The brace drill is, as the name suggests, a type of manual drill used for making holes of various sizes depending on the bit used. It consists of an iron rod with a C-shaped crank located halfway along its length and is equipped with two wooden handles for gripping and operating the tool. One handle is positioned at the upper end, while the other is attached to the crank.

At the lower end of the rod is a screw chuck for securing the drill bits (called bits or sometimes augers).
The drill is operated by placing the bit on the surface where the hole is to be made, gripping the upper handle and applying downward pressure, while rotating the crank handle with the other hand.