Interchangeable handles

[Phily]

A comment by Paul39 in my "Optimal Handle" post got me thinking. Paul mentioned that he has around 70 favourite chisels. I also have quite a few chisels though not nearly that many and far fewer that are "favourite".

Never the less, in my quest to create the optimal handle (or handles as it has become clear), is it worth considering making the handles interchangeable? That is, the ability to swap tools over as required.

I have a Sorby micro set with an interchangeable handle that works well, though I only use it every so often. I also bought several Stuart Batty chisels a while back with the taper lock interchangeable handle feature. However I decided at the time I would find swapping the tools over too annoying so I bought a handle for each so have never needed to use the feature.

Which raises the question are interchangeable handles a marketting gimmick or are they a great feature?

[Woodturnerjosh]

I built collet handles for all my bowl and spindle gouges and I won't be going back to fixed handles (I use four handles for nine gouges)

Sharpening is so much easier when you don't have one or two foot of handle in the way and collets are very quick to open and close.

[Gabriel]

Not that I am a travelling circus, and the few times I have carried a bunch of chisels around with me it hasn't been a big issue.....

BUT I can certainly see an advantage to not having to carry multiple handles around and only take the steel and 1 handle if doing regular demonstrations or if you're on the road constantly. Cuts down on precious room and weight.......

[Phily]

Not that I am a travelling circus, and the few times I have carried a bunch of chisels around with me it hasn't been a big issue.....

BUT I can certainly see an advantage to not having to carry multiple handles around and only take the steel and 1 handle if doing regular demonstrations or if you're on the road constantly. Cuts down on precious room and weight.......

I guess I'm more thinking about turning gnarly burls or timber with silica etc. In prep I have several sharp chisels at the ready. Wouldn't it be frustrating to have to swap both chisel and handle?

[Old-Biker-UK]

I'm a fan of holders especially for the chisels not often used.
I made a holder (thick end of a snooker cue) that takes 1/4" bits specifically for small work, lace bobbins, doll's house stuff etc., the chisels are tool steel and include gouges of different sizes, skews and odd ones for turning loose rings.
407718

Mark

[Paul39]

I built collet handles for all my bowl and spindle gouges and I won't be going back to fixed handles (I use four handles for nine gouges)

Sharpening is so much easier when you don't have one or two foot of handle in the way and collets are very quick to open and close.

I can see a definite advantage to not having to swing one meter of long and strong bowl gouge in order to put on a swept back grind.

I have had sticker shock over bought collet handles and the one used one, at $35, I have handled at a store seemed front heavy to me.

I heat with wood, so when I am splitting wood for the fire I save out any interesting hard, straight grained pieces for tool handles. I make tool handles for entertainment. 90% of what I make are bowls. I am up to my ears in finished, partly finished, and handle billets.

I would like to see a photo and / or description of Woodturnerjosh's collet handles.

[Colin62]

Oddly enough, I was thinking about this today, while visiting the workshop of a much better woodworker than I am, who has many interchangeable handles that he's made. They are functional and well designed and well made and I admire them, as well as the skill and thought that has gone into designing and making them. But something in me doesn't want metal handles on my turning chisels. I'm a wood turner and I like wood. I make bowls out of wood, where it would be so much more practical to just have plastic, metal or ceramic bowls. A part of me feels that if I'm going to expect people to appreciate a wooden bowl, then why would I want a plastic covered metal handle on my tools, when a wooden one can be made to be both functional and beautiful. I suppose it's possible to make interchangeable wooden handles, but it's also perfectly feasible to make one handle per tool. In many ways it's an echo of the debate on whether to restore an old Stanley plane, or to buy a shiny new one or even to just use a machine to prepare your wood. There is certainly merit in both approaches, amd maybe one day I'll own an interchangeable metal handled gouge and wonder why I never tried it before. But for now, I'm sticking with wooden handles, and that probably means one per tool.

[george mavridis]

I made a couple ofhandles with a collet at the end to accept any tool. One is ½” and the other ¾”.

These were made for a hollowing tool but can be used foralmost any tool.

[hughie]

Lol Phil another can of worms :U

Well I went down this path with my stainless/foam handles and continued for about 12months maybe more. In the end found the whole process a bit tiresome so went ahead made a dozen or so new handles stainless handle for all those who didn't have a handle.
OK I did keep on with the locking screws etc so its easier to sharpen the tools with a long handle off the back. Had a look at the Vicmarc quick release handles, liked the idea and they are easy to operate and effective. Even made one up to test the concept and it worked very well, a simple, smart:2tsup:. idea
But I am not now into changing handles so it would have been a waste of money to get involved with them as I gather they are not cheap.

I guess for those who do a lot of demos etc one handle and fistfull of gouges is a good thing. If I was going to need a traveling set of tools I would probably invest in these . But there are more than I need, so I might pick and choose the set.

MINIGLASER QR * | Glaser Hitec Engineering (http://www.glaserhitec.com/shop/shopping/miniglaser-qr/)

[Woodturnerjosh]

I can see a definite advantage to not having to swing one meter of long and strong bowl gouge in order to put on a swept back grind.

I have had sticker shock over bought collet handles and the one used one, at $35, I have handled at a store seemed front heavy to me.

I heat with wood, so when I am splitting wood for the fire I save out any interesting hard, straight grained pieces for tool handles. I make tool handles for entertainment. 90% of what I make are bowls. I am up to my ears in finished, partly finished, and handle billets.

I would like to see a photo and / or description of Woodturnerjosh's collet handles.

407758407759

These are two of my handles made with ER collet chucks bought on eBay that I machined down to reduce weight. The ferrules are made from Bakelite.

Cheers
Josh<attachment></attachment>

[Faulko]

Hi,

i asked a related question a little while ago re collet handles - thread is:collet style tool handles (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/collet-style-tool-handles-208265)

In the end I parted with $ for a woodcut handle with collets. am happy so far, but would like to do more turning. I backed off doing my own as I don't really have any way of machining down the ebay collets to reduce weight, which i would prefer to do.....

adam

[Mobyturns]

Hi,

i asked a related question a little while ago re collet handles - thread is:collet style tool handles (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/collet-style-tool-handles-208265)

In the end I parted with $ for a woodcut handle with collets. am happy so far, but would like to do more turning. I backed off doing my own as I don't really have any way of machining down the ebay collets to reduce weight, which i would prefer to do.....

adam

I've been using the Woodcut collet handles (and Woodcut replaceable tip bowl & spindle gouges) for a few years now, strong, comfortable, well balanced & light weight. The ER 16 collets are readily available.

The DIY collet, or repurposed Jacobs quick release chucks + wooden handle designs concern me a little as the connection between the collet adaptor and handle may not be strong enough if the handle diameter is reduced to a comfortable gripping diameter. Bowl gouges in particular can severely stress a gouge handle in a catch situation. I have personally witnessed a HSS 5/8" tool steel bowl gouge snapped by a novice turner, it lost 50mm of tool steel in about 1 second.

Most of the available proprietary quick change handles (Glasser, Vicmarc, SB Tools (defunct) etc.) are good efficient designs but offer minimal weight or volume saving over conventional handled tools, and come with a significant cost. I prefer the Woodcut system because the collet and double ended tool system offers maximum weight and volume saving advantages for the travelling turner at a reasonable cost.

[Sawdust Maker]

wood is good

and I'm too stingy to part with my monies to buy a handle

[Phily]

I don't really have any way of machining down the ebay collets to reduce weight, which i would prefer to do.....

Don't tell any engineering type folk but I have been known to use my woodlathe to machine metal parts. Carbide's work well on softer metals eg brass and mild steel - especially for turning down to reduce size & weight.

[Phily]

I made a couple ofhandles with a collet at the end to accept any tool. One is ½” and the other ¾”.

These were made for a hollowing tool but can be used foralmost any tool.



A great industrial looking handle! Nice one!!!

[Phily]

Thanks Mobyturns, appreciate the information and detail. Has SB stopped making tools? That would be a shame, I have a few of them and really like the steel.

[Phily]

Lol Phil another can of worms :U

Well I went down this path with my stainless/foam handles and continued for about 12months maybe more. In the end found the whole process a bit tiresome so went ahead made a dozen or so new handles stainless handle for all those who didn't have a handle.

yep, thats what I've been thinking might happen. When I'm focussed on a job and need a new edge/shape I suspect I'd prefer to grab a handled tool rather than swap shafts. If travelling and need to be conscious of weight/volume then yep I can see the value. Though I must admit that the Glaser tools look very tempting!!!

[Phil Hansen]

Oddly enough, I was thinking about this today, while visiting the workshop of a much better woodworker than I am, who has many interchangeable handles that he's made. They are functional and well designed and well made and I admire them, as well as the skill and thought that has gone into designing and making them. But something in me doesn't want metal handles on my turning chisels. I'm a wood turner and I like wood. I make bowls out of wood, where it would be so much more practical to just have plastic, metal or ceramic bowls. A part of me feels that if I'm going to expect people to appreciate a wooden bowl, then why would I want a plastic covered metal handle on my tools, when a wooden one can be made to be both functional and beautiful. I suppose it's possible to make interchangeable wooden handles, but it's also perfectly feasible to make one handle per tool. In many ways it's an echo of the debate on whether to restore an old Stanley plane, or to buy a shiny new one or even to just use a machine to prepare your wood. There is certainly merit in both approaches, amd maybe one day I'll own an interchangeable metal handled gouge and wonder why I never tried it before. But for now, I'm sticking with wooden handles, and that probably means one per tool.

Thanks Colin for the comments. Forgot to show you the prototype wood handle with the same fittings as the metal ones:)