Object number
51/325
Collection
Description
The brace is a boring tool. This brace is made of wood and brass, and consists of a wooden semicircle fixed to a large revolving button at one end and a square socket for holding the blade or bit at the other. It was used at R. Middleton & Sons' wheelwrights shop in Eddington, Hungerford.
Physical description
1 brace: wooden frame; brass plates
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This brace or bit stock was used in the wheelwright’s workshop at Eddington, nr. Hungerford (Berks.). The brace consists of a wooden semicircle fixed to a large revolving button at one end, and a square socket for holding the blade or bit at the other. The tool is operated by grasping the smooth, shaped centre with the right hand and the round hand grip at the back with the left. By twirling the tool with the right hand the bit revolves rapidly boring a hole. The brace and bit has an advantage over the auger in that it works continuously and at far greater speed. On the other hand it lacks the leverage of the auger and cannot be used for boring large holes. // This brace which is made of [blank space] has a stock 12 inches long and a round hand grip 3 inches in total length. The whole tool is 15 inches in length. The stock is shod with brass plates on both sides to the back and front of the smoothed centre of the stock. The front projection, where the bit is fixed is also of brass. A small brass button at the side near the front acts as a clip for fixing the bit to the stock. Bibliography, Mercer, Henry “Ancient Carpenters Tools” pp 204 et seq.'
Production date
1825-01-01 - 1874-12-31
Production period
Mid-nineteenth century
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\35 series negatives\Scans\35_437.tif - High resolution image
