I have a quick question for all you knowledgeable galoots. I have an old
Worth (?) bit brace that I bought several months ago. It has a very loose
pad (not sure if I'm using the correct terminology. That's how I refer to
the top hand hold, so correct me if I'm wrong!) The only reason I bought it
is because it has a 14" sweep which is rare in these parts. Well, I finally
got around to trying to fix it yesterday, and I cannot get the wooden pad
off. I loosened the 3 screws and pulled, pried, folded, spindled and beat on
the darn thing to no avail. I don't want to damage the thing because it has
some nice rosewood on it, so I thought I'd ask everyone on the list how to
remove the thing. Are they usually reinforced with glue, or has the wood
shrunk with age and gripped the metal part more firmly than I'm thinking? Is
it necessary to remove the wood to repair a loose pad, or should I just try
to move the bearing cup tighter against the pad? Anyone who has attempted
this, I would be grateful to hear from. Thanks in advance!

Frank Jordan

"Talking to her is like backing up on a brace and bit. Either way you just
get bored."   --Foghorn Leghorn