Nice. Good explanations. I made a few handles already, it always helps to get confirmation i did something right :) I use elderberry for my handles. The reason is that it has a soft marrow core, so no need to drill. Also it is easy to make smooth, oh, and it was free as it used to be a tree in my garden. Why not make a tenoning tool at the exact size (or slightly over) you need for the ferrules? That would speed up the process.
Good suggestion! As I was making my last handle, it did occur to me that I should have a cutter for making handles. I don't have a wrench that big, though. Next time I'm at Home Depot, I might take a look and see what a 1 1/4 inch open end wrench would cost.
Nice job! Making handles for tools with non-circular shanks can be challenging. One trick I've used is to glue (with epoxy) a couple of scraps of wood to the flat sides of the shank, and after the glue dries, use a rasp to round over the wood to make a roundish shank that can be easily glued into a round hole. Just yesterday, I made a handle for a tool that had a flat rectangular shank. In that case, I glued up a blank from a couple of pieces of 1x2 lumber, but before glueing them together, I cut mating mortises 1/8" x 3/4" about three inches long. Then, when I glued the pieces together, that created a 1/4" x 3/4" rectangular hole the depth required to hold the tool shank. But that left the same problem you encountered - mounting the blank on the lathe. My solution was to use a sacrificial cap to cover the end of the blank with the hole. I cut about 1/2" off the other end of the blank, and then attached it to the end with the hole using double stick tape. I turned the tenon for the ferrule, glued it on, turned, sanded and finished the handle, and then just before inserting the tool, peeled the sacrificial end off to reveal the rectangular hole. There are challenges, but there are always solutions!
Thanks for the tip, Louie. Sometimes I will drill a hole with a diameter equal to the largest dimension of the insert, then "pad" it on the sides as necessary. Mostly though, I'm too lazy for that! Fortunately, the tools I make usually have round shafts and all I have to do is drill the right size hole. What do you use for ferrules?
RickTurns I usually use copper plumbing fittings. Biggest challenge is cutting them neatly - I've found that the best way is to grip them in a scroll chuck, and then use a cut-off wheel on a Dremel with the fitting spinning on the lathe.
Louie Powell I hadn't thought of cutting them that way. I use the tubing cutter that I showed in the video. It works on brass and copper. I have once or twice done it the David Ellsworth way, wrapping string around the nose and then soaking it in CA glue.
Good video and explanations. I like the tool rest you have. Did you make it? If so, can you tell us the dimensions...length...width...thickness? Where did you obtain the angle iron? Thanks and keep the videos coming.
That tool rest is the most recent one I have made, and is the subject of an upcoming video, already partially shot. The nice thing about my tool rests (I've made 8 or 9 so far) is that they don't require welding. They are made by silver brazing, which only takes a couple of inexpensive tools. The tool rest shown in this video is made from one inch diameter steel rod, 2x2x1/4 steel angle iron, and 5/16 diameter rod, all of which I purchased online. Although the project isn't difficult, it does have a number of steps, which, combined with other non-woodturning factors, is taking a rather long time to get the video done. I intend to post it in half a dozen segments, so keep watching!
Great project Rick, and well explained throughout.
Take care
Mike
Thanks, Mike!
Nice. Good explanations. I made a few handles already, it always helps to get confirmation i did something right :)
I use elderberry for my handles. The reason is that it has a soft marrow core, so no need to drill. Also it is easy to make smooth, oh, and it was free as it used to be a tree in my garden.
Why not make a tenoning tool at the exact size (or slightly over) you need for the ferrules? That would speed up the process.
Good suggestion! As I was making my last handle, it did occur to me that I should have a cutter for making handles. I don't have a wrench that big, though. Next time I'm at Home Depot, I might take a look and see what a 1 1/4 inch open end wrench would cost.
I find these handy when making chairs spinning wheels and balustrades over many yrsmane sores car boot sales
Thanks for watching, Harry.
Nice job!
Making handles for tools with non-circular shanks can be challenging.
One trick I've used is to glue (with epoxy) a couple of scraps of wood to the flat sides of the shank, and after the glue dries, use a rasp to round over the wood to make a roundish shank that can be easily glued into a round hole.
Just yesterday, I made a handle for a tool that had a flat rectangular shank. In that case, I glued up a blank from a couple of pieces of 1x2 lumber, but before glueing them together, I cut mating mortises 1/8" x 3/4" about three inches long. Then, when I glued the pieces together, that created a 1/4" x 3/4" rectangular hole the depth required to hold the tool shank. But that left the same problem you encountered - mounting the blank on the lathe. My solution was to use a sacrificial cap to cover the end of the blank with the hole. I cut about 1/2" off the other end of the blank, and then attached it to the end with the hole using double stick tape. I turned the tenon for the ferrule, glued it on, turned, sanded and finished the handle, and then just before inserting the tool, peeled the sacrificial end off to reveal the rectangular hole.
There are challenges, but there are always solutions!
Thanks for the tip, Louie. Sometimes I will drill a hole with a diameter equal to the largest dimension of the insert, then "pad" it on the sides as necessary. Mostly though, I'm too lazy for that! Fortunately, the tools I make usually have round shafts and all I have to do is drill the right size hole. What do you use for ferrules?
RickTurns I usually use copper plumbing fittings. Biggest challenge is cutting them neatly - I've found that the best way is to grip them in a scroll chuck, and then use a cut-off wheel on a Dremel with the fitting spinning on the lathe.
Louie Powell I hadn't thought of cutting them that way. I use the tubing cutter that I showed in the video. It works on brass and copper. I have once or twice done it the David Ellsworth way, wrapping string around the nose and then soaking it in CA glue.
Nice tool. The only thing, by using epoxy, it will be impossible to get the handle off the spanner but maybe you will not have to.
Thanks
So far, I haven't intended for any of my handles to be reusable. I've found a few videos on UA-cam about that, though. Thanks for commenting.
Good video and explanations. I like the tool rest you have. Did you make it? If so, can you tell us the dimensions...length...width...thickness? Where did you obtain the angle iron? Thanks and keep the videos coming.
That tool rest is the most recent one I have made, and is the subject of an upcoming video, already partially shot. The nice thing about my tool rests (I've made 8 or 9 so far) is that they don't require welding. They are made by silver brazing, which only takes a couple of inexpensive tools. The tool rest shown in this video is made from one inch diameter steel rod, 2x2x1/4 steel angle iron, and 5/16 diameter rod, all of which I purchased online. Although the project isn't difficult, it does have a number of steps, which, combined with other non-woodturning factors, is taking a rather long time to get the video done. I intend to post it in half a dozen segments, so keep watching!
RickTurns Will do. Very interesting. Thanks.
Love the look!
Thanks for watching, Ronald.
How would an adjustable crescent wrench work? You could adjust the opening as needed.
For precision, I think I'd want one with a locking feature. I like the idea though.
Now that's a slick idea!