How to alter the ratchet setting of a hand drill or brace?

29th February 2020


How to alter the ratchet setting of a hand drill or brace


	Shop for Hand Drills and Braces


		Altering the ratchet setting of a hand drill
		The ratchet setting of a hand drill is altered by pushing the small plastic or metal button in the centre of the ratchet forwards or backwards to the setting you wish to use. A 3 way or reversible ratchet will have three settings, whilst a 5 way ratchet will have five settings.

		Altering the ratchet setting of a brace
		The settings of a ratchet on a brace are altered in two ways depending on the brace. Some braces have a ratchet that is altered by turning a collar just above the ratchet mechanism, whilst others have a bar that is pushed forward or backward to select the ratchet setting.

		Altering a bar type brace ratchet With the selection bar of the ratchet pushed fully forward, as can be seen here, the first position or setting is selected.

		As the selection bar of the ratchet is pushed back, it locates into the second setting position. This selects the second of the three ratchet settings.

		As the selection bar of the ratchet is pushed back further it locates into the third and final setting position. This selects the third ratchet setting.

		Altering a collar type brace ratchet With the collar above the ratchet mechanism set in this position, no ratchet function is engaged so the brace chuck will turn in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions as the sweep handle is rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise.

		When the collar above the ratchet is twisted anti-clockwise to engage the second position and setting of the ratchet, the chuck will only turn anti-clockwise. As the sweep handle is rotated clockwise, the ratchet mechanism will prevent the chuck from turning.

		When the collar above the ratchet is twisted anti-clockwise again to engage the third position and setting of the ratchet, the chuck will only turn clockwise. As the sweep handle is rotated anti-clockwise, the ratchet mechanism will prevent the chuck from turning.