bits? They were held in purely by friction of the taper & I suppose the upwards pressure from the work piece & they were, in my experience, driven faster than you ever could with a brace & the largest I ever used was for drilling Compressor parts, & would have been about 3/4" diam.

I'm not sure now whether was a square-ish top end to the drill though. Too any years have passed me by for that detail.



Ah, Google tells me there was. Bugger!

Wood bits traditionally have a tapered square shank, and my guess is that it probably never had anything to keep the bit in, relying on drilling pressure to keep the bit in, and the user to grab it with his spare hand as the pressure was taken off.

Good find Colin - like you I have seen pictures of one like this, but never actually seen one.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

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Good find Colin - like you I have seen pictures of one like this, but never actually seen one.

John,
Had a look on Ebay and they fetch a good price so not sure what to do with it now, probably add it to the collection (only cost $4 !).

Seems to be produced under Rob Marples and William Marples name. I know Marples from planes etc I own and it seems William Junior & Rob Junior were cousins. I wonder why it was sold under different names ?


Colin