what is a hand brace used for
A brace or brace and bit is a hand tool used to drill holes, usually in wood. Pressure is applied to the top and the tool is rotated with a U-shaped grip. The U-shaped part is a kind of crankshaft. It gives the brace much greater torque than other kinds of hand drills. A brace can be used to drill much wider and deeper holes than can a gear-driven hand drill.