Interestng T-handled brace

[Bill Houghton]

Anyone familiar with this design?  It's a heavy duty animal, and I'm thinking it's a mechanic's or heavy construction tool, rather than a carpenter's tool (and certainly not a cabinetmaker's tool!  The size of the ratcheting pawls indicates that the manufacturer expected plenty of grunt to be applied.  The jaws are designed for a tapered square shank.  Nowadays, we think of those as being for auger bits, but, in the early 20th century, there were a lot of different bits and attachments that used tapered square shanks, so I've posted this question here rather than in woodworking.

One handle is obviously broken and needing repair.  Whether I'll ever get a round tuit for that...well, I'm so short on round tuits already!

[geneg]

Almost looks like a ratcheting tap handle-- for large taps!  Any markings?

[gibsontool]

I have two of these guys, both very similar. One of them I got from a man who was selling off his collection and he was sure it was Millers Falls but he had no documentation to prove it. The second one I have is slightly different, it came from an auction sale several years back and it had a small hand written tag on it saying ratchet style auger handle Millers Falls with a question mark behind it. The first one I refer to is in very good condition but I can find no script on it at all I've bee having trouble with my old camera so I can't post any pics right now. I bought a new camera but  when I try to post pics it keeps saying that they are too big. I hope to have time to go back to the dealer this weekend and sort it out. I've done what the manual says with no luck.

[turnnut]

it sure looks like a miller falls no. 4 auger handle.

I have one, but it is in the shed, too cold to go digging in there right now.

clean the chuck and see if there is any printing on it.

some of them, you can remove one of the handles and put it on the top.

[gibsontool]

I went and dug thru my shelf's this morning knowing that I had a third one of these, I did find it and it is, ( like turnnut said ) a Millers Falls No 4 and, the handle opposite the ratchet mechanism can be moved. One of mine has a third handle which is some what different from the others but I'm not sure what it's purpose is, it may have originally come with a shoulder pad or knee pad in order to get some good pressure on the bit. Just for reference that is a 4" diameter auger in the lower right of the picture and that is the one that has the Millers Falls name on it. As you can see the chuck on bottom right is a different style than the other two, I took a real good look at the unmarked ones and I don't see any marking at all.

[turnnut]

I would think that you could use the handle on top to hold it steady to start straight.

also, with the handle on top, you could use it in a tight area, like near a wall, or rafter.

just a thought.

[gibsontool]

Bill Houghton.I doubt your handle is broken, on both of the ones I have that look like yours that handle is removable and fits over that portion of yours that remains. Both of my removable handles slide off and on very easy.  I can see how they could fall off and not be noticed until it was too late to find them.
 Turnnut. I think your correct in the sense you can remove one handle for work in close quarters, but that doesn't explain the need for three handles. Maybe some body out there knows all about these and can explain the need for reason for the third handle?

[turnnut]

gibsontool,  is your top handle shorter than the two side handles ?

if so, does it feel more comfortable to hold to put downward pressure while
starting to bore ?

it may be possible that someone added that one to yours.

I do not remember having three handles on mine.

more searching needed.

[turnnut]

I just googled miller falls number 4 auger handle.

it took me to miller falls company history.

http://oldtoolheaven.com/history5.htm

there is an article on auger handles,  Miller Falls Pratt's # 4 "top of the line"  $24.oo dozen
the cheap non ratcheting one was 50 cents each.

it shows the #4 with 3 handles, and as was my guess, the top handle is shorter that the 2 side ones.

[gibsontool]

turnnut. Yes my top handle is shorter by 1" and is a different design. When I get my camera problems sorted out I'll try to get some better pics posted.

[gibsontool]

 I've discovered these handles were probably not meant to be removable. Of the three I have two of the handles slide off and have lots of excess play but the third one rotates but does not slide off. The handles that come off do fit over the wooden dowel on the top auger. I'm thinking the bottom left removable handle is most likely a replacement made with a wood lathe. It looks to be made from maple and all the originals look to be oak.