Expanding bit – lovely engineered piece

This lovely expanding brace bit was given to the school last week. We plane on exhibits of old tools for visitors to view.

 

 

This is a really fine tool. So simple it knocks your socks off. Slacken the screw and the crescent shaped wing can be moved any distance up to one inch from the centre point of the snail.

 

 

This gives you a bit capable of cutting anything from 1/2″ (12-13mm) to 2″ (50mm) with one bit. I have other very functional bits that expand but this one is the loveliest, simplest, quickest and oldest that I have. The date on the bit says Sept 22-1874 with an additional mark in speech marks; “Derby”.

What do you think?