Drilling by hand: Screw Bits, Auger Bits, Spoon Bits, Gimlets, Tapered Bit, Tapered Reamer

CLIFTON have turned their back on the general trend to lower prices and poorer quality in spiral bits and are going their own way, producing bits in carbon steel which it is a pleasure to use. Take a look here at the details that are crucial for a good bit. They will be clearer if you click on the pictures.

CLIFTON bits come in exact inch measurements. The millimetres are only given as a guide; note that there may be tiny differences for the various sizes, due to rounding up or down. As you are no doubt aware: 1 inch is 2.54 cm!

High quality gimlets are undispensable tools in every toolbox. Do not omitt to check our Ring Auger Bits, made in Japan, suitable for handmade clean and deep holes.

CLIFTON Jennings Pattern Screw Bit - for softwoods

Jennings bits are named after the craftsman who developed this type in America in the 19th century. They do not have a central straight-running core, but the structure, or twist, that draws up the wood removed winds spirally, like a screw. The effect is excellent removal of the shavings. The cut achieved by the two spurs is extremely clean. The thread of the screw which draws the bit into the wood has only a shallow profile. This fine spiral thread and the presence of the spurs are exactly the pre-conditions necessary for clean drilling in soft wood such as pine. Cabinet makers are thus particularly appreciative of such bits. Overall length approx. 10 in. (250 mm). Detail

Diameter inch	Diameter mm	Order nr.	Price
1/4	6.3	303720	^✱€ 25.40
3/8	9.5	303722	^✱€ 25.60
7/16	11	303723	^✱€ 25.80
1/2	13	303724	^✱€ 25.80
9/16	14	303725	^✱€ 27.50
5/8	16	303726	^✱€ 27.50
11/16	17.5	303727	^✱€ 32.50
3/4	19	303728	^✱€ 32.50
13/16	20.5	303729	^✱€ 36.70
7/8	22	303730	^✱€ 36.70
15/16	24	303731	^✱€ 39.20
1	25.4	303732	^✱€ 39.20
1-1/8	28.5	303733	^✱€ 41.20
1-1/4	32	303734	^✱€ 62.60

Ring Auger Bit - Made in Japan

The rounded single spur of these bits cut a clean edge of the hole and the chisel-like cutting edge turns around the threaded center and removes chip by chip within the previously cut circle. The thread of the center is large and strong enough to bite into the wood and pulls the bit. You do not have to use any pressure. This bit with large threaded center is unsuitable for power drills. For softwood and European hardwoods such as oak, beech, cherry. All measurements in mm, imperial only approximately!

Diameter mm	Diameter inch	Total length	Spiral length	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price
6	7/32	410	160	190	312220	^✱€ 15.90
8	5/16	460	190	410	312221	^✱€ 15.90
10	3/8	500	220	460	312223	^✱€ 15.90
12		520	230	470	312225	^✱€ 15.90
13	1/2	520	230	470	312226	^✱€ 18.90
16	5/8	560	270	500	312228	^✱€ 21.90
19	3/4	590	300	525	312231	^✱€ 23.90
20		590	300	525	312232	^✱€ 23.90
25	1	600	310	530	312236	^✱€ 29.90
30		600	310	530	312239	^✱€ 35.90
35		600	310	520	312241	^✱€ 59.90
38	1-1/2	600	310	520	312243	^✱€ 68.90

Ring Auger Bits from old stock

These bits have been stocked for several years and have not been used. They come in best condition. Please pay attention to the notes, some have a thicker shaft than the spiral and some do not have edge spurs. If there is no note, they come with two edge spurs. Some spurs have small burrs which must be removed with a file (only from inside please!)
Only to be turned by hand! Enlargement - see also the bits without spurs and the bits with thicker shaft.

Diameter mm	Diameter inch (approx.)	Total length	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price	Notes
6.5	approx. 1/4	470	160	308349	^✱€ 6.90	Short cutting length! Shaft thicker than spirals! Colour: blue
8	5/16	470	160	308350	^✱€ 8.90	Short cutting length! Shaft thicker than spirals! Colour: blue
8	5/16	610	180	308372	^✱€ 8.90	Short cutting length! Shaft thicker than spirals! Colour: blue
10	25/64	455	400	308352	^✱€ 9.90	Colour: red
14	9/16	455	400	308354	^✱€ 10.90	Colour: red
Other sizes not available!

Eye Gimlets or Flute-maker’s Gimlets from old stock

They come from a German tool factory shut down a while ago. These bits have been stocked for several years and have not been used. They come in best condition. They are with round shaft. Only to be turned by hand! All dimensions in mm!

Diameter mm	Diameter inch (approx!)	Total length	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price
10	3/8	270	210	308310	^✱€ 7.90
Other sizes not available!

Gimlets with conical square shaft from old stock

These gimlets come from a German tool factory shut down a while ago. They have been stocked for several years and have not been used. They come in best condition. Made for use in a hand brace with four jaws! Picture shows 4 mm and 12 mm.

Diameter mm	Diameter inch	Total length	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price
8	5/16	150	90	308202	^✱€ 3.95
9	23/64	155	100	308203	^✱€ 4.95
10.5 - 11	13/32	160	100	308205	^✱€ 3.95
No other sizes!

Notice:

Our braces have, at the base of the chuck, a square hole to hold immobile the square end of the shaft of various kinds of bits. The size of the hole is designed to accept the most common sizes of square-ended bits. There are however a variety of square-ended bits that are too small to be securely held in the normal, 8 x 8 mm hole. So if used in this brace, they will be held only by the four jaws and can turn or come loose under pressure. With this simple, inexpensive adapter, this problem can be solved. It is a section of square brass tube. Placed in the square hole at the base of the chuck, it reduces the 8 x 8 mm hole to 6 x 6 mm to hold smaller bits firmly in place. We can unfortunately not say with certainty which bits will work and which will not in our braces, as the manufacturing tolerances for the ends of these kinds of bits are very loose. We recommend to add this adapter to your bit order.

Auger Bits with conical square shaft from old stock

These auger bits come from a German tool factory shut down a while ago. They have been stocked for several years and have not been used. They come in best condition.

Made for use in a hand brace with four jaws! Please pay attention to the notes on the right of the table. One type is without spurs, others come with 2 spurs, there are Jennings pattern (no central straight-running core) and Center bit pattern (with central straight-running core) types. Some spurs have small burrs which must be removed with a file (only from inside please!) An Auger bit file you find here
Only for use by hand!

Diameter mm	Diameter inch (approx.)	Total length	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price	Notes
8	5/16	200	160	308211	^✱€ 5.95	2 Spurs Center Pattern
14	9/16	205	150	308212	^✱€ 4.95	Without spurs Jennings Pattern
16	5/8	220	170	308213	^✱€ 6.95	2 Spurs Center Pattern
24	15/16	240	175	308215	^✱€ 4.95	Without Spurs Jennings Pattern
26	1	240	175	308216	^✱€ 10.95	2 Spurs Center Pattern
28	1-1/8	240	175	308217	^✱€ 12.95	2 Spurs Center Pattern Conical square shaft is a bit crooked, by using a file this can be fixed.
30	1-3/16	245	180	308218	^✱€ 13.95	2 Spurs Center Pattern

CLIFTON Tapered Spoon Bit for Boring Holes in Windsor Chairs

The Tapered Spoon Bit is used by chairmakers for boring or reaming holes in the seats and arms of chairs - in particular Windsor chairs. This ist the tool recommended by Michael Dunbar in his book: Make a Windsor Chair How to use!

Max. Breite	Total length	Blade length	Order nr.	Price
1-3/16 in. / 30 mm	6-3/4 in. / 175 mm	4-1/2 in. / 115 mm	303710	^✱€ 55.90

CLIFTON Parallel Spoon Bit

The Parallel Spoon Bits are primarily used for boring holes - either vertically or at an angle - to take the back "spokes" of Windsor chairs. Total length 4-1/2 in. = 115 mm, Cutting length 2-1/2 in. = 63 mm.

Diameter (inch)	Diameter (mm)	Order nr.	Price
3/8	9.5	303711	^✱€ 30.90
7/16	11	303712	^✱€ 32.50
1/2	13	303713	^✱€ 34.10
9/16	14.3	303714	^✱€ 35.20
5/8	16	303715	^✱€ 38.60
11/16	17.5	303716	^✱€ 39.70
3/4	19	303717	^✱€ 45.60

High Quality Gimlets
This handy and quick-working gimlet comes from Japan. Whether you want to drill holes to take screws, hooks or nails, or simply would like to have a simple small drill at hand in your tool box, with this tool, you will always have a versatile helper that needs no electricity and will never let you down. Detail tip

Diameter	Cutting length	Order nr.	Price
3 mm	60 mm	312620	^✱€ 5.95
4 mm	70 mm	312621	^✱€ 5.95
5 mm	85 mm	312622	^✱€ 5.95
6 mm	85 mm	312623	^✱€ 5.95

Set of 4 Gimlets
Not as precise, hard, sharp and ergonomic as the Japanese gimlet bits above but good enough for boring holes for screws and nails.
Sizes included: 2, 3, 4, 5 mm
Length 95 - 135 mm
Comes in plastic bag
Order nr. 308300

Price ^✱€ 3.95

High Quality Gimlets from old stock
This quick-working old (but not used) gimlet comes from an old German factory closed times ago. The 12 mm gimlet is shown on picture right. On the picture left you see gimlet 7 mm which is sold out.

Diameter	Total length	Order nr.	Price
12 mm	200 mm	308306	^✱€ 7.95

Extra long Gimlets from old stock
This quick-working old (but not used) extra long gimlet comes from an old German factory closed times ago. Offers good while supplies last! Threaded tip
Diameter 6 mm
Total length 600 mm
Cutting length 500 mm
Order nr. 308337

Price ^✱€ 11.90