On 05/03/2018 11:22, Richard Smith wrote:
On 03/03/18 08:05, Paul Bird wrote:

... checked the thickness of the ice with a brace and bit

On which note, where does one buy a brace and compatible bits these
days?Â* Braces all have square chucks and all the bits you find these
days have either hexagonal or triangular shanks.Â* I asked in Mackays a
while ago.Â* Their initial response was that a hexagonal shank will go
into a square chuck just fine.Â* I asked them to demonstrate, and it was
only after they'd broken their second brace that they finally conceded
that perhaps it couldn't.Â* They weren't able to assist me in locating
either square-shanked bits or a brace with a chuck with three or six
jaws.Â* Any thoughts?

I shall guard my grandfather's bits carefully then...

I was in an antique shop on Sunday, and they had several braces. But no
bits.

Any ideas over there in D-I-Y land?

Andy