All About Hand Drills

Summary

This video explores hand-powered drilling options in woodworking, highlighting the historical bitten brace dating back to 1425. It discusses the benefits of hand drills for precise hole-making, such as control over speed and depth, and the prevention of tear out. The video reviews Highland Woodworking's offerings, including the basic and premium 10-inch braces, and various hand drills suitable for delicate work. It also touches on maintenance tips for these tools.

Takeaways

• 🛠 The hand tool woodworking often involves tools perfected centuries ago, with the drill being a prime example.
• ⏳ The bitten brace, dating back to 1425, has seen minimal changes in its physical operation over the centuries.
• 🔩 The introduction of metal and interchangeable bits in the 19th century marked significant advancements in hand drills.
• 🪵 Woodworkers still utilize hand-powered drills for tasks requiring precision and control, such as pinning tenons and rabbets.
• 🔧 The auger bit, with its pointed screw, allows for precise control over speed and depth, minimizing tear out in holes.
• 🎯 Slow drilling enables small adjustments to the angle, which is crucial for accurate hole placement.
• 🔨 Highland Woodworking offers a range of hand drills, including basic and premium braces, and various sizes of auger bits.
• 🏺 The premium brace features a three-jaw chuck for secure grip on bits and a ratcheting mechanism for tight spaces.
• ⚙️ Geared hand drills are beneficial for drilling small holes without damaging delicate drill points, with a mechanism that transfers power through gears.
• 👶 Hand drills are suitable for children and are an excellent tool for educational and family woodworking projects.
• 🧰 Maintenance of hand drills is minimal but requires proper use and occasional oiling to ensure longevity.

Q & A

What is the historical origin of the brace and bit drill?

The brace and bit drill dates back to 1425, as it was found in a painting by the Flemish artist Robert Campen.

How did the brace and bit undergo changes from the 15th to the 19th century?

The brace and bit underwent few changes during this period, with the main change being the material transition from wood to metal and the introduction of interchangeable bits.

Why might a woodworker prefer using a hand-powered brace and bit over a power drill?

Woodworkers may prefer a hand-powered brace and bit for tasks like pinning tenons or rabbets because it offers complete control over speed and depth, which is crucial for precision and avoiding tear out.

What is the function of the snail or pointed screw on the end of an auger bit?

The snail or pointed screw on the end of an auger bit bites into the wood as it turns, keeping the cutting edge of the auger tight against the material and lifting waste from the hole, which helps in precise drilling and eliminating tear out.

How does the pointed snail on the auger bit assist in hole placement?

The pointed snail allows for precision and placement of the hole, as it protrudes as the bit nears the end of the cut, enabling the driller to reverse the direction of drilling for a clean exit and avoiding bit wander.

What are the two variants of the brace offered by Highland Woodworking?

Highland Woodworking offers a 10-inch brace with a two-jaw chuck and a ratcheting feature, and a premium 10-inch brace made in France with a three-jaw chuck, also including the ratchet feature.

Why are geared hand drills particularly useful for drilling small holes?

Geared hand drills are useful for drilling small holes because they transfer power from a vertical hand crank to a horizontal pin gear, which allows for precise control and prevents damage to delicate drill points.

What are the three sizes of hand drills offered by Highland Woodworking?

Highland Woodworking offers a small single pinion hand drill for small jobs, a medium hand drill with a larger crank for more leverage, and a heavy-duty double pinion hand drill with an even larger crank handle and a larger capacity chuck.

How does the breast drill differ from other hand drills in terms of usage?

The breast drill allows the user to apply pressure with both hands and the chest, and it features a two-position crank handle for drilling at two speeds, providing versatility and added torque.

What maintenance is recommended for hand drills to ensure their longevity?

To ensure the longevity of hand drills, it is recommended to periodically apply a drop of light oil to the crank, pinions, and in the chuck gear to keep the moving parts lubricated and functioning smoothly.

Outlines

00:00

🪵 Traditional Hand Drilling Techniques

This paragraph introduces the historical and practical aspects of hand tool woodworking, specifically focusing on the drill. It explains that despite centuries passing, the fundamental mechanics of hand drills have remained largely unchanged. The video aims to explore hand-powered drilling options offered by Highland Woodworking. The paragraph discusses the evolution of the brace, from its origins in 1425 to modern metal versions with interchangeable bits. It emphasizes the precision and control offered by hand-powered drills, particularly for tasks like pinning tenons or rabbets, where the auger bit and brace combination allows for meticulous control over speed and depth. The paragraph also touches on the importance of drilling slowly to make small adjustments and avoid tear out, and how the pointed snail on the auger bit aids in precise hole placement.

Keywords

💡Hand Tool Woodworking

Hand Tool Woodworking refers to the craft of shaping wood using manual tools rather than power tools. This traditional method is highlighted in the video as a way to maintain control and precision in woodworking tasks. The video emphasizes the historical continuity and the unchanged physical performance of these tools, showcasing their timeless relevance in the craft.

💡Drill

A drill is a tool used for making holes in various materials, primarily wood. In the context of the video, the drill's task is to cut a sized hole by rotating a bit into and through the material. The video discusses different hand-powered options for drilling, emphasizing the control and precision they offer over power drills.

💡Bitten Brace

The Bitten Brace is an ancient hand tool dating back to 1425, as depicted in a Flemish painting. It underwent minimal changes until the 19th century when materials transitioned from wood to metal, and the ability to use interchangeable bits was introduced. The video discusses how this tool is still used by woodworkers for fine work, highlighting its historical significance and continued relevance.

💡Auger Bit

An Auger Bit is a type of drill bit designed for boring holes. It features a spiral point or 'snail' that bites into the wood as it turns, keeping the cutting edge tight against the material and lifting waste from the hole. The video explains how the auger bit, when used with a hand-powered brace, offers complete control over speed and depth, which is crucial for precision drilling.

💡Snail (Pointed Screw)

The 'snail' or pointed screw on the end of an auger bit is a critical component that allows for precise drilling. As mentioned in the video, it bites into the wood, ensuring the cutting edge stays tight against the material. It also protrudes as the bit nears the end of the cut, allowing for precise reversal of drilling direction and preventing tear out.

💡Tear Out

Tear out refers to the unwanted removal of material around the exit hole during drilling. The video explains how the pointed snail on an auger bit helps to eliminate tear out by allowing for precise reversal of drilling direction, thus ensuring a clean hole exit.

💡Hand Drills

Hand Drills are manual tools used for drilling holes. The video discusses various types of hand drills, including single pinion, medium, and heavy-duty double pinion models. These drills are highlighted for their ability to drill small size holes without damaging delicate drill points and for being suitable for delicate work and educational purposes.

💡Geared Hand Drills

Geared Hand Drills transfer power from a vertical hand crank to a horizontal pin gear, which spins a device holding the bit. The video explains how the number of revolutions the bit makes per turn depends on the gear ratio, making these drills useful for drilling small holes without damaging the drill points.

💡Breast Drill

A Breast Drill is a type of hand drill that allows the user to apply pressure with both hands and the chest. The video mentions a two-position crank handle that enables drilling at two speeds, offering versatility and control. This tool is showcased as a way to apply more pressure when needed for certain woodworking tasks.

💡Highland Woodworking

Highland Woodworking is a company mentioned in the video as a source for quality hand tools. The video discusses various tools offered by Highland, including different sizes and types of hand drills and braces, emphasizing their commitment to durability and precision in woodworking tools.

Highlights

Hand tool woodworking often involves tools perfected centuries ago.

Drills are designed to cut a sized hole by rotating a bit into material.

The bitten brace dates back to 1425, as depicted in a Flemish painting.

From the 15th to 19th century, the material of drills transitioned from wood to metal.

Interchangeable bits were introduced for standardization in the 19th century.

Hand-powered drills are still used for tasks like pinning tenons or rabbets.

An auger bit with a pointed screw offers precise control over drilling.

The pointed snail on auger bits prevents tear out in holes.

Hand-powered drilling allows for small adjustments to the angle of the hole.

Highland Woodworking offers two variants of the brace and various auger bit sizes.

The 10-inch brace is an inexpensive option with a two-jaw chuck and ratcheting feature.

The premium 10-inch brace is a high-quality French-made tool with a three-jaw chuck.

Geared hand drills transfer power from a vertical crank to a horizontal pin gear.

Hand drills are useful for drilling small holes without damaging delicate drill points.

Highland Woodworking offers three sizes of hand drills for various tasks.

The breast drill allows for two-handed operation and can apply pressure with the chest.

Hand drills require minimal maintenance and can be damaged by improper use.

For optimum efficiency, periodically oil the crank, pinions, and chuck gear of hand drills.

Highland Woodworking is a resource for quality hand tools.

Transcripts

[Music]

one of the many

intriguing facets of hand tool

woodworking is that many times

the tools themselves were perfected

centuries ago and little has changed

about

how they go about physically performing

their task

in the case of a drill that task is to

cut a sized hole

in your material and that's done by

rotating a sized

bit into and through that material in

this video we're going to take a look

at some of the hand powered options that

highland woodworking has to offer for

that task

the bitten brace dates back to 1425 as

it was found in a painting by the

flemish artist

robert kampen these tools underwent few

changes from the 15th to the 19th

century until the material changed from

wood

to metal and the ability to use

interchangeable bits was introduced as

the standard

but woodworkers continue to use these

hand-powered variants of the drill in

their work

in fine work faster is not always better

especially when it comes to drilling

holes

for tasks like pinning tenons or rabbets

or other dowel work

the auger bit and hand-powered brace

offers complete control

over speed and depth the snail or

pointed screw

on the end of the auger bit bites into

the wood as it turns and keeps the

cutting edge of the auger tight against

the material

while the auger lifts waste from the

hole the point of the snail will

protrude as the bit nears the end of the

cut

before the auger

this allows the precise reversal of

direction of the drilling

working in from where the bit would

normally exit thus guaranteeing the

elimination

of tear out in your hole drilling slowly

means that

small adjustments can be made to the

angle when you're starting a hole

whereas with a power drill things happen

pretty quickly and the angle can become

committed too quickly

the pointed snail also allows for

precision and placement of the hole

whereas standard bits and power drills

can wander around a bit

highland offers two variants of the

brace as well as a host of sizes of

auger bits

this 10 inch brace is an inexpensive one

and it gets the job done

it has a two jaw chuck made to grip

square shanked bits

but can also grip round shank bits it

also has the ratcheting feature for when

full revolutions of the brace aren't

possible

the premium 10 inch brace is a top

quality brace made in france

this brace features a three-jaw chuck

for either square or round shank bits

and also includes the ratchet feature

the fit and finish on the 10-inch

premium brace is quite nice

please do note that for long-term

durability purposes the manufacturer is

chosen to use

polymer handles rather than more

traditional wood handles

geared hand drills transfer their power

from a vertical hand cranked main gear

to a horizontal pin gear spinning on a

shaft connected to a device that holds

the bit

how many revolutions that bit makes per

turn depends on the ratio of the main

gear to the pinion

these hand drills are especially useful

for drilling small size holes without

damaging delicate drill points

the jaws on these hand drills are

perfect for securely holding smaller

bits that larger

powered drill chucks just can't grasp

they're also a great fit in kids hands

and are an excellent introductory tool

for fun family projects

hand drills are not singularly sized for

delicate work highland woodworking

offers three sizes

a small single pinion hand drill for the

small jobs

a medium hand drill with larger crank

for more leverage

and a heavy duty double pinion hand

drill with an even larger crank handle

heavier crank and larger capacity chuck

when a little more pressure is needed

the breast drill allows you to use both

hands on the drill

while applying pressure with your chest

a two position crank handle allows you

to drill at two speeds

from about five revolutions per turn to

two revolutions

for added torque a right angle side

handle is reversible so you can crank

with either hand

hand drills require little maintenance

but can be damaged by improper use

such as using the wrong drill bit or

placing excess pressure on the tool

for optimum efficiency periodically

place a drop of light oil on the crank

pinions and in the chuck gear

for these and other quality hand tools

be sure to check out

highlandwoodworking.com

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