19th C. Center bits restored

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 3:49 pm

I had a good friend, now in his 80's - Marine and survivor of the Battle for Okinawa during WWII - who gave me a box filled with rusted old center bits. I think he got them from his family's farm in North Dakota. I cleaned them with Evapo-Rust, polished and sharpened all of them. They work! Snapped some shots at my drill bit storage chest corner in my shop.

Not all the bits were center bits. Some were spoon bits, reamers, counter sink and screw drivers. The brace was made by Henry Brown and Son, Sheffield, England c. 1829-1849. The center bits fit it like a glove.

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Lodgepole · Post by **Lodgepole** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 5:06 pm

Nice work, beautiful stuff!

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 7:12 pm

Nice work and beautiful storage space!

How do you like your Ultimatum brace? I've got my eye on a broken brace at the antique store, similar to that design but something I'd have to rework the bun & bushing/bearing on. It would be a poor man's way to get a tool that's otherwise pretty costly these days.....

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:31 pm

Really nice gift from your Marine friend:) You did super work cleaning up everything.

Great set! Looks wonderful in that machinist chest!

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 12:32 pm

Thanks guys. I was amazed at how well they cut wood. Probably shouldn't have been surprised given that our tool ancestors developed the most efficient instruments to work wood; had to conserve energy. Biggest problem I noticed with them, given their age and sharpening (I assume) they are not spot on with regard to their fractional size. I suppose you can always pull out the tapered reamer and bring the hole to size.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Fri Nov 22, 2013 3:30 pm

Am I correct that they have spurs on both sides, but a bevel cutter only on one side? Are the shafts tapered square like more recent brace and bits??

A close up pix would answer all that!:)

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:13 am

JPG, I took a couple of close-up pictures of one of the 3/4" center bits. Hopefully a picture is worth 10,000 words.

There is a spur only on one side which scores the circumference of the hole first. The center point keeps the bit on track. The other side of the cutter then slices and lifts out a layer of the wood.

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You can see it is a square taper going from thin at top to thick, then thin where the bit is chucked. There is a line cut (usually by the craftsman) for the spring latch to hold the bit from dropping out of the chuck. There is a button on the brace to open and close the spring latch.

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This particular bit is stamped "Steel" and may be 18th C. - it has the look and the stamp of "steel" was important to say it was imported from Sheffield, England where the best steel was made until Carnegie came on the scene in the US and we learned the "secrets" of steel making in the 19th C. Many of the bits are stamped with maker marks such as Sorby, Marples, and other lesser know Sheffield makers.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 12:45 pm

Thank You!

They are much different from what I first thought. One spur, one chisel, different brace shank.

WmZiggy · Post by **WmZiggy** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 1:44 pm

I've been organizing my drill bit chest - started last week. Just made a graduated holder for my SS wood bits out of some 4 qtr.oak. I don't have a complete set, just five of the common sizes. They are called Center Point bits designed for wood, as opposed to twist drill bits designed for metal. If you are like me, I often grab a metal twist drill bit when working wood, which isn't good for the wood or the bit. Trying to break myself of the habit by reorganizing the chest.

Ok, all that said, when looking at the older center bits as pictured above, you can see the evolution to the modern center point drill bit, which has nickers and cutters on both sides of the point.

Just an aside, I do believe the SS center point bits are some of the finest made. I have others, but they don't cut and stay sharp like the SS. Anyone else noticed that?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sat Nov 23, 2013 7:08 pm

Have you ever used auger bits designed for power tools? Like the brace/bit bits with a tapered screw center, but without the 'threads'.

Since 'discovering' forstner bits, I tend to prefer them, but those power auger bits if not for the sharpening difficulty would still be my favorite.

Truth be told, the task determines which style is better. Big/shallow vs small/deep === forstner vs 'center point'.

Spade bits for 'rough' work!:rolleyes: