LeeValley catalog cover

[Joe Barta]

Ok, I give up. What the hell is that thing on the cover of the 2005-06 Lee Valley woodworking tool catalog? The ivory/carved wood turny holder thingie?

Joe Barta

[Brooks Moses]

Flip the cover over and look at the inside of it. There in the middle column, all the way at the bottom, where it says "Cover Photo"....

(The rest of the text it says is, "A classic woodworking brace, made in the best tradition by Andre Milette. a noted toolmaker and carver from the province of Quebec." Which is exactly what it looks like, except the fact that it's a heck of a lot fancier than most furniture tends to throw one off.)

- Brooks

[Andy]

A very fancy hand-powered drill. I think the real name is a 'hand brace'. Who would use a tool that looks that nice? Maybe, once a woodworker has made all the useful furniture or cabinets possible, and still has extra time, he or she would go ahead and make things like hand-carved mahogany-and-ivory hand braces. Andy

[Fly-by-Night CC]

Hi Joe. If you had opened the cover, you'd discover that it's identified as "a classic woodworking brace, made...by andre Milette, a noted toolmaker and carver from...Quebec."

If you're unfamiliar with what a brace is, think hand drill. And it sure is a gorgeous piece of work.

[Joe Barta]

Geez, and to think I DID look inside the front cover for an explanation.

Sometimes I'm dummer'n a box of hair and blind as a bat.

Thanks for walkin' a brotha towards a clue ;-)

[George]

Someone who wanted beauty in his life?

I remind SWMBO when se falls too far into the jeans and sweatshirt mode that there are pedestrian (!) women out there that could satisfy basic needs, but I appreciate a bit of beauty.

[AAvK]

That is a bitstock. The bit brace is the later evolution in design. Bitstocks did become metal bodied in factory production later. The bits used in them are square tapered heads with square shanks and cannot or should not be used in bit braces. However, bit brace bits (round shanks) can be used in bitstocks, as only the the head is clamped. A bit brace chuck will include clamping the round shank, not made for the larger square shank.