Brack was part of a large migration of young people moving to the area in the 1960s and ‘70s, he said. Some of them are his customers.

Brack has written 13 books, not only on the history of tools, but also about art, the history of Maine and radioactivity, another subject he is immersed in deeply.

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Every two weeks, Brack makes a trip around New England, traveling as far south as Rhode Island. He goes where he hears their are tools for sale, which often brings him to properties that are being divided up because of divorce or a family death.

Show Quoted Text  It does fine as long as you don't want split points on smaller drill bits. (And I'm not sure how it does on the tiny bits (e.g. 1/16" or perhaps a #33), but it does fine on larger bits, and I use it for anything above 1/4". (Sometimes the ponts look a little strange, but they work well, which is what matters. However -- one thing that I have read can be a problem. It will *not* work (using the fixture which sets the angle of the bit on initial clamping into the collet) if you have a drill bit with an unusual spiral (either high-spiral or lo-spiral), because the fixture is setting things based on a point some distance back from the actual tip. There are ways to fake it, but the proper setting points are nor marked. For the typical drill bits, it will work fine. It is just those with unusual twists which are a problem. (Also -- if you have any left-hand bits, they also will not work at all. And left-hand drill bits are particularly good for drilling out broken off screws, so I have a few.) Good Luck, DoN.

As of about a week ago, it’s not only tools that are up for sale. After 44 years in business, Brack is selling the whole store and business, as well as a storage facility across the street and Captain Tinkham’s Emporium in Searsport.

LIBERTY, Maine — At 7:30 on Saturday morning, a group of eight people stood on the road outside a three story shop that’s housed in a former inn at the center of town.

Standarddrill bit angle

The tool shop’s first iteration was a store in West Jonesport that Brack opened in 1970 after moving to Maine from California, his website states. The first shop sold crafts, antiques, drift wood and a few tools. The store was inundated with requests for woodworking tools, so Brack focused his business and eventually it grew large enough to move to the location in Liberty.

Be aware that while the Drill Dr. claims to be able to produce split points, it seems to work only on larger drill bits -- while I often want them on smaller bits.

O.K. Though remember that a split point is not the same thing as a 135 degree bit -- you can have 118 degree bits in split point format as well.

George, No. No compronise - 118 deg. bits are, by far the most common. Darex only mentioned 135 deg. because their equipment can sharpen that angle which is a little better for harder material. IMO, you can probably do just as good a job in harder material with 118 deg. bits, if you are extra careful -- and if the bits are quality; which is more important than the point angle. Personally, I never use anything other than 118 deg.even though I have the equipment to grind 135 deg. points.

Don, one of these day's, I'll order in a few 135s and try them. Right now, I need to get in a new set and a sharpener (Drill Dr. 750).

90 degree Angle Point Many soft and low-strength materials, such as some cast irons, aluminum, plastic, and wood can be drilled more efficiently with a reduced point angle. Although this change reduces the effective rake angle of the cutting edge (lip) and the length of the lip is increased, the driving torque required to drill these materials usually remains with acceptable limits. The reduced feed pressures and the increased lip relief angle frequently permit higher feed rates. To produce this point, simply set point angle at

That you Steve. I'm going to way off the costs and decide what to buy this week. I'm sure inclined to try the cobalt bits - right now the decision is heavily weighted towards cost.

“I want to make sure that Liberty Tool will still be in business if I’m not up to doing what I do now,” he said. He explained that he works 70 to 75 hours a week, driving up to 1,200 miles in a week to find tools, clean them at his barn in Bar Harbor, set prices and manage the stores. Now that he’s a few weeks away from turning 70, he wants to scale back.

135degreeDrill Bitsharpener

As an example of how much of a help a split pont can be, I had to drill some pins *in place* on my garage door. One end of the pins held the rollers which traveled in the track, and the other end tended to sometimes move too far and drop out of one side of the stamped metal "bearing". With a 1/16" split point, I was able to start the hole, and drill through using a hand-held electric drill, no center punch, and no fixturing. The diameter of the shaft was 5/16" IIRC -- enough of a curve to make starting a normal drill bit more difficult.

Don, I've always wanted to sharpen my old bits because I feel guilty and pitching otherwise good bits. I'm basically a do-it-yourselfer who enjoys metalworking, fixing cars, etc. Thus, I tend to be a fairly basic drill bit user.

Handmade tools that were used for woodworking had their golden age in the late 18th and into the 19th century, Brack said. It was a time when shipbuilding was a profitable industry and Maine was at the forefront.

Show Quoted Text  Nice! Now if it were only cobalt steel, and split points at the same time, I would be really happy. Enjoy, DoN.

I do both handheld and drill press. I didn't mention it, but I bought one of their cheap 135 degree HSS import sets for $14.95 for situations where I'm pretty sure the bit will be at risk due to the angle or situation in general. It was $9.95 for the 118 degree so I spent the extra money. There sure have been times I wishes the bits would enter the work easier.

Drill bit anglegauge

What factors drive the selection of the drill bit angle? I need to restock on bits and I've always just bought jobber TiN bits. Now, I'm doing some research and am wondering about the angle. The jobber bits have always worked just fine for me.

Yeah, I took the plunge. I've been itching to try the cobalt drills but thought a set would be well over $100. As things dull, I definitely have a dollar incentive now to sharpen them. I looked at a Lisle sharpener for $995 and it sure made the Drill Doctor seem attractive at $125 plus the posts over the past year seemed generally favorable. I do very little drilling under 1/8" but do a fair number of 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" sheet metal holes for rivets, welding, etc. I have packages of drill bits in those sizes plus step drills and a Roper Whitney Jr. punch. I tell you, I sure like the step drills & punch for sheet metal vs. twist bits.

Of course, they are more expensive. This set I got when MSC was offering the set on sale -- in a HUOT index which was modified to hold the shorter bits properly.

“Before you had factory-made tools, before the Industrial Revolution, everything was built of wood. Those are the tools that built a nation,” he said, gesturing toward axes and hammers displayed in his museum.

Drillpointanglechart

118DegreeDrill BitSet

I have several sets of standard HSS drill bits, but my favorite is an index of screw machine length cobalt drills with split points in the number (0-60) size range. Some of these days, I hope to get the same in fractional, letter size, and even metric.

Don, can you clarify what a split point bit is? At first I thought it was related to the angle and since this thread started I've inferred from some of the posts that it is not.

I use the Drill Dr. on larger bits (greater than 1/4"), but I also have a drill bit sharpener for bits from 1/4" down to #70. This one was made by DuMore (the maker of toolpost grinders), but it is no longer made. All in all, it is a really neat design, and works quite well -- once you have all of the collets -- one per bit size. A pity that they were discontinued. (Though it, also, does not produce split points, it does do a much nicer job of sharpening the smaller bits.

Nell is the education reporter for the Bangor Daily News, but she will be helping out the political team by covering the 2nd Congressional District election this year. Before joining the Bangor Daily News... More by Nell Gluckman

“For those of us that are into tools, it’s just habit-forming,” said Al Michaud, a retired electrical engineer who said he’s been coming to Liberty Tool on Saturday mornings for over a decade. This Saturday he bought a pruning saw and a small metal box with drawers.

Second related question: are cobalt bits worth the additional cost over TiN for drilling mild steel and occasional tempered steel? I am not dealing with "ordnance"/extremely hard steels - mostly raw stock and various automotive-related parts.

Brack is hoping to find someone who will carry on the business, he said. He’s posted the sale on craigslist and said he’s received emails from a few potential buyers.

“As we pull up the tools from all these settlements across New England, the tools really tell a history,” he said. “They tell an interesting narrative.”

“A lot of these people are here every week,” said Laure Day, who has worked at Liberty Tool for five years. They’re not just shopping for something they need, but because of a shared passion, she said. “It’s part tools, part camaraderie.”

Brack said he would keep the tool shop that he runs in Bar Harbor and continue to operate the Davistown Museum, a space across the street from Liberty Tool where he displays his most prized discoveries, along with work by Maine artists.

Brack pointed out a bog iron hammer that he is particularly fond of. He said he believes it was built by a farmer in Plymouth in the mid-1600s with materials mined locally.

Also -- another thing to consider is drill bit length. There are some times when you need a jobber length, and even some times when you need the aircraft drills (6" or 12" long), but for most things, you can use the "screw machine" length, which is shorter than the jobber length, and thus stiffer.

Brack, 69, had hardly opened the doors of his van before the group descended on the boxes of tools, picking through hammers, saws, axes, planes, drill bits and chisels.

I probably would not have asked this if you had gotten a number size set or a letter size set, but fractional are more often used in the hand-held tools.

Thank you Robert. I'm going to assume that the 118 degree bits must be a compromise between the two angles you mentioned. I notice the

How to measuredrill bit angle

The regulars consisted of boat builders, timber framers, collectors and a jeweler. They come early to get first dibs before the newest finds get mixed in with the thousands of other tools that line the shelves and fill labeled jars and drawers throughout the store.

Show Quoted Text  Aside from what has already been discussed, another factor is "split points". These offer some significant advantages. 1) They take less force to drill through a given material, because you are not having to force the "chisel edge" in the center of the point into the workpiece. (This is more of a problem with larger sizes, but can be a benefit for any size. 2) It is a lot easier to *start* a drill bit where you want it with a split point. Normally, you can use a center punch to produce a guide for the drill bit -- but in some materials (Titanium, and some stainless steels) the work hardening caused by the center punch can make it more difficult to start cutting, as the drill bit is having to deal with a hardened material. As an example of how much of a help a split pont can be, I had to drill some pins *in place* on my garage door. One end of the pins held the rollers which traveled in the track, and the other end tended to sometimes move too far and drop out of one side of the stamped metal "bearing". With a 1/16" split point, I was able to start the hole, and drill through using a hand-held electric drill, no center punch, and no fixturing. The diameter of the shaft was 5/16" IIRC -- enough of a curve to make starting a normal drill bit more difficult. Also -- another thing to consider is drill bit length. There are some times when you need a jobber length, and even some times when you need the aircraft drills (6" or 12" long), but for most things, you can use the "screw machine" length, which is shorter than the jobber length, and thus stiffer. I have several sets of standard HSS drill bits, but my favorite is an index of screw machine length cobalt drills with split points in the number (0-60) size range. Some of these days, I hope to get the same in fractional, letter size, and even metric. Of course, they are more expensive. This set I got when MSC was offering the set on sale -- in a HUOT index which was modified to hold the shorter bits properly. Good Luck, DoN.

Show Quoted Text  O.K. Though remember that a split point is not the same thing as a 135 degree bit -- you can have 118 degree bits in split point format as well. Be aware that while the Drill Dr. claims to be able to produce split points, it seems to work only on larger drill bits -- while I often want them on smaller bits. I use the Drill Dr. on larger bits (greater than 1/4"), but I also have a drill bit sharpener for bits from 1/4" down to #70. This one was made by DuMore (the maker of toolpost grinders), but it is no longer made. All in all, it is a really neat design, and works quite well -- once you have all of the collets -- one per bit size. A pity that they were discontinued. (Though it, also, does not produce split points, it does do a much nicer job of sharpening the smaller bits. When you discover that it is time to replace a given drill bit which you use frequently, I suggest that you order a 10-pack (the normal minimum quantity) from MSC or somewhere else, in cobalt, and with a split point, and you will be amazed how much nicer it is. Good Luck, DoN.

“I look for different patterns and shapes,” he said of the axes. “Every tool has its own specific purpose. A lot of stuff comes through here that’s just not made anymore.”

“I’ve seen every kind of family drama you can imagine,” he said. Sometimes he recognizes his own price tags on the items he buys.

To some tool aficionados, Brack is doing an important service by saving these tools, many of which are handmade and no longer built, explained Tanya Washburn, a jeweler.

I would have considered it more interesting to try just the new material first. Then the new point angle -- and perhaps not a full fractional set for the first try. But you should get years of service out of that set.

135degree split pointDrill Bit

It does fine as long as you don't want split points on smaller drill bits. (And I'm not sure how it does on the tiny bits (e.g. 1/16" or perhaps a #33), but it does fine on larger bits, and I use it for anything above 1/4". (Sometimes the ponts look a little strange, but they work well, which is what matters.

Show Quoted Text  So -- you opted to try both the new material and the new point angle at the same time. You should have a pretty near indestructible set of drill bits, especially for drilling in tough steels, with that combination. I would have considered it more interesting to try just the new material first. Then the new point angle -- and perhaps not a full fractional set for the first try. But you should get years of service out of that set. Are you using them in a hand drill, or a drill press, lathe, or other stationary power tool? I would have opted for the standard 118 degree point for hand held electric drills (drill motors) -- or even better split points, simply because the 135 degree takes a bit more force applied by the tool, and is easier to control in something like a drill press than with a hand-held drill motor. I probably would not have asked this if you had gotten a number size set or a letter size set, but fractional are more often used in the hand-held tools. Enjoy, DoN.

For the typical drill bits, it will work fine. It is just those with unusual twists which are a problem. (Also -- if you have any left-hand bits, they also will not work at all. And left-hand drill bits are particularly good for drilling out broken off screws, so I have a few.)

I've heard others say the Drill Doctor 750 did fine by them & am going off that - I've never used one. Would you recommend it to a basic user such as myself?

They were waiting for Skip Brack, the owner of the shop, Liberty Tool Co., to unload the most recent haul of tools he’d picked up in towns across New England and brought to Maine to clean, refurbish and sell.

George, The Cobalt bits are Much better than HSS in both wear and heat resistance. Often a requirement for stainless steel. Tin bits are simply coated like Titanium bits. In both cases the coating allows the chips to leave the drill bit without creating as much friction and thereby allowing the bit to remain cooler and last longer. Steve

Ryan Brubaker, a timber framer, inspected several axes that were brought in with this week’s haul. He already has about 15, he said, but does not plan to stop there.

Are you using them in a hand drill, or a drill press, lathe, or other stationary power tool? I would have opted for the standard 118 degree point for hand held electric drills (drill motors) -- or even better split points, simply because the 135 degree takes a bit more force applied by the tool, and is easier to control in something like a drill press than with a hand-held drill motor.

Whydrill bit angleis118

Well, I dug out the Enco Hot Deals catalog and took the plunge. I purchased the 29 piece US made, 135 degree cobalt set for $77.95. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

When you discover that it is time to replace a given drill bit which you use frequently, I suggest that you order a 10-pack (the normal minimum quantity) from MSC or somewhere else, in cobalt, and with a split point, and you will be amazed how much nicer it is.

So -- you opted to try both the new material and the new point angle at the same time. You should have a pretty near indestructible set of drill bits, especially for drilling in tough steels, with that combination.