![\"pextobrace1\"](\"http:\/\/industrialglenn.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/02\/pextobrace1.jpg\" "\\"pextobrace1\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe above brace was made by the great Peck, Stow & Wilcox Company of Southington Connecticut . I don’t know when it was made.\u00a0 The only legible marking on it is “Pat Feb 11, 1879” so it was made sometime after that.<\/p>\n
The specimen below is from the same maker and is stamped “Pat Dec 30 1884”.<\/p>\n
Both tools could be over 100 years old and though they still don’t mind working they could use some help too so I decided to get another bit brace.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1st stop was a certain undesirable flea market thats so undesirable I wont even mention its name. As I suspected it yielded almost nothing, just a socket wrench and some other odds n ends. Later on I went to my favorite antique store and for the price of a cup of coffee…<\/p>\n There were many many to choose from but this was the heaviest and despite being quite rusty was structurally very sound. Another thing I like about\u00a0 it is that it will accept old style bits and round shank drill bits. \u00a0Below is a comparison of two chucks. The new brace on the left and the chuck of the first Pexto brace on the right.<\/p>\n Some old style bit stock augers, screwdriver bit, drill bit and a reamer.<\/p>\n Round shank drill bits.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n After removing some of the rust I could see the Craftsman logo quite clearly.<\/p>\n I also disassembled the chuck , cleaned it and put fresh grease in the sleeve. The grease helped reassembly by keeping the little balls from rolling all over the place.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n