Spofford braces have been an easy sell for a couple of years now. A number of
folks believe they're pricey for how common they are. I've noticed they bring
more on ebay than elsewhere. An online article or two can drive up prices--even
if only temporarily. A positive review (from Schwartz, maybe?)has moved the
Millers Falls No. 42 hacksaws up to between $200 and $400 on the 'bay. I doubt
that the saw prices will stay that way, although the prices for the tiny Millers
Falls/Langdon miter boxes popularized in an article several years ago have
proven more than a fad.

Randy Roeder
Web site: oldtoolheaven.com
Repaint houses, not old tools.

----- Original Message -----
From: William Ghio 
To: Don Schwartz , Maxwithers 
Cc: oldtools@r...
Sent: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 08:45:20 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: Re: [OldTools] Early-ish American patent brace questions


On Jul 31, 2014, at 1:30 AM, Don Schwartz  wrote:

> 
> On 7/30/2014 8:12 PM, Maxwithers wrote:
>> What's so great about Fray Spofford braces? I mean, it seems like a good
design and the pewter looks cool, but one just went for $80 on eBay, unlabeled
and in unknown condition.
> 
> Prices on the bay don't make sense to me either. But I picked up a Fray
Spofford last summer and do like it. It holds securely anything I put in it, and
it's light weight.. Can't say that about any other braces I own I wouldn't use
it for boring 1in holes or driving large screws, but I don't do that sort of
task very often..


Ditto on pricing, but that's ebay. The Fray Spofford is just a good brace.
Besides being lightweight and holding securely any type of tanged bit, you can
see past the chuck. Your head is better aligned w/ what you are drilling,
especially important when drilling angles as in stool, chair or shaving horse
legging up. I often put a bevel gauge up against the chuck on my Yankee 2101
since the chuck is flat in the line of sight to the bit and the gauge blade will
sit right up against it to give a good look at your angle. But I find the
2101chuck's will too frequently loosen in use. With the Spofford you can slide
the bevel's blade right up against the bit, position the brace correctly and the
bevel's blade will slide right into the split. Of course if you use a short
bladed bevel you can leave it right there while you drill, but I feel I am more
accurate w/ the long blade and frequent stopping for a check.

I admit for large bits I usually switch to a more robust brace but the Fray's
chucks get beefier as the braces get bigger so they seem to be properly
designed. That said, my Spofford chuck Whimble brace has a distorted chuck so
even tho built for the big bit if has to be considered as failed - or at least
failed to stand up to abuse.

Curtis Buchanan did a series of great videos on Windsor chair making last year
and he uses a Fray split chuck brace. In one video he comments about the brace.
He says people ask why he doesn't use an electric drill w/ a quick release chuck
for drilling. His response is a quick twist of the thumbscrew on his chuck to
release the bit and he says something like, "Quick release, you mean like this?"
Depending on the bit it is 1 to 2 turns for the thumbscrew to get the release.
Much quicker than most brace chucks.

Can you tell that I like them? But even better is the Holt Manufacturing Co.
split chuck brace [http://ww
w.sydnassloot.com/brace/holt.htm ]. The cross sections are just a bit
heavier, the wrist handle appears to run on bushings, it is very smooth, and the
chuck is heavier. It has been my go to brace since I acquired it last year.

Bill