TRUPER BC-12M 12" Professional Bit Brace

[Sue's husband] I have long considered finding one of the old Bell Stanley braces for +- $125 but saw this one for under $50, thought it looked like it had wood handles, and took a chance.If feels very solid and well-made. The end handle is removable for lubrication. The chuck locks, freewheels, or ratchets clockwise or counter. The switching mechanism feels solid.I chucked my 1 1/4" Wood Owl hex shank bit and drilled through a 1 1/2" board no problem. I can imagine situations where a hex shank bit might not lock in perfectly, but my needs will never exceed that test, and if I ever change my mind, TayTools has an adapter for $20 which wil solve the problem.[/Sue's husband]

I received it today and tried it out with a 1/4', hex drill bit that would normally be used in an impact driver or quick release. If I screwed down the shell tightly, the jaws held the bit very solidly, and seem to even have a notch partway down the jaw that may be seating the butt end of the hex shank. The knob and handle turned smoothly, and the drill bit worked fine at the slow, hand speed, rather than the electric drill rate. The surprise for me was that it has a ratcheting feature that doesn't seem to be mentioned in the description at this time. I hesitated buying it because I thought it didn't have that. So five-plus stars from me.

Hope this works as a good solution to installing ice anchors. Most all ice anchors require a tool or power drill to install, and this could work for those without battery powered tools.

Good quality

The reverse lock is a little stiff, but it works. Might have to tap it with a screwdriver. Otherwise, it is a great drill.

I was s skeptical about TRUPER tool mfgMade in Mexico 🇲🇽 I was impressed by quality of Swing Brace with out paying premium $$

Is this product well-made...yes, it seems to be.HOWEVER...This tool will NOT ACCEPT REGULAR BITS!!!!The chuck will ONLY accept tapered SQUARE END bits!So now because the description WAS NOT CLEAR I've purchased a tool that won't take any of my auger bits. It's a waste of my time and money when Amazon sellers don't make clear statements about their products. VERY frustrating.Also, It was shipped directly in a BAG for crying out loud...who ships a tool in a bag? It wasn't too beat up. It gets 3 stars for what appears to be good quality

A Bit Brace is a pretty simple tool, but there are a few caveats to making one that works. The but has to be in line with the chuck, and the chuck has to hold the bits securely. Other than that, it's essentially a bent metal rod. This one meets both criteria. It works well, is comfortable to use, and the chuck holds my augers securely. For this price point, I can't complain. A really nice drill for a very reasonable cost. For the amount of use I give it, if I wear it out, it will likely take a long time. Recommend.