Padauk for chisel handle?

[Alan Zenreich]

I am expecting a 5/8" Thompson V shaped bowl gouge to arrive shortly.

I have a piece of Padauk on hand that's about the right size for a handle, and wondered if folk had any experience with it as a tool handle.

The only thing I've turned with the wood so far is a small lidded box.

I'll also be using a 5/8" Oneway Thread-Lok ferrule on the handle.

I'll likely make the handle about 16" long.

Any thoughts?

[Robert McGowen]

I am sure that you will get some conflicting answers, but IMHO, it would not be the best choice. You would either need to really seal it well and keep the finish in great shape or expect to get red stained hands every time you sweated while using it. I also remember thinking that it was kind of soft the few times that I have turned it. I can think of lots of other woods to use before using padauk for a tool handle.

[Ryan Baker]

It's certainly strong enough. I agree that you would want to seal it with something or you will have red all over. (I find Padauk miserable to work with because of the red dust that gets all over everything.) I wouldn't call it soft at all -- quite the contrary. I think that you might actually have some trouble with the Thread-Lok ferrule on it (haven't used one though). For a thread-lok, I would choose something more along the lines of ash or cherry, etc. Threading it onto something that hard could be a problem. An insert like the Hosaluk that goes into a hole instead would be easier to use. Padauk WOULD be pretty though.

[Steve Kubien]

Oil it and when dry, hit it with some paste wax. No problems with the red colouring your hands (certainly never did with the padauk handplances I used to use).

[Jim McFarland]

I used padauk for carbide insert tool and finished with Myland's. I use it frequently and, so far, no problems with red hands.

http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg62/zjem02/IAP%20Photos/IMG_6394.jpg

[Brian Kent]

The Padauk orange sawdust covers everything. But once it is done, you finish it and no more orange. I have used it for a handplane - body and handle - and there is nothing that comes off now.

I am now using Padauk for a chair and expect no problems.

Oh yes - it machines easily and has a Janka hardness of 1725. Very nice to work with.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would go for it and make sure you get a good finish on it. When done it won't make your hands red and will be strong.

[Alan Zenreich]

I finally got around to turning the handle for the lovely 5/8" Thompson V bowl gouge. Nice hunk of steel!

This was my first time turning a chisel handle, and I opted for a OneWay Thread-Lok Ferrule. I finished the padauk handle with Tru-Oil (a gunstock finish)

The group photo shows the relative sizes of some bowl tools I've acquired... top to bottom:

Easy Wood Tools - Easy Rougher square 4" radius carbide
Easy Wood Tools - Easy Finisher round carbide
Sorby - Round/side cut scraper
Sorby - heavy duty bowl scraper
Sorby - 3/8" conventional grind bowl gouge
Sorby - 3/8" fingernail grind bowl gouge
Thompson 5/8" V bowl gouge
I hope to actually get to turn with the new tool this weekend.

[Jim Slovik]

Nice job on the handle. Pretty piece of wood too. Did you make the gauge for the ferrule?

[Alan Zenreich]

Jim,

The ferrule template is a OneWay part... costs $1.50. You need one for each size ferrule you intend to install. This one is for a 5/8" ferrule. The angle is 3 degrees.

The ferrule threads onto the wood taper. You turn the taper to be about 1/4" longer than the threads, and this allows you to further tighten the ferrule later if the wood shrinks a bit.

When I turned the taper, it fit just inside the template. However, when I went to thread on the ferrule, it wouldn't grab. So, I took the handle to the sander and took a little bit off the end of the taper (shortening it just a bit, and therefore presenting a wider surface to the threads) and then the fine threads of the ferrule bit perfectly into the wood... a very tight, secure fit.