Choice of timber for tool handles

[rsser]

I haven't paid much attention to this issue and just used what was available. Exception being heavy scrapers matched with heavy timber.

Wondering about balance. Doesn't seem to be so much an issue with faceplate turning provided the basics are right, but with spindle turning ... ?

Eg. is Sorby's infatuation with ash handles just advertising spin, or cheap supply or something more significant?

I'm wondering because I've ordered a continental spindle gouge to see if it will give better flow of curve cutting between spindles; unhandled.

[Cliff Rogers]

I use anything strong that doesn't split end to end as you wedge the tool into the handle.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

What Cliff said, preferably a wood with a bit of weight to it.

I like "heavier than standard" handles, probably 'cos I started with old redgum and ironbark handled tools.

[keith53]

G'day Ern,

I bought a couple of unhandled gouges last year from the P & N stand and, following some advice, settled on gidgee handles turned by Bruce Bell from Withcott. I really couldn't be happier. One was a 25mm roughing gouge and the other a 12mm finishing gouge. Because gidgee is so heavy, the handles provide a really nice balance to the tools. I've never turned it but I believe gidgee is really hard and not easy to come by. Makes ripper handles though.

Cheers,
Keith

[Cliff Rogers]

..... I've never turned it but I believe gidgee is really hard and not easy to come by. Makes ripper handles though.....
My parents have thousands of acres of it, no good for stock feed, kills off grass & everything else & good old Peter Beatie says he can't clear it any more.:cool:

[keith53]

My parents have thousands of acres of it, no good for stock feed, kills off grass & everything else & good old Peter Beatie says he can't clear it any more.:cool:

Mmmm. An idea is beginning to form in the back of my head. ;)

[keith53]

Mmmm. An idea is beginning to form in the back of my head. ;)

On second thoughts, you could just tell Soundman. He'd find a way to sell it. :D

[soundman]

:D :D your damn tootin:D :D

[soundman]

seriously. using diferent timbers for diferent tools is a great idea as you can see the tool you want in the pile of shavings.

I like spotted gum, greay gum is nice...... oh hell anything thats sound hard and handy.

90x45 hd hardwood isn't bad you can get two out of each length if you dont want a thick handle.

stay away from kwila it can stain your sweaty hands.

cheers

[SawDustSniffer]

i made up a set of 4 Jarra handled turning chisels 25mm-30mm dia 300mm long ( jarra's OK as long as you dont hit the end with a hammer )
thay have chucks on the end of them so you can change chisels , got a good swiss 1/2 inch gouge at a garage sale for $2 and cut the ferrel off and had a mate turn it down to 10mm on the end , the other bits are carbide scrapers and a 10mm rod with a allan keyed hardend nail for a parting tool

[TTIT]

I use anything strong that doesn't split end to end as you wedge the tool into the handle.I'll go along with that - I've used anything from some sort of borer riddled Oak to eucalypt hardwood from a pallet. Diameter is more important to me than weight - gotta fit the hand right!!!:D


I've never turned it but I believe gidgee is really hard and not easy to come by.Hard but workable - - and beautiful!. Friends of mine out here have a few hundred acres they are allowed to cut - they use it for fenceposts mainly. Yeah I know - makes you shudder don't it!:)

[hughie]

Wondering about balance. Doesn't seem to be so much an issue with faceplate turning provided the basics are right, but with spindle turning ... ?


Ern,
Like most I grab whatever is around the shed. However I do have a piece of 3x2.5 hardwood from some local tree, dunno what is is but is darn good.
Until I came across a piece of industrial plywood. Its laminated hardwood and has a good weight to it and makes a good handle.

Gidgee........sigh, dont get enough around to afford the luxury of handles. but I reckon it would be one of the best as I like a heavy end to my tools. I like the counter weight effect when things start buckin'.:eek: Plus the weight feels good in the hand, balance and all :D

[Eastie]

Most old tools have handles that were out of the makers backyard so to speak. Personally I like them heavy also. One of the best chisels I've used had a marble tube over a wooden inner core - heavy and very accurate.

[rsser]

Thanks for the distilled experience folks.

I did put a heavy redgum handle on a 1/2" ground spindle gouge and wasn't happy with the balance and feel. Might try something lighter with the continental gouge and she how she goes - it's forged and lighter.

[ptc]

Ern
Horizontal makes Handle's.

[Barry_White]

Nothing like good old Stringy Bark. If you notice most of the handles like axe, hoe, maddock, shovel etc are made from Stringy. It comes up nice when it is turned and is reasonably heavy. Made quiet a few from this myself.

If you can't get hold of any Stringy Bark, just go down to Bunnings and buy a maddock handle, you should get a few chisel handles out of one of them.

[arose62]

I've tried a few timbers as I've learned to make handles, and the one dissapointment I had was a piece of ash I bought.:mad:

It was splintery, and really open-grained, and never looked or felt nicely finished to me.

My favourite wood for handles is Bendee - it's heavy, related to gidgee (I think), not expensive, and I find it easy to get a real nice finish on.

Also tried pine:eek:, jarrah, brushbox, and several unknowns.

Cheers,
Andrew

[tashammer]

i would have thought that horizontal scrub would be good for handles with it being a close grained hard timber wouldn't you say?

[TTIT]

My favourite wood for handles is Bendee - it's heavy, related to gidgee (I think), not expensive, and I find it easy to get a real nice finish on.
Have you used the Bendee for anything else??? I just found a patch this morning where a couple of dozen trees have come down with a fire that went through. Often wondered if it was worth grabbing some!

[arose62]

A couple of chisel handles:
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=6964

My good (P&N) turning chisels are handled in Bendee as I get them.

I think I made an awl or a plane-setting mallet from it as well.

So, if you've got a couple of tree-fuls, "Kick it to me! Kick it to me!"

Cheers,
Andrew

[rsser]

ptc: That'd be a terrible waste of another turning challenge opportunity :D

Andrew: was that Australian 'ash' or English ash?

[Msg edited]

[Tornatus]

Have you used the Bendee for anything else??? I just found a patch this morning where a couple of dozen trees have come down with a fire that went through. Often wondered if it was worth grabbing some!

MATE!! Half yer luck! Bendee (Acacia catenulata) is one of those wonderful dry-country Acacias that grow dense, hard and beautifully-coloured wood, especially if you can cut it to display the heartwood/sapwood contrast. It makes great tool-handles, pens, lidded boxes - just about anything worth turning. Others in this group include Brigalow (A. harpophylla), Boree (A. tephrina), Gidgee (A. pruinocarpa), Mulga (A. tenuissima) and Myall (A. pendula). The frustrating thing for us southerners is that you Queenslanders treat a lot of these trees as weeds and knock 'em down just to burn 'em!

I have made many of my turning tool handles in these woods, and the usual comment from visitors is "too good to waste on tool-handles", but I disagree, as they are tough and heavy - ideal for the job.

[Cliff Rogers]

Have you used the Bendee for anything else??? I just found a patch this morning where a couple of dozen trees have come down ....!
You had better go & get some 'cos Andrew's chisel handle looks good to me. ;)

[rsser]

Just in passing, couple of items that may be of interest...

Carbatec Vic have specials on the 'Chicmarc', the Vicmarc lathes made in Taiwan:

http://www.carbatec.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=300_14570_14702

And Garry Pye has some quality faceplates at good prices.

btw, I have no pecuniary connection with either of these; wish I did.

[OGYT]

I'm gonna try Bois d'Arc for my next tool handles. Dense, heavy, turns beautifully, and turns beautiful over time.
I know nothing about OZ timber, except it's exceptional! Lucky Blokes, the lot. :o)

[rsser]

What's Bois d'Arc Al? 'Wood of ...'?

btw, there's a lot of cr*p timber here too; just that we don't talk about it ;-}

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Bois D'arc?

We call it Osage Orange, Ern. :) My Grandad used to call it Horse Apple. We all mean the same wood. :rolleyes:

[soundman]

Ossage for tool handles....... they'll look like they came from "Triton":eek: :D :D

[SawDustSniffer]

thought i would post a pic of my Copper ferreld Jarra carving chisel handle , have made 14 of them so far ,i used 18mm and 25mm copper pipe and glued the ferrels with "megapoxy No 69 " thay all have a set of 4 spirals down the length of the handle , i use a wooden mallot so thay should last

[tashammer]

fine looking picture that be SDS!

[rsser]

Bois D'arc?

We call it Osage Orange, Ern. :) My Grandad used to call it Horse Apple. We all mean the same wood. :rolleyes:

Ah, 'arc' as in bow in bow and arrow? Red Indian stuff.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

thought i would post a pic of my Copper ferreld Jarra carving chisel handle , have made 14 of them so far ,i used 18mm and 25mm copper pipe and glued the ferrels with "megapoxy No 69 " thay all have a set of 4 spirals down the length of the handle , i use a wooden mallot so thay should last

Niiice! The spirals... hand cut or have you jiggered up a jig? I'd never have thought of it myself, not for tool handles, but they look damned good!

[SawDustSniffer]

the spirals were hand caved , there quite ruff ,hacked at them with a 200mm round bastard then a cross cut file and finnished with 120grit ,it dosn't take that long , my carving chisels had all sorts of differnt handles ,picked them up from garage sale's and off ebay over 3 years , so i made a leather 28 peace holder ( 2sides with 14 pockets ) ive also engraved the top copper ferrel with the shape of the chisel tip on the one's ive mounted , have 6 more handles to make ( 10 to mount ) and 8 more chisels to bye to fill the leather roll up ,
at least in years to come you tell some one " thats my chisel , giv's it back now "
and thay look great as a set once the copper is pollished and engraved

[tashammer]

how do you go with abrasions and blisters and things? something i always used to do was clean off all the varnish or whatever, sand em dead smooth, then use beeswax/olive oil/turps polish on all the handles. Same with garden tools - anywhere there was a chance of hands holding or rubbing.

[SawDustSniffer]

as a carpenter my hands are thick skined and calestered , i could use them as 80 grit sand paper for at least an hour before thay ware down to the meat , lol , done that a few times , dosnt that hurt (ware the tips of your fingers out grouting ) the spirals were put there for grip when perspiring ( cant avoid dripping in the troppics )