Turned Handle Help

[Christos]

I wanted to re-handle the roughing gouge with a slightly longer handle as I feel a little bit cramped when holding the chisel to the turning.

I have been practicing on a few pieces and thought it's time to give it a shot to make one out of some hardwood. Not sure of the species but it is very heavy compared to pine and oregon. So I hope it's a hardwood.

Well the turning, drilling the hole and the ferrule seem ok. The problem I had was with securing the chisel to the handle. I used a wooden mallet on the back end of the handle while holding the chisel. It started to sit in but would not go further. I took it out easy enough and drilled a little bigger hole just at the start.

Same thing would not sit in tight. Slightly bigger hole which now made it three steps. Now I think this was too big so I epoxy the chisel into the handle.

What should I have done?

Thank you

[Pat]

Christos, a question, does the RG have a round or tapered tang? If a round tang, I'd drill the hole at the same size of the tang, eg Tang is 12.7mm (1/2"), hole is 12.7mm (1/2"). If it it's tapered, then drill the hole in stages. Measure the tang with about 25mm, 50mm and 75mm and drill the narrowest dimension the furthermost.

To get the chisel to seat properly, holding on to the chisel, Place the chisel and handle vertically on a solid surface and then tap them on said surface.

How good is the fit of the ferrule?

[munruben]

Sounds like good advice from Pat. How about a picture of your finished handle?

[wheelinround]

Yep Pat's said most of it.

Christos are you drilling deep enough might be the problem as you say it "Wouldn't go any further" dia of hole may not be the problem.

I either hold the tool in a vice or tap it into a piece of softwood (pine) or even just bang the handle end down onto a solid surface.

[Claw Hama]

Great advise, agreed but Christos if you want to know if it's hardwood, hold the handle firmly in your right hand, put your left hand on the bench in a solid position and then strike across your left hand with said piece of maybe hardwood. If it hurts its hard wood.

[brendan stemp]

I reckon the way you did is fine and exactly the way I do it for the flat, tapered tangs. Epoxy glue is a perfect way to fill the gap and glue the tool into place.

[rsser]

I seat the tool by inserting it into the hole, then dropping the handle bottom a foot or two straight down onto a carpet square on the concrete floor. The weight of the steel drives the tang in further.

Like Pat I used a stepped hole for a tapered tang but sometimes the fit's not good; a bit of twisting shows the tight point and sometimes grinding a small chamfer on the tang at that point is all that's needed to get a better fit. Failing that, epoxy.

[Christos]

The tang is tapered.

Will post a photo of the finished handle. I was thinking of using boiled linseed oil. Not too concern how long it takes to dry.

[Christos]

..... Christos if you want to know if it's hardwood, hold the handle firmly in your right hand, put your left hand on the bench in a solid position and then strike across your left hand with said piece of maybe hardwood. If it hurts its hard wood.

I give it a try but I think that I used my right hand as that is stronger then my left. I will try and post pictures of the results.

[Claw Hama]

Second thoughts Christos, you can also use someone else's left hand

[Christos]

Second thoughts Christos, you can also use someone else's left hand

My backup plan.

[turnerted]

Nothing wrong with using epoxy . I always do it that way and never had one come loose yet.
Ted

[Jim Carroll]

I wanted to re-handle the roughing gouge with a slightly longer handle as I feel a little bit cramped when holding the chisel to the turning.

I have been practicing on a few pieces and thought it's time to give it a shot to make one out of some hardwood. Not sure of the species but it is very heavy compared to pine and oregon. So I hope it's a hardwood.

Well the turning, drilling the hole and the ferrule seem ok. The problem I had was with securing the chisel to the handle. I used a wooden mallet on the back end of the handle while holding the chisel. It started to sit in but would not go further. I took it out easy enough and drilled a little bigger hole just at the start.

Same thing would not sit in tight. Slightly bigger hole which now made it three steps. Now I think this was too big so I epoxy the chisel into the handle.

What should I have done?

Thank you

Sound more like you did not go deep enough with your initial drilling.

The way you have swaged the tool into the handle is the best way as the square edges bind better into the timber and get a firm grip without the need for any fillers.

Drilling in a stepped way is always a good way to get the tapered tang to locate centrally as well.

[Christos]

Here is the handled chisel that I made. The ferrule is from an old curtain rod and the thickness of the metal is about 1.5mm thick.

Attachment 189374


No finish applied as yet and not tried on the lathe. Some of the other handles that I have my fingers are wrapping all the way around. This one is a little thicker with about 10mm gap between end of fingers and palm.

I guess I will see how this feels before I make another one.

Also wish to thank everyone for the responses to my question. I was using the back end of the painter brush to measure the dept and no way of rechecking as I used the brush to mix the epoxy, and that's long gone.

I do have one more chisel to make a handle for so the thoughts are noted for the next one.


And if anyone knows what type of wood this is please let us know.

[oldiephred]

The proper way to seat a tool on a handle (axe, hammer, chesil, etc.) IMHO of course, is to place the tang into the hole and seat it slightly then hold the handle with one hand while hammering on the free end of the handle with a mallet. Do not rest the tool on or against anything, do not pound on the tool, just let it hang free.This method will "draw" the tool onto the handle with enough force that it will split the handle if the drilled hole is too small. With this method, make sure the sizes are right because getting it off will be very difficult. good luck