Hand operated drills still have a place in the do-it-yourselfer's tool kit, despite the versatility of power tools, because they're always ready to use wherever they are needed It's well worth having a hand drill, and perhaps also a carpenter's brace, in your tool kit alongside your power drill, for use in awkward spaces where a power tool cannot be easily manoeuvred, or in situations where the power is off for any reason or there isn't a power supply available at the bottom of the garden, for example, or when working on a boat or caravan.

Above: Spiral Ratchet Screwdriver Left: Standard Bit Brace Centre: Short Sweep Electrician's Brace Right: Single Pinion Hand Drill

Hand drills accept ordinary twist drills that can also be used in a power tool, and will drill holes in metal as well as wood, if high speed steel types are chosen. The chuck is rotated by turning the wheel handle, and better quality models have two pinion gears on the drive shaft; the gears may also be completely enclosed to prevent sawdust and grit getting into the gears. The breast drill is just a larger version of the hand drill, and has a breast plate against which you can lean to apply extra pressure when drilling hard materials.

The spiral ratchet screwdriver can also be used as a push drill when fitted with a twist drill instead of a screw driver shank. However, it should be used only for drilling small holes pilot holes for screws, for example.

Braces accept bits with square shanks, and are generally used for mak­ing large-diameter holes in wood. The chuck is turned by rotating the cranked handle while applying pressure on the domed head of the tool. The electrician's brace has a smaller crank, and the joist brace has just a side handle, so reducing the length of the tool dramatically and making it ideal for drilling holes between floor joists and in other confined spaces where the crank of an ordinary brace could not be swung.