Boy Scouts need your unused braces

[Todd McGee]

I am helping one of our local Scout camps (Cutter Scout Reservation near Boulder Creek, CA) to refresh the tool selection they have in their handicraft area. We have a complete lack of any drills in our handicraft area. 

The camp has no power so I'm looking for inexpensive hand drills that would be appropriate for drilling through soft pine, cedar and redwood and to be used by youngsters under supervision. 

I'm having a hard time tracking down a current supplier of inexpensive braces and I figured I'd engage the experts here. If you know of a source for decent quality but not too expensive braces please let me know. And if you have any old braces that you would like to sell for a reasonable price (maybe $20 or so?) please let me know that as well. I probably only need 5 or 6 to cover the need.

I don't want anything that someone is going to weep over if a small boy drops it on the ground or gets it muddy. But neither do I need some cheap piece of crjunkp that will break the first time a boy drops it on the ground or gets it muddy.

Thanks - Todd McGee
Troop 255, Montara, CA

[Belle City Woodworking]

I am helping one of our local Scout camps (Cutter Scout Reservation near Boulder Creek, CA) to refresh the tool selection they have in their handicraft area. We have a complete lack of any drills in our handicraft area. 

The camp has no power so I'm looking for inexpensive hand drills that would be appropriate for drilling through soft pine, cedar and redwood and to be used by youngsters under supervision. 

I'm having a hard time tracking down a current supplier of inexpensive braces and I figured I'd engage the experts here. If you know of a source for decent quality but not too expensive braces please let me know. And if you have any old braces that you would like to sell for a reasonable price (maybe $20 or so?) please let me know that as well. I probably only need 5 or 6 to cover the need.

I don't want anything that someone is going to weep over if a small boy drops it on the ground or gets it muddy. But neither do I need some cheap piece of crjunkp that will break the first time a boy drops it on the ground or gets it muddy.

Thanks - Todd McGee
Troop 255, Montara, CA

Todd,

I have three functional braces that I will donate.

PM me where you would like them shipped.

John

[blackhat]

What size holes would be the norm for this use?  If smaller, perhaps a few egg beaters so you can use inexpensive twist bits. Just a thought.

[BloomingtonMike]

Thought scouts made drills from green yew and sinew?

[mdhills]

Todd,
What types of projects do they do at the camp craft area?  What other tools do they have?


We've tried a couple of drilling devices with our cub scout den -- braces, eggbeaters, gimlets, and a yankee push drill.

Of these, I'd say the brace was the easiest for them to use.  For this, I had snappy countersink bits chucked into the jaws and they were boring holes in 2x4 material.  They then swapped to a torx bit in the chuck to drive the screws.

As an aside, Scouts are still learning about leverage and coordination, so plan for broken drill bits.  (recommend teaching about this in advance, then again when the bits do break, and bring spares.  Also, be careful to let the scouts know how sharp the broken bits are).

Gimlets and yankee push drill from Garrett Wade.
Eggbeaters were a combination of vintage and some of the schroeder drills.
Braces were accumulated over time (I think mostly from woodnet's swap and sell).  A few of the braces had problems with the ratchet mechanism not working perfectly, which is a bit of a distraction for the kids.



Matt

[Bill_Houghton]

I could send you a few braces (if I can fit them in a regional rate box) in good working order, and some bits.  Send me a private message with your address.

Are you interested in eggbeaters for the small holes?

[Todd McGee]

Wow, thanks for all the information and interest, fells, this is fantastic. I've replied to a few people in PM and will try to get back to everyone today. If I inadvertently ignore you please feel free to reply back, I am not intending to ignore any offers of help.

The boys usually make small projects like bird houses and small catapults for launching dog food pellets. The dog food is biodegradable and cheap so we use it for slingshot ammunition and for catapults. Mostly they're drilling holes in the 1/4 to 3/8 inch size so the bits are *fairly* sturdy and shouldn't snap too easily. Of course they'll snap some of the smaller bits and I've bought a few sizes of bits in bulk amounts. 

Eggbeaters and other hand-me-down drills of any sort are very welcome, thank you for offering them. We'll take whatever we can get.

The other tools that the Scouts have access to are hammers and some small toolbox saws donated by the President of Woodcraft who saw me post here several years ago about our Scouts using tools. They've also got leather punches, awls, leather, twine, strong, and various crafty materials. 

Basically we let the boys loose on scrap lumber and various tools and see what they can create. I've got a deal with a local lumber yard and they let me scavenge in their off-cut bin for raw materials. And I went to a shop that makes custom motorcycle jackets/chaps and collected boxes of scrap leather. 

A Scout is Thrifty, after all.

Thanks again for the offers of tools, info and advice, all are very welcome.

As I've told a few people in PMs, I can guarantee you that a large number of small boys and girls  will be enjoying these tools this summer.

[Bob10]

Seems you got this handled.  There is or was a sawyer in Pacifica that would probably hook you up with wood.  
Dave 650 222 3209

I helped him move a huge log to the woodcraft in San Carlos
must have weighed 2 tons.  Loaded it up in Palo Alto and took El Camino all the way to Woodcraft, got lots of odd looks on the way

[mdhills]

Seems you got this handled.  There is or was a sawyer in Pacifica that would probably hook you up with wood.  
Dave 650 222 3209

I helped him move a huge log to the woodcraft in San Carlos
must have weighed 2 tons.  Loaded it up in Palo Alto and took El Camino all the way to Woodcraft, got lots of odd looks on the way

What did they do with it at Woodcraft?

Matt

[Bob10]

What did they do with it at Woodcraft?

Matt

he had his mill in the parking lot, sliced it up gave some to the owner of the log and I guess sold off the rest