How many of you with DIY handles use a removable tool ferrule?

[Rob Price]

I know a lot of you use aftermarket handles, and I'd love to get some, but I'm trying not to spend a ton of money (at least more than I've already spent). I bought a couple of gouges from Doug Thompson, and I got some 1.5" scraps of Ipe from my wood 'dealer' that I think would make some solid, heavy handles. This wood is getting harder and harder to come by, and i dont think id be able to score more free stuff down the road. I'm thinking about putting a ferrule on it that would let me swap out tools over time. It will probably be YEARS before I grind the new flutes down to nothing, but eventually I'll run out of room and have to scrap the handle if I epoxy the tool in.

Ive seen the oneway thread-lok product. Assuming I can thread it onto the Ipe (drilling that stuff is like drilling concrete) is that a good product? At $20 it's almost half of one of Doug's handles. What other options are out there? Thanks in advance.

[charlie knighton]

i have not made that many handles, but i like dogwood

[Alan Zenreich]

I've used OneWay Thread-Lok adapters on two of my handles for Thompson gouges.
I like them a lot.

Here's a padauk handle, also showing the taper template that OneWay sells for about a buck.

I hope this helps.

[John Spitters]

If you ever need to get a tool shaft out of a handle that it has been epoxied into all you need to do is heat up the metal enough to soften the epoxy then tap the handle off by gripping the tool shaft in a vise. Using an open end wrench or something similar hold it up against the ferrule and rap it with a hammer to drive off the handle.

[Jon McElwain]

After watching Richard Raffan turn a tool handle with a brass ferrule, drill a hole to size, then friction fit a tool into it, I built a few. I am bummed that I spent money on tool handles once I found out how easy they are to make. I would still use a couple of after-market aluminum tool handles for the tools that need the heft, but wood handles are SO easy to make and you can make them any way you like. I will not be buying any more handles.

I do have a set of Oneway Ferrules and have used a couple of them. They are great, but they are a little big. I like my brass and copper ferrules just fine. I also have some bosch handles, oneway handles, and a couple others that I can't remember at the moment, but like I said, I probably will not be buying any more.

[Dan Forman]

I made a bunch of handles at the outset for my Thompson tools, but once I tried a metal handle on a bowl gouge, I don't like the wood ones any more, at least for bowls.

Dan

[Michelle Rich]

the cheapest is to make your own with some copper pipe ferrules. You can always turn off the old handle way down the road. the $4.00 you spent on the handle today, will be long forgotten

[Ken Glass]

I have made almost all my handle for my lathe tools. I have a couple heavy aluminum ones for 5/8" gouges, etc., and I mostly friction fit the copper pipe fittings like Michelle uses and have never had one come apart yet? I will laminate different woods together to get the handle diameter I want sometimes.

[Robert Henrickson]

I've made a number of my own handles. Especially for tools like the Hunter #5, I like a larger diameter handle than are usually provided on tools. I've generally glued up blanks from ash. Smaller ones I've turned from scrap limb wood, such as birch. For ferrules I've used copper nipples rather than tubing.

[David E Keller]

I use some aluminum tool holders for small detail gouges that are mounted in homemade wooden handles... I find it easier to sharpen the short tools when they're out of their handles. I got mine from Thompson, but I suspect any of the brands would work well. The tools are held in with Allen screws.

[Prashun Patel]

I bought a couple Thompson gouges and have made handles for them myself. One day I'll too get an aluminum handle; they seem to really be the way to go long term. However, the process of making yr own handles is fun, and mine function very well, thank you.

I use copper pipe for ferrules.

I think making yr own tool handles is a useful skill to develop. I've since made a couple rasp and file handles. It's simple, gratifying, and a great way to make use of a lot of would-be waste wood.

[John Keeton]

Rob, most of the time a friction fit is all that is necessary, and if it is a bit loose put just a very small amount of epoxy on the shaft just at the last 1/4" when the tool seats. It doesn't take much to keep it from turning in the handle. I don't think you would have any trouble removing the tool. I use hard copper for ferrules on my wood handles. I do like the permanent metal handles, but prefer a cushioned (and warm!) covering on the handle.

[Alan Zenreich]

The original question specifically asked about facilitating the ability to swap the tool in and out, so my comments are an attempt to stay on topic.

The key here is whether you want your tool to be easily removable from the handle (for sharpening, swapping in another tool, etc.)

If so, using a Thread-Lok or some other ferrule designed for this purpose is a good approach when using a wooden handle.

Other approaches include making handles from aluminum or other material that allow tapping for placement of set screws, knobs, or collets that lock the tool shaft in place, yet allow for easy removal.

If you don't care about the interchangeability of the tool, then just about anything will work for a ferrule (epoxied string, brass plumbing fitting, steel tubing, etc.)

[George Heatherly]

I have used both the Oneway taper-lock and the Hosaluk handle insert adapters on shop-made handles. I like them because I find it much easier to sharpen bowl gouges without the handle attached. I haven't made any handles from wood that was special in any way, so I've not been concerned about that aspect.

[Mark Hubl]

I made some handles using arbors typically used on electric motors for buffing wheels. These have worked well for me so far and with additional bushings have proved pretty flexible. I also have a Oneyway handle when I want some heft.

Below is the link to a thread with some pics of my frugal application.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?153594-Tool-Handles&highlight=

[Michael Mills]

I made my somewhat similar type with a jacobs chuck. Most chuck takes either a 3/8 or1/2” shaft so you can make the bolt into the handle as long as you wish.
Actually have three now, a ¼” for light work, a ½, and a ½” square hole sleeve (this does have a set screw) for tools from square stock.
Some folks say it would be too heavy; guess when I can’t lift a ½” chuck with a lever I’ll quit turning.

[Rob Price]

Rob, most of the time a friction fit is all that is necessary, and if it is a bit loose put just a very small amount of epoxy on the shaft just at the last 1/4" when the tool seats. It doesn't take much to keep it from turning in the handle. I don't think you would have any trouble removing the tool. I use hard copper for ferrules on my wood handles. I do like the permanent metal handles, but prefer a cushioned (and warm!) covering on the handle.

John, do you drill a hole smaller than the tang or use the matrial above the tang for the fit? I'm not as concerned about removing the tool to sharpen (maybe I should be) but more thinking I will want to reuse the handle down the road. That Ipe is super dense and super hard- im hoping it will make good handles. If this was another wood I don't think I'd care as much, but I know it's getting harder to come by. I have some copper couplings I can use for ferrules. I don't think I'd be able to screw the oneway ferrule on. I've snapped more than a few stainless steel screws in this stuff- and that's with a predrilled hole and countersink.

Thanks for the comments. Working this weekend, hopefully I'll have some handles to post next weekend- and then maybe some bowls :)

[John Keeton]

Rob, I use the diameter of the gouge. Most of my wood handled tools are Thompson, and I use a 1/2" drill for the the 1/2" bowl gouges, etc. Seems to work fine.

[Rob Price]

Great. Thanks a ton.

[Baxter Smith]

I have made two using the oneways (3/8 and 5/8) and the same sizes for the Hosaluk adaptors I picked up. The Hosaluk requires a larger diameter wooden handle since it has to fit inside the wood. I read somewhere recently that larger diameter handles than what are normally sold, give better control and are less tiring to use.

[Rob Price]

I got just a little time in the shop today. Done for the weekend, but I got the hole drilled (wow, stalled out twice and that's after using 4 bits to work up to 1/2") and roughed out the blank (2 sharpenings of the gouge) and installed the ferrule (copper pipe coupling). The hole wandered a bit, so I'm left a little more narrow that I planned on, ~1 3/8 diameter, but that just means I won't put much taper on the middle. Still larger in the middle than my BB handles.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ueozPajfeHc/TzaM6B__woI/AAAAAAAABnY/hPtTuj0zOGo/s400/IMG_1137.jpg