Weighting Tool Handles....

[Wally Dickerman]

I have several 25 lb. bags of #9 lead shot left over from my skeet shooting days when I reloaded my shotshells. I have recently been boring deep holes in some of my turning tool handles and filling them with lead shot. In order to get a balance that I like I have removed and replaced the tool from the handle in some of them and put in shot at both ends of the handle. I really like the feel of a little extra weight in my gouges and in some of my scrapers. I have what some in the UK call a long and strong scraper that I use to remove some of the wood on the inside of hollow forms. It's 1/2 x 1/2 in. hardened steel that started out at 18 in. long with a 17 in. handle. (That was over 25 years ago...it's now about 11 in.) I really like the stability that a lot of extra weight gives me when that that tool is deep inside a HF.

Has anybody else done this? I recommend it.

Lead shot is available at gun stores. Last time I checked it was about $50 for a 25 lb. bag. Not a bad price for a club to buy and share with members. 25 lb. will fill a lot of tool handles.

Wally

[Don Carter]

Wally:
I have been making some tool handles with 3/4" galvanized pipe that I put a hose over for comfort. I use compression plumbing connectors to hold my Oland tool shafts and I put a cap on the bottom of the pipe. I fill the pipe partially with shot until it feels right. It works for me. ;)

All the best.

Don

[Andrew Derhammer]

Bah, lead shot? My dad has around 2000lbs of lead lying for bullseye shooting that I could use:D

[alex carey]

I use PVC pipe and 2 screws to hold the tool in place. Then I filled the Pipe with sand. It works nicely. I like having a really long heavy handle.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wally - I have 2 of the Monster tool handles - the 5/8" one is filled with BBs and the 3/4" one is filled with #9 lead shot. Sure makes a difference when roughing out blanks!

[Ron McKinley]

Hey Steve. Where'd you get that Hiwaiian Flowerdy Hat? Looks great. I got to get one........Ron

[Ryan Baker]

I fill my handles with BBs. I use a combination of copperheads with the larger plastic ones. That allows me to get the weight balance and positioning I want, while still filling the handle so that they don't shift around in use (i.e., fill the extra space with the plastic ones).

[Steve Schlumpf]

Thanks Ron - it is my favorite and I have worn it daily for the last 10 years or so! It was a gift from my Dad and is some form of cammo - lots of oak leaves, birch trees, branches, etc. I find that all the colors seem to go quite well with whatever I am wearing!

[Reed Gray]

I have 2 of the Glaser gouges, with the lead filled handles, and they are my least favorite. They never feel balanced, especially when grinding. I prefer wood handles. I do tend to grip in the middle of the handle rather than way out on the end.
robo hippy

[Don Eddard]

I use PVC pipe and 2 screws to hold the tool in place. Then I filled the Pipe with sand. It works nicely. I like having a really long heavy handle.

Um...I'm not sure PVC is really well suited for a tool handle. Tool handle material should not be flexible, and PVC is. I also don't believe PVC can handle the torsional stresses a tool handle can be subjected to. I'd rather not be standing in the room when a 5/8" Thompson gouge gets launched from a Schedule 40 trebuchet.

Feel free to use whatever you prefer, but I'm posting this so other new guys don't think PVC handles are a good idea. I admire your enthusiasm, but this turning stuff can hurt you if you don't think things through.

[Keith Burns]

Um...I'm not sure PVC is really well suited for a tool handle. Tool handle material should not be flexible, and PVC is. I also don't believe PVC can handle the torsional stresses a tool handle can be subjected to. I'd rather not be standing in the room when a 5/8" Thompson gouge gets launched from a Schedule 40 trebuchet.

Feel free to use whatever you prefer, but I'm posting this so other new guys don't think PVC handles are a good idea. I admire your enthusiasm, but this turning stuff can hurt you if you don't think things through.

I just read this thread and had the same thoughts Don, but you said it very well. A disaster in the making.