I've got a power drill, but I've been hearing great things about bit braces, and I'm eager to try one out. Unfortunately, I've been looking around and can't find any at a reasonable price; the only ones available are either rusty or missing parts. I particularly want to use hex shank bits with whatever I end up making.
I'm curious if I can actually craft a bit brace from wood. I've seen some wooden ones online and have had positive experiences with wooden tools overall, like wooden planes and marking gauges. Would softwoods like spruce or pine be strong enough, or would they be too weak? Lightweight materials would be ideal for me. Also, if anyone has resources or plans for building a wooden brace, I'd love to hear about them!
3 Answers
Before diving into making your own, I'd suggest snagging a set of vintage auger bits first. It's actually harder to find ones with intact knicker blades than just picking up a brace. Plus, softwood might not hold up well for the parts that need more strength. There are websites with great info on braces and bits that could help too! Check these out for some detailed guidance and care tips: [George's Basement](https://www.georgesbasement.com/) and [How to Select and Care for Bits](https://archive.org/details/HowToSelectUseAndCareForBits) - you can even download it as a PDF!
I’m working on a wooden brace myself, mainly for reenactment. But just a heads up, you might want to go for a metal brace instead because they really are better overall. Where are you located? You can usually find decent ones on eBay for a good price, even if they are a bit worn.
Wooden bit braces do exist, and you can definitely find some designs to mimic, but honestly, metal ones tend to be sturdier, with larger sweeps. Even rusty ones can be cleaned up pretty well, given the simplicity of the mechanism. Just check the wire spring on the inner jaw, and you should be able to fix most issues with a good cleaning. And yeah, hex bits fit nicely in the square jaws! If you're looking at a DIY approach, consider modifying it for modern chucks too, like an SDS adapter if you go that route.