Brace (tool)

A brace or brace and bit is a hand tool used to drill holes, usually in wood. Pressure is applied to the top and the tool is rotated with a U-shaped grip.

The U-shaped part is a kind of crankshaft. It gives the brace much greater torque than other kinds of hand drill; a brace can be used to drill much wider, and deeper, holes than can a gear-driven hand drill. The price of the greater torque is lower rotational speed; it is easy for a hand drill to achieve a rotational speed of several hundred revolutions per minute, but it requires considerable effort to achieve even 100 rpm with a brace. Due to the design of the brace it tends to be easier than a power drill to keep at a precise 90 degree angle.