PDA

View Full Version : When you can't cut downhill.......



Hermit
18th December 2014, 06:59 PM
Probably a silly question, but not to worry - it wouldn't be my first......

I've just glued up a slant lamination, (below), and was thinking about the best approach to cutting, since unless I'm cutting in at a sharp angle, for half the time the cut is against the grain.

Bowl gouge, spindle gouge, or take the easy way out and use carbide tools?
I have a very cheap Chinese 1" skew as well, but it loses it's edge the moment it touches hardwood, so I'd rather avoid it.
(I had no problems with the roughing gouge, but honed it a couple of times to keep it sharp.)


334574

chuck1
18th December 2014, 08:38 PM
You should be able to still cut. What are you making? If I have time I'll pop over!

Hermit
18th December 2014, 08:55 PM
You should be able to still cut. What are you making? If I have time I'll pop over!

A spindle gouge it is, then! (That's the one I need the most practice with right now.)

If it'd been earlier in the day, I would have just gone ahead and started, but it was getting late and I had to pack it in for today, leaving me thinking about it for the night.

It's just a little bud vase, a pretty basic shape, 150mm tall, 63mm wide, a birthday present for a friend. I'll drill a 12mm x 75mm hole and insert a plastic test tube like with the last one.:
(I'm making the foot a bit wider than in my drawing, it'll be 50 dia.)

334576

Drop over anytime, I'm here all day every day, playing.
I'll be getting into this about lunch-time tomorrow, but first off is just flattening the top, hollowing a slight depression in the top, followed by boring the 12mm hole, before I start actually shaping the body.
Still got my address, or do you want me to PM it?

issatree
19th December 2014, 01:33 AM
Hi Steve,
Not sure of which Roughing Gouge you have, but you could do most of that shape with it.
Held the an angle it can give a very smooth finish.
It is not easy, but, by the time you get to the nitty gritty, you should be able to get the hang of it.
Just my2senseworth.

Hermit
19th December 2014, 01:46 AM
Hi Steve,
Not sure of which Roughing Gouge you have, but you could do most of that shape with it.
Held the an angle it can give a very smooth finish.
It is not easy, but, by the time you get to the nitty gritty, you should be able to get the hang of it.
Just my2senseworth.

Thanks for the tip Lewis. Of course, you're right.
My (1") roughing gouge is only junk, it came from a $40 set of 8 virtually useless carbon steel turning tools, but it'll handle it if I keep touching it up with a hone. I get 10-15 seconds of use before it goes blunt. I've never overheated it, but I suspect it was cooked during it's initial grind at the Chinese factory.

A better roughing gouge is on my list straight after a decent skew.

I'll see how it goes, anyway.
(You're not the only one still awake - I'm putting coats of finish on a couple of bowls.)

chuck1
19th December 2014, 05:56 AM
Pm to be sure please! Off to work this morning.

Hermit
19th December 2014, 06:41 AM
Pm to be sure please! Off to work this morning.

Done.

Mobyturns
19th December 2014, 09:44 AM
Your design looks great and the joinery in the blank looks very well executed. I do a fair bit of lamination work & the glue you use has a fair bit to do with how long a cutting edge lasts on tools. Polyurethane glues & epoxies can take the edge off real quick. My preference is for Titebond II or AV Syntecs AVXL Plus.

A traditional grind 1" roughing gouge will do most of the bulk work and some of the shape refinement. I would go to a 3/8 spindle (or detail) gouge for the detail around the neck and foot.

ps good to see a "footed" vase design.

issatree
19th December 2014, 10:20 AM
Hi Steve,
Take a good look at these R/Gouges.
I don't like the Folded File blank as a gouge, but of course they work, but I think the P&N 1" Roughing Gouge is so far in front, it's not funny.
It has weight on it's side for starters, Machined quite well.
Better to buy the unhandled, as you pay close to $20 for a Handle.
The P&N I have wood have to be 20 yrs old, & it really gets used, so they really last a very long time.
To close, it is made in Maryborough here in Vic. or was to my knowledge.

Hermit
19th December 2014, 07:53 PM
Your design looks great and the joinery in the blank looks very well executed. I do a fair bit of lamination work & the glue you use has a fair bit to do with how long a cutting edge lasts on tools. Polyurethane glues & epoxies can take the edge off real quick. My preference is for Titebond II or AV Syntecs AVXL Plus.

A traditional grind 1" roughing gouge will do most of the bulk work and some of the shape refinement. I would go to a 3/8 spindle (or detail) gouge for the detail around the neck and foot.

ps good to see a "footed" vase design.

Thanks Moby. I used Titebond Original for this one. Usually I use Titebond II for laminating, but grabbed the original this time without thinking. I like the original for segmenting, because it has a bit faster initial tack time - great for rub joints.

I started out with my Chinese roughing gouge, but it dulled too quickly, so I roughed out with the Sorby Turnmaster (carbide), then switched to my 3/8" spindle gouge for final shaping.

I like the 'footed' designs too. They have an older, more traditional look.



Hi Steve,
Take a good look at these R/Gouges.

Lewis, was there going to be a picture attached?




I don't like the Folded File blank as a gouge, but of course they work, but I think the P&N 1" Roughing Gouge is so far in front, it's not funny.
It has weight on it's side for starters, Machined quite well.
Better to buy the unhandled, as you pay close to $20 for a Handle.
The P&N I have wood have to be 20 yrs old, & it really gets used, so they really last a very long time.
To close, it is made in Maryborough here in Vic. or was to my knowledge.

I'll probably buy P&N when I get a 1" roughing gouge. Same with the skew.
I have to wait a while, though, 'til the budget allows. I was half-thinking of buying GPW versions in the meantime. His 3/8" spindle gouge seems OK.
I've been buying handled versions of tools so far, because timber is so hard to come by for me. Buying online, I'd easily have to pay $20 for a piece of timber to make a handle. :(


Anyway, I got it finished today. Just needs sanding from 240G up.
It was an uphill battle.
First, I broke the (4mm) end off one of my chuck's Tommy bars, so had to ride into town for a 4mm Allen key. Filed off the corners and was back in business. I can't see it breaking in a hurry.

Next, when I'd just trimmed the fattest part of the body to size, I had a small dig in and had to make it smaller diameter. Now 60mm. I think it actually looks better.
Otherwise, no dramas. Thanks everyone for the advice.

The first pic shows the shape, but it's glary. The second shows the colour better. In the second, you can just see the top of the plastic test-tube insert, too.:

334612 334611


Another angle, shows more of the timbers:

334615

Big A
19th December 2014, 09:00 PM
That's gonna be a dear bud vase when you factor in the price of the chuck! Makes a different base/bottom, though.

Looks good though. Being more of a yard builder/fencer than a turner, I don't know how a lot of you blokes get the ideas for this kind of work - I don't really have a artists eye, so my work tends to be a bit more agricultural - if it is no good as a bowl, it will do as a jacking block under the 4WD. Passes the time though.

Cheers,
Alister.

Hermit
19th December 2014, 09:23 PM
That's gonna be a dear bud vase when you factor in the price of the chuck! Makes a different base/bottom, though.

Looks good though. Being more of a yard builder/fencer than a turner, I don't know how a lot of you blokes get the ideas for this kind of work - I don't really have a artists eye, so my work tends to be a bit more agricultural - if it is no good as a bowl, it will do as a jacking block under the 4WD. Passes the time though.

Cheers,
Alister.

Ha. Just between you and I, even without the chuck, if I was to go back over the last couple of years and see just how much I paid for those timbers I used, I'd probably fall over. :oo:

I'm not very artistic either, especially when it comes to putting different timbers together, but I figured if I just put in as many colours as possible it couldn't look too bad. Cleaned up a few of those odd, small scraps that were wasting space, too.
The basic shape is fairly standard - I didn't have to think very hard for that bit.

I just tag along here on the forums, hoping that a bit of what I see and hear might rub off. I'll never reach the level of most guys here, but it's fun trying. :cool:

MrFez
19th December 2014, 09:26 PM
They are interesting aren't they. I finished my first today, it was taken from a project in a recent copy of The Australian Woodworker. It also called for coloured laminations between each timber layer.

I used roughing gouge, scraper and spindle gouge to shape. Tightbond original was used to do the lamination because its what I had.

I had some issues with the chuck coming loose on its insert which caused the piece off centre, but I got over it fairly quickly.

Paul39
20th December 2014, 11:33 AM
Hermit,

The vase is lovely. I especially like the 3rd view.

Hermit
20th December 2014, 12:12 PM
They are interesting aren't they. I finished my first today, it was taken from a project in a recent copy of The Australian Woodworker. It also called for coloured laminations between each timber layer.

I used roughing gouge, scraper and spindle gouge to shape. Tightbond original was used to do the lamination because its what I had.

I had some issues with the chuck coming loose on its insert which caused the piece off centre, but I got over it fairly quickly.

I like the look of veneer dividers between the laminations. I ordered some sheets of Silver Ash veneer the other night, to give it a go for a better effect on my next laminated attempt. Good between segments in segmented turnings, too. It's only 0.6mm veneer, though, whereas I would have preferred thicker.

Does anyone reading this happen to know where I might get my hands on some very dark and very light coloured veneer in 1.5mm or 2mm, (online)? Silver Ash and dark Jarrah would be ideal. I wasted a nice piece of Purpleheart a few months ago making 1.5mm veneer for dividers on a segmented plate. I'd much rather buy it ready-made from now on.

I've been doing a bit of reading and watching some vids on different lamination methods/patterns etc. I'll be doing a fair bit of it over the coming months, to use up some of my left-over scraps from box-making etc. I have a shed-full.
I was thinking that next I'll glue up a similar blank as the bud vase, then split it down the centre and invert one half and glue it back up, to produce an inverted 'V' pattern before turning. Might look good.




Hermit,

The vase is lovely. I especially like the 3rd view.
So much timber, so little time.

Paul


Thanks Paul. (And I agree) The first two pics didnt show it very well.

This wasn't really meant to be a WIP, but it's turned into one.
I'll post a pic of it finished in a week or two.

Pity it takes so long to get a decent finish. I spend one day turning, then 7 to 14 days getting the finish up to a level I'm happy with. The result is an ever-growing pile of half-finished things on the table, all getting a coat of WOP each day. :rolleyes:

Hermit
20th December 2014, 05:38 PM
....... but I think the P&N 1" Roughing Gouge is so far in front, it's not funny.
.......
Better to buy the unhandled, as you pay close to $20 for a Handle.

It's even worse than you thought, Lewis:
Carroll's have the P&N 24mm x 8mm handled for $132 and unhandled for $85.80 - $46.20 for the handle.
Pop's Shed, same chisel, $125 handled and $81 unhandled - $44 for the handle.

Thankfully, chuck1 came to the rescue earlier, and popped in with some fine timbers for handles and a couple of ferrules. I figured while the ball is already rolling I'd order an unhandled skew and have a shot at handle-making. The GPW 1" is only $24, (handled), but probably has performance to match, so I'm going with the P&N from Pop's Shed.

Thanks again Charlie for the timber and ferrules. They won't be wasted. :2tsup:

Mobyturns
21st December 2014, 08:25 AM
It's even worse than you thought,
Thankfully, chuck1 came to the rescue earlier, and popped in with some fine timbers for handles and a couple of ferrules. :2tsup:

The P&N handles are about the best quality out there though & probably well worth the $40.

A good source of ferrules are copper plumbing fittings - straight couplings. Just cut them in half & you now have two ferrules. They can also be trimmed and neatened up on a wood lathe using a hand held scraper with minimal overhang and at low spindle speeds. Available from most of the larger hardware stores in a wide range of sizes & unlike most of the cheap imitation brass ferrules available they do not crack.

334670

Paul39
21st December 2014, 11:23 AM
I was thinking that next I'll glue up a similar blank as the bud vase, then split it down the centre and invert one half and glue it back up, to produce an inverted 'V' pattern before turning. Might look good.

That will be wonderful.


Pity it takes so long to get a decent finish. I spend one day turning, then 7 to 14 days getting the finish up to a level I'm happy with. The result is an ever-growing pile of half-finished things on the table, all getting a coat of WOP each day. :rolleyes:

I use Tung oil on everything I make. It is applied to the bowl or spindle with a rag while the object is turning at 1400 rpm on the lathe. The friction at that speed warms the turning, so I can usually get two coats per session, then repeat the next day. In the wet season and cold season it takes longer to dry. I apply a coat and rub very hard to warm things up, then let it turn for a few minutes, apply a clean athletic sock to buff, then get it nice and warm with a hair dryer, buff with sock, apply another thin coat of Tung oil and repeat.

Most of my turnings are finished to a baby skin smoothness. I have built a gloss with Tung oil on a hard timber in 4 - 6 coats.

You night try a hair dryer with your process, getting two coats a day would speed thing a bit.

The first photo below is my usual soft sheen, seen on the lower left rim and on the upper right where the bowl curves from bottom to side. The other two are about as much gloss as I'll get, as I prefer the soft sheen.

The lighting is a flood light bounced off the ceiling. That does make a hard edge to the reflection on the piece.

Paul39
21st December 2014, 12:28 PM
I heat with wood as well as turn so I am always looking for anything combustible. I have found shipping pallets have thicker pieces on the bottom that will make tool handles. I have occasionally gotten mahogany, walnut, cherry and some other nice timbers from pallets.

Motorcycle crates from Japan will often have nice timber. Glass companies have nice pallets. People set out broken furniture on trash day to be carried off. Bed posts need just a little turning to be handles. Broken baseball bats and discarded chair legs will work.

As you are already turning glued up pieces, making a laminated striped tool handle would be nice. I recently got some 1 inch thick 13 ply, no void plywood off cuts from a furniture factory. I'm going to try a handle with that.

As stated above copper fittings make nice ferrules. I have also used scrap copper pipe, electrical metallic tubing, and top rail pipe from a chain link fence, all free of course.

I have big hands, a tendency to cramp, and slight Arthritis. I have found a big fat handle is the best for me. I also make larger bowls so a long fat handle on a 5/8 inch bowl gouge works well on the 20 inch swing Woodfast.

Below are my big bowl tools. At top is the big handle, wild cherry timber, with no name Sheffield steel 5/8 inch and a piece of chrome tubing for a ferrule. Going down, Thompson 5/8, EZ Finisher carbide, Crown 5/8, and Penn State Industries 1/2 inch. I'll probably put some bicycle handlebar tape on the Thompson over some dense foam to make it fat and softer. The aluminum gets cold when the shed is down to 6 deg. C. in winter. Below that I can't stand.

Hermit
21st December 2014, 02:25 PM
Sorry this reply is so long..... :(


The P&N handles are about the best quality out there though & probably well worth the $40.

Probably, but that's too much for me. If I could make/fit tool handles and get $46 each. I wouldn't make anything else. Not to worry, though, I'll enjoy making handles, as soon as I work out a method to suit my equipment. (Couple of questions coming when I finish my replies.)



A good source of ferrules are copper plumbing fittings - straight couplings. Just cut them in half & you now have two ferrules. They can also be trimmed and neatened up on a wood lathe using a hand held scraper with minimal overhang and at low spindle speeds. Available from most of the larger hardware stores in a wide range of sizes & unlike most of the cheap imitation brass ferrules available they do not crack.


Sounds like a top idea to me. Thanks for the tip. :2tsup:

I watched a video last night by Bob Bezanson where a small gas fitting was used, screwed onto a tenon and turned to shape/size, but it looks like a lot of extra mucking around for no good reason.
Turning Custom Tool Handles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu41NzgVd0c)

334683



I use Tung oil on everything I make. It is applied to the bowl or spindle with a rag while the object is turning at 1400 rpm on the lathe. The friction at that speed warms the turning, so I can usually get two coats per session, then repeat the next day. In the wet season and cold season it takes longer to dry. I apply a coat and rub very hard to warm things up, then let it turn for a few minutes, apply a clean athletic sock to buff, then get it nice and warm with a hair dryer, buff with sock, apply another thin coat of Tung oil and repeat.

Most of my turnings are finished to a baby skin smoothness. I have built a gloss with Tung oil on a hard timber in 4 - 6 coats.

You might try a hair dryer with your process, getting two coats a day would speed things a bit.

The first photo below is my usual soft sheen, seen on the lower left rim and on the upper right where the bowl curves from bottom to side. The other two are about as much gloss as I'll get, as I prefer the soft sheen.

The lighting is a flood light bounced off the ceiling. That does make a hard edge to the reflection on the piece.

I'll have to give Tung Oil a go sometime, Paul. Never tried it, but it's been on my list for some time. Great-looking bowls, by the way.

I get a really good finish with the satin WOP, not too glossy, a soft sheen as you describe. My 'problem' is that I like the pores completely filled to a glass-like surface, though, hence the days of recoating.

A hair dryer is a good idea.
The label says 3 hours, but the surface is still 'grippy' and the WOP instantly clogs the 600g paper if I try to sand too soon. 24 hours lets it cure fairly hard.

This is about the level of gloss I'm getting. The one at the back is finished, the other two still need more coats, especially the one on the right.:
334687

And this is the reason for so many coats:
334688


And now to my questions on handle making and fitting.....

1. What's a typical handle length for a 1" skew? I know that's up to the user, but a Catch22 situation - until I have one and have used it for a bit I won't know my preferred length.
Does 30cm, (12"), sound OK?

2. Boring the hole - before or after turning? (I don't have a steady.)
I watched a Cindy Drozda vid last night, where she mounted the Jacobs chuck/drill bit on the spindle and kept the blank steady, while still square, with the toolrest. Good idea?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-SN0llu0Cw

3. Finally, when fitting a handle to a skew or other flat shaft, is it worth making two small spacers to go above and below the tang to fill the gap, or just drill a round hole and drive it in with a liberal amount of epoxy? I was thinking of cutting a piece out of the middle of a short piece of dowel, then using the two sides, (flitches?).
I haven't mastered boring rectangular holes yet. :D

MrFez
21st December 2014, 05:23 PM
3. Finally, when fitting a handle to a skew or other flat shaft, is it worth making two small spacers to go above and below the tang to fill the gap, or just drill a round hole and drive it in with a liberal amount of epoxy? I was thinking of cutting a piece out of the middle of a short piece of dowel, then using the two sides, (flitches?).
I haven't mastered boring rectangular holes yet. :D

A great question Hermit. I've done a few tool handles as well as cutlery and wondered the same every time. Don't have a definitive answer but to date all I've done is put plenty of glue in there with the tang. Am I right? I wonder....

Mobyturns
21st December 2014, 07:51 PM
Sorry this reply is so long..... :(

And now to my questions on handle making and fitting.....

1. What's a typical handle length for a 1" skew? I know that's up to the user, but a Catch22 situation - until I have one and have used it for a bit I won't know my preferred length.
Does 30cm, (12"), sound OK?

2. Boring the hole - before or after turning? (I don't have a steady.)
I watched a Cindy Drozda vid last night, where she mounted the Jacobs chuck/drill bit on the spindle and kept the blank steady, while still square, with the toolrest. Good idea?

3. Finally, when fitting a handle to a skew or other flat shaft, is it worth making two small spacers to go above and below the tang to fill the gap, or just drill a round hole and drive it in with a liberal amount of epoxy? I was thinking of cutting a piece out of the middle of a short piece of dowel, then using the two sides, (flitches?).
I haven't mastered boring rectangular holes yet. :D

1. If you look through history & especially at German wood turners they used quite short handles compared to what we use now. I like 10 to 12" handles on most of my tools.

2. If you follow Cindy's example you will get a good result. Just set the away end of the handle in the MT2 hole in the tail stock to get a concentric hole in the handle. I like to start off with a pilot hole in the tool end, before I mount the blank. Ken Wraight also had a tutorial & a nice jig system in the Australian Woodworker a few issues back on making cheese knife handles.

3. If you look at my photo above the 1" & 3/4" skews have had a mortise cut to receive the tool tang. It does not take long with a pre-drilled hole and opened out with 1/4" chisel. Just make it slightly under size. The 1/2" skew was never used in that handle (just a photo prop).

powderpost
21st December 2014, 08:23 PM
Some time back I did a tutorial on how to make a chisel handle. I am not all that computer savy, but if you go to the following, you may find some assistance.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=81345. I know there is a better way to get to the thread, but that eludes me. :-

Jim

chuck1
21st December 2014, 08:37 PM
I normally cut my tool handles 320mm long 10mm waste. With tools that have a tapered tang, I measure the thickness and drill the handle dead Centre then fit furrel and turn handle sand and finish leaving the waste on the end.
then I elongate the hole for the tang, once I'm happy with drilling I'll fit the tool to the handle then hitting waste end on bench or floor then take to it with hammer. Not to savage with the hammer.
once it's firmed up cut what's left of waste off end and sand
also most of my handles are different shapes and timbers for production turning I know my roughing gouge is red gum, my skew is ash detail gouge jarrah.
it saves time looking at the cutting end when there is shavings everywhere!

Hermit
21st December 2014, 10:13 PM
Thanks Moby, Jim and Charlie for the very informative replies.

I'll drill using Cindy's (and everyone else's) method. Otherwise, I was going to make a drill guide block to fit onto the ferrule, then hand-drill.

Moby, I had looked at your photo, but not up close so missed the great view of your fitted flat shafts.
Very neat job.

Jim, your tutorial thread on handle-turning is just what I needed. :2tsup:
(Nothing wrong with your link, either. I often do the same.)

I see that also drills the same way, (except if the handle is steel). If all of you guys do it that way, then so will I. :q

I'll go about 300mm in length.

I'll need to digest all of this and decide whether to go with paring out with a chisel or drilling two holes as Jim describes in this (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=81345) post.

At least now I'll have some idea of what I'm doing.


One last question comes to mind - when a tool has a round shaft, how deeply should it be embedded into the handle? Is there a standard, such as 2/3 the handle length, or just whatever looks right?


And Charlie, I love the idea of colour-coding the handles with timber types. A great idea.

DaveTTC
21st December 2014, 10:22 PM
I'm liking that a lot!!!!


Does not look like you need advise at all ... hope you bring it for show and tell if you have not given it away by Australia Day


Dave the turning cowboy

turning wood into art

Hermit
21st December 2014, 10:40 PM
I'm liking that a lot!!!!

Does not look like you need advise at all ... hope you bring it for show and tell if you have not given it away by Australia Day

Dave the turning cowboy

turning wood into art

It'll be sitting here 'til May, the recipients birthday. I thought it was March, but just checked. I left things a bit late, or she could have had it for Xmas.

If I can make it to the get-together, I could bring it, but it would look pretty crappy alongside Trevor's Indian (http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=178761). (Well worth a look, for anyone that hasn't seen it.)
From a turning point of view, it's fairly boring. It's only those lovely timbers that make it worth looking at. The first coat of finish really brought the colours out. I'm just about to apply the second now.

Hermit
22nd December 2014, 12:05 AM
I just found this:
Drill the hole.
Use one of the methods described in a separate article to drill the hole to a depth of at least 2.5” for a tool 1/2” or larger in diameter. Less depth is required for smaller tools but, in all cases, more depth adds strength to the junction between the tool and the handle.

It comes from here (http://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/maketoolhandle.html)

Does 2.5" sound about right? Seems very shallow, to me.

issatree
22nd December 2014, 01:09 AM
Hi to you all,
Very interesting comments there.
Well, I do almost the same as all of you.
I make my Handles 13in. about 330mm. I do not have a big hand, so my Handles are a fair bit smaller.
I really like the Handles in the back of Richard Raffan's book " Turning Wood ".
Most times I use Aluminium Chair pieces, for Ferules easy to cut on the bandsaw, also easy to turn if not square. Polish with 0000 Steel Wool
I also put the Jacobs Chuck in the head & bore my hole using both the Tool Rest & wind it in with the quill on the Tail Stock.
If making for a Skew, then I cut a piece of dowel, split it & I only use Aquahere to told my Skew in the Handle.
I always Sign & Date my Handles then only use Beeswax on them, as I find it as good as anything.

Hermit
22nd December 2014, 01:20 AM
Hi to you all,
Very interesting comments there.
Well, I do almost the same as all of you.
I make my Handles 13in. about 330mm. I do not have a big hand, so my Handles are a fair bit smaller.
I really like the Handles in the back of Richard Raffan's book " Turning Wood ".
Most times I use Aluminium Chair pieces, for Ferules easy to cut on the bandsaw, also easy to turn if not square. Polish with 0000 Steel Wool
I also put the Jacobs Chuck in the head & bore my hole using both the Tool Rest & wind it in with the quill on the Tail Stock.
If making for a Skew, then I cut a piece of dowel, split it & I only use Aquahere to told my Skew in the Handle.
I always Sign & Date my Handles then only use Beeswax on them, as I find it as good as anything.

Thanks Lewis. So the split-dowel method for flat tangs is also valid.
I have small hands too, so won't make mine too thick. Yet to determine a shape. I'll take a closer look at the handles that I already have, then decide. Sort of leaning toward the Sorby shape, but I think that's just because I've used my Sorby tools the most.

How deep would you go, for say, a 1/2" (round) shaft?

turnerted
22nd December 2014, 08:43 AM
Nice little bud vase Steve.
I usually use old fence posts for my tool handles . They look crap on the outside , but are usualy good inside .Drill the hole while the blank is still square then turn with your live centre in the hole then it won't matter if the hole was not dead centre.
Ted

issatree
22nd December 2014, 11:35 AM
Hi Steve,
One point, like Ted said, drill the hole while blank is still sq. I wood always put my Blank in my Chuck, 1 heck of a lot easier.
Yes, 2 - 2 1/2in. should be far enough in, & then I mark the Distance on the Steel, so as I don't go to far in.
I wood give the bored hole a bit of a wiggle so as to make it just a whisker bigger, whack some Glue on the Steel & in the hole, but very little.
Insert the Steel in the Handle, give it a few whacks with the Mallet, up to the mark, & Bob's your uncle.
Yes, half dowels on either side of the Skew, bit of Glue, & wood maybe have to use the side of a Bench Chisel to get them in.
I wood still have a look at R. Raffan's Handle, somebody should have the book or even the Library. Every Handle I have is of that Shape.
Be interested to know how you know my Christian Name.
Have fun as that is what it is all about.

Hermit
22nd December 2014, 01:10 PM
Nice little bud vase Steve.
I usually use old fence posts for my tool handles . They look crap on the outside , but are usualy good inside .Drill the hole while the blank is still square then turn with your live centre in the hole then it won't matter if the hole was not dead centre.
Ted

Thanks Ted, good advice. I wonder if my neighbours would notice if the odd fence-post disappeared? :D
Meantime, the timber chuck1 gave me will keep me going with handle-making for a while. :cool:



Handles Again.
Hi Steve,
One point, like Ted said, drill the hole while blank is still sq. I wood always put my Blank in my Chuck, 1 heck of a lot easier.
Yes, 2 - 2 1/2in. should be far enough in, & then I mark the Distance on the Steel, so as I don't go to far in.
I wood give the bored hole a bit of a wiggle so as to make it just a whisker bigger, whack some Glue on the Steel & in the hole, but very little.
Insert the Steel in the Handle, give it a few whacks with the Mallet, up to the mark, & Bob's your uncle.
Yes, half dowels on either side of the Skew, bit of Glue, & wood maybe have to use the side of a Bench Chisel to get them in.
I wood still have a look at R. Raffan's Handle, somebody should have the book or even the Library. Every Handle I have is of that Shape.
Be interested to know how you know my Christian Name.
Have fun as that is what it is all about.



Excellent, thanks Lewis. In the past, I always thought that turning tool shanks went almost right through the handle, so it's taken some time to get used to the idea that they're only about 2 1/2" deep. I honestly wouldn't have thought that was deep enough to handle the stress, with a bowl gouge for example.

After thinking about it overnight, I've decided to drill the same way as you, with the timber in the chuck, (1" jaws). I was going to do it the other way, but don't have a 'keeper' bar to screw into the rear of my Jacobs chuck morse taper and hold it in place. Knowing my luck, the chuck would come out and fly as I withdraw the drill bit to clear the swarf. At least with the Jacobs chuck in the tail end, I can hold it in place by hand as I partially withdraw the bit.

I would be interested to see Richard Raffan's handle shape. I'll do a bit of a search online tonight. Won't be too hard to find.

The reason I know your Christian name is from the bottom of a post or PM in the past. Can't remember which.
(I hate using the silly forum names, so use Christian names whenever possible.)