Scotch eyed (barrel eyed?) augurs for making campcraft items

[DocG]

Hi, I'm looking for help and guidance from fellow members of BCUK.

I've been in contact with Dave Budd who has been very helpful.

Before I commit to buying an augur, however, I'd like to ask for general advice and help about what size to buy so I use my (limited) resources as efficiently as possible.

My objective is to teach myself how to make simple stools, tables, etc. and then pass the skills on to my Scout troop. As I develop my abilities, I'll try to nurture theirs.

I have a small diameter augur, approx. 8mm, which I have used for a while to tap birch trees. I have also acquired a long, rusty, c.3/4" augur that I find a but awkward to use and a nuisance to carry. It's about 24" long, so I find my current technique involves much wobbling before I can manage to make a hole. I suspect I'll also have to learn how to sharpen it after the mangled results I have had for a while. Advice and comments welcomed.

I believe that a 1 1/4" augur might be more useful in making tables, stools, chairs, etc, and for repairing mallets - a regular job on Scout camp that is currently not done very well. I am interested in what people with knowledge and skills use.

I'd like a shorter length so I can improve my purchase on the job before I begin work - but I don't know if that's because my technique is poor or my current augur is too long.

I would like to be able to work in the field rather than in a workshop, which is why I have persevered without using a bench and vice.

Please can folk offer me advice about diameters, lengths, etc. and any hints about making camp furniture? (I have a selection of the standard Scout manuals that feature lashings, etc. I'd like to offer my Scouts an alternative approach.)

I'm currently waiting for a minibus to take me off for a DofE weekend, so I'll end now and hope for replies.

Once again, any advice or comments welcomed.

All the best.

 

[British Red]

Just so that you know "Scotch" is a bit pattern on augers - one without cutting wings on the primary face. I really don't know where the belief that all eyed augers are "scotch" came from - most of the modern ones are Jennings or Irwin Pattern. For cutting into the end grain of a round to make a stool, a Gedge pattern might be better.

Have a look here for some good info on Auger patterns

http://www.theluddite.com/auger_bits.html

 

[tombear]

To be honest I'd forget about barrel eye augers and get a second hand brace and bits. You can pick up good ones for next to nothing on carboots, bits in good condition are under a pound each. Elderly friends and reactions probably have them squirrelled away, yours for the asking.

ATB

Tom

 

[British Red]

Elderly friends and reactions probably have them squirrelled away, yours for the asking.

ATB

Tom

I have many Elderly reactions Tom

 

[tombear]

Agh! Bl**dy auto correct! Relations, I meant relations, mind they are reactionary as a rule.....

 

[Fraxinus]

I would agree with Tombear, go for standard brace and bits. It is what I have used for chair making and other jobs.

This one used 1/2" 5/8" and 3/4" bits if I recall correctly and a 1/4" bit might be useful if you need to peg joints.
1 1/4" bits are mostly used for fitting yale locks, well in the last 30 odd years that is all I have used them for, I think

Rob.

 

[demographic]

1 1/4" bits are mostly used for fitting yale locks, well in the last 30 odd years that is all I have used them for, I think

Rob.

Yeah, not used so much nowadays cos most places have Euro profile mortice locks instead.

I don't think I've fitted a single Yale lock in the 14 years I've been working as a site carpenter. Only at college. Bought a 32mm bit for my drill and think I've only ever used it for making holes in pipe boxes.

The secondhand tools place I go to usually has a heap of Scotch Eyed augers in amongst the other totally random stuff. Examples here.

I guess that if I was only going to use one size I might use one of them but if I were needing a few different size holes I'd use the shorter bits and get a brace.

Well, that's if I didn't already have a cordless drill and masses of bits for my work.

 

[DocG]

Thanks for the link.

 

[DocG]

Just so that you know "Scotch" is a bit pattern on augers - one without cutting wings on the primary face. I really don't know where the belief that all eyed augers are "scotch" came from - most of the modern ones are Jennings or Irwin Pattern. For cutting into the end grain of a round to make a stool, a Gedge pattern might be better.

Have a look here for some good info on Auger patterns

http://www.theluddite.com/auger_bits.html

Ok, second go

Thanks for the link.

 

[DocG]

Agh! Bl**dy auto correct! Relations, I meant relations, mind they are reactionary as a rule.....

LOL.

Unfortunately, Dad died a while ago and I didn't realise the value and potential of his extensive collection of woodworking tools: only now do I recognise what he was up to and I wish I'd valued it more when he was still alive.

I'll search around as you suggest.

 

[DocG]

I would agree with Tombear, go for standard brace and bits. It is what I have used for chair making and other jobs.

This one used 1/2" 5/8" and 3/4" bits if I recall correctly and a 1/4" bit might be useful if you need to peg joints.
1 1/4" bits are mostly used for fitting yale locks, well in the last 30 odd years that is all I have used them for, I think

Rob.

Very nice work. I will try to have a go at more challenging projects at home.

Right now, I'm looking for kit I can use in camp and, potentially, add to my kit to make life a little more comfortable and/or fix broken bits.

I appreciate the comments about brace and bit and will look for some.

 

[DocG]

Thanks to all posters so far, including demographic whose comments are very helpful.

I understand and value the comments about brace and bit and having a selection of bits. I will haunt the local car boot sales - much to SWMBO delight - and begin to collect a set for use at home.

At the same time, I'm still looking for something portable so I can carry a "jack of all trades" augur to make and repair bits and pieces. I think that the suggestion seems to be one of about 1" will do - or metric equivalent.

I'd appreciate any more comments, particularly about lengths and diameters for a portable do-all-reasonably-well tool.

All the best.

PS excellent weekend's walking in Torridon with group. Bad weather (forecast for whole period) did not arrive until this am, so a good time had by all concerned.

 

[tombear]

I've let other folk have the three or so I've turned up but you can get adapters that turn any brace bit into a barrel eye auger. I vaguely remember someone was thinking of making copies.....?

atb

tom

 

[demographic]

For several different diameters but not too much bulk I like the ratcheting drill brace and expansive bit.
You can however get a hell of a lot of secondhand brace bits (often in a leather of canvas roll) for just a few quid.
There's even square to 1/4" hex converters so you can use standard screwdriver bits in them, if you have a stubborn screw you can sometimes put a little valve grinding paste on the end of the screwdriver bit (which greatly lessens slipping0 and start the screw on its way out with the higher torque you can get from a drill brace.

If I was only drilling one size I suppose I might go for one of the scotch eyed things? Light enough to carry about but if I had a few sizes I wouldn't bother with them.

Can't say I use auger bits in a "Bushcraft" setting but I'm a carpenter and use them a lot at work. Brace drills have come out of popularity with us over the last 20 or so years as powered drills and cordlesses have come on. There's quite a few old carpenters with brace bits still in their tool roll but I don't remember ever seeing any with scotch eyed augers.

 

[DocG]

I've let other folk have the three or so I've turned up but you can get adapters that turn any brace bit into a barrel eye auger. I vaguely remember someone was thinking of making copies.....?

atb

tom

Thanks for the info. Can you recall any moe about the adapter?

All the best.

 

[DocG]

For several different diameters but not too much bulk I like the ratcheting drill brace and expansive bit.
You can however get a hell of a lot of secondhand brace bits (often in a leather of canvas roll) for just a few quid.
There's even square to 1/4" hex converters so you can use standard screwdriver bits in them, if you have a stubborn screw you can sometimes put a little valve grinding paste on the end of the screwdriver bit (which greatly lessens slipping0 and start the screw on its way out with the higher torque you can get from a drill brace.

If I was only drilling one size I suppose I might go for one of the scotch eyed things? Light enough to carry about but if I had a few sizes I wouldn't bother with them.

Fair enough. I'll keep my eyes open at car boots.

The idea of an adapter might be the way to go for the best of both worlds as I can't see myself carrying a brace and bit.

All the best.

 

[Biker]

Just to throw another bit of info in here. See pic below. Hope this helps.

 

[Humpback]

Biker, that's an interesting solution. Thanks for showing a photo otherwise I would never have grasped the concept. Ta.

 

[mrcharly]

You don't *have* to drill round holes for furniture, mallets, etc. Rectangular holes can also work - cut with either a chisel and mallet or careful knifework.

 

[tombear]

Since I didn't keep ones does anyone know what the thread with the adapters was called? None of my searches found it.

Anyroad here's the pic of it I put up at the time

Just a simple iron casting. Red has a rather spiffing and more elaborate brass and wood one if I remember right with a screw to lock the bitt in but the cross piece handle part is fixed so you can't just knock up a handle on site and save carrying the extra bulk/weight.

atb

tom