handle material selection

[Brent Grooms]

Awhile back one of my jet bar clamps tried to commit suicide by jumping off the bench and onto the floor (one of those days when you need at least 4 hands) and the handle was broke. I called Jet and their CS/Tech said they don't sell handles as replacement parts soo....

I need to make one but I am a little concerned with material selection. The picture below shows the riveted end (broken) I have no problem with turning a replacement handle, but the small amount of material around the rivet pin has me a little concerned with longevity.. I have oak, maple, cherry, walnut, bocote and a couple of other south american hardwoods available. Would one be decidedly better than the others? Any suggestions for a ferrule? I don't think I will be able to re-use the factory one after I get the broken piece of plastic out.

[Steve Vaughan]

Brent, I would turn me a handle of the maple or similar wood that's hard. Drill a hole in one end the size you need, and turn that end down to fit a piece of copper pipe onto, maybe 1/2" size. Turn the rest of the handle to size. Before you put the thing onto your screw, measure where the hole is so that when you use gorilla glue to glue it back in place, you can go back and drill the same size hole. Through you a piece of nail cut to length plus an 1/8" or so, stick it through the hole, take a hammer and flatten both ends pretty good to rivet it in place. Job done. Might not even need the rivet and that sort of clamp with a pretty tight fight and gorilla glue. Hope that helps.