Turning turning tool handles

[ozhunter]

Greetings

I want to make some handles for some of my turning tools and I have two questions.

Is Wild Cherry (that is what we call it her on the Central Tablelands) suitable for handles?

I'll try and find my tree ID book and see if it is a native and what it should be called.

If I have a limb in it's off the tree state, of say three to four inches or a bit bigger in diameter . Can I put that between centres and happily turn my handle, seems to me that would be fairly strong, but I'm only a mug amateur.

I wanted to use this timber because I have plenty of it.

Thanks

[issatree]

Hi ozhunter,
Most woods are always pretty good. Sticks or Branches off the ground always work.
If you are after a design, " Richard Raffan's " Book, " Turning Wood ", there is a Handle in the back pages.
The Book maybe in the Library.
I took the book to O/ Works & blew the picture of the handle up to 13in. or 330mm. on A3, took it home & copied it. I took a Rule of course.
Now, nearly all my Handles are of the Shape, & am very pleased with them all.
I only have, what I regard as a Small Hand, so this Shape Handle, just suits me fine.

[ozhunter]

Thanks issatree.

I went and had a look at the timber i have at home and I don't think it will be suitable.

Not enough solid wood and a good few cracks.

Might see what I have out at the farm.

I may just "have" to buy some timber at the toy show next week for my handles.

[Paul39]

Ozhunter,

If you find a piece 6 - 7 inches in diameter, cut to a bit longer that your finish size and split it in 4 pieces. Split rather than cut as it will split along the grain. If wet, put in the lathe and knock the bark and corners off, and let dry.

Discarded bed posts and table legs make nice handles. I pick them up off the side of the street on trash day. The legs can usually be wrenched off the table, and a head or foot board will usually come apart if a corner is bashed on the street. Some are glued up mystery wood, some solid rock maple.

Look on a tool web site or in a catalog for examples of handles. I have large hands, so I turn down to approximate shape and then grab the handle for a fit while still on the lathe and remove stock until it feels about right.

[hughie]

If you live out around Bathurst it shouldnt be too hard to find some good local timber. What do the local farmers use for fence posts? Any Tee tree growing locally this stufff makes very good handles.

But at the end of the day just about any hardwood would do and if you get stuck talk to your local nursery.

http://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/...CTL_master.pdf

failing that you can talk to your local or Federal land mob for a tree list

Farm Trees Central West NSW - Windyhill Nursery, Orange & Bathurst NSW.

They have a very extensive list of trees some I recognise many I dont. Buts theres literally dozens in the list that would do. It probably seems like alot of work but at the end of the day. But your going to turn up alot of timber good for turning in general of which you can probably get for free to boot.
The central areas of Australia, the uplands,highlands and table lands produce some spectacular timber, many are highly suited to wood turning.

Turning Trees Into Toothpicks

This will get you going

[ozhunter]

Thanks for the comments folks.

The posts we put in fences now are galvanisii starpickutus. No disrespect to the previous generations of this area but there is next to no yellow or red box left for fence posts. The live trees are gaurded like first born children by all of us, and the dead standing one almost as much.

I wanted a lighter colour for the handles, so I have been resisting using Rosewood, but I have lots of it, so might try one tonight.

Someone said pine makes decent handles, so I dug round the shed and found a piece of clear pine that was left over from something or other (the stuff you buy from Bunnies) and made this



Still need to refine the shape to one I like (and practice make long sloping cuts.)

I'll keep playing till I find something that works. I like the look of the pine, if the Rosewood proves too big of a head ache I might just use the pine.

Cheers

[Avery]

Most of the turning tool handles I amusing at the moment are made from offcuts from around the garden - bits of grevillea and callistemon mostly. I think there are a couple from the bluegum that grows on the footpath outside my house. It regularly drops suitable sized branches.

[Kidbee]

I have a much used camphor laurel handle. Great use for a weed tree.

[hughie]

Well for I use what ever is at hand in the way of hardwood, paying little attention to colour and indeed handle shape. In fact I use the handle shape variation as a means of quick ID of the various tools

[Metalman]

I used a similar shape to the one you have pictured but a lot longer, probably too long in some peoples opinion but I like to steady the tool against my body.
To help identify my tools when they in their covers (air conditioning pipe insulation) or when the sharp end is buried in shavings I have put a groove in the end of the handle which is the shape of the cutting edge of the tool.
Mm. (escapee from the metalwork forum)

[ozhunter]

Mm, how long do you make your handles? Mine above is a bit over 16 inches.

[Metalman]

Hi, The handles I use on my large tools are 19 inches, I have shorter handles on smaller tools which also helps to identify them.
Because I usually work in metal I made knurled ferrules which help identify my tools from others.

[ozhunter]

I like the ferrules. Nice individual touch.

[robo hippy]

I think just about any hard wood that is pretty straight grained will work. Pine probably could do in a pinch. Most important it to make sure you have a good ferrule to keep the wood from splitting where the tool enters the wood. That is a fulcrum point. They can range from brass or copper sleeves, brass nuts that are actually threaded on, to the Dave Ellsworth method of strongly wrapping nylon or dacron twine around the ferrule part a couple of times, then chasing it with CA glue. For handle shape, after a number of years, I prefer a straight cylinder.

robo hippy