Tool handles - how I made mine.

[William C Rogers]

I had posted before how to make tool handles. I got a lot of good tips and information. Some I knew, some I could incorporate and some I couldn't due to my capability. Also the importance of incorporating a ferrule. My goal was to have the bowl gouges removable for sharpening. I hope my method is viewed as overkill and no safety issues. I am also experimenting with different shapes and styles of handles. Handles are sanded to 180 and unfinished.
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The scrapers I drilled a hole the width of the tang and then used a chisel to make the rectangular slot. I epoxyed them in. The ferrules are copper with 1/8" wall called pressure reducer fitting. For the bowl gouges I bought brass nipples 3" long. The ID's were perfect for the gouges ( 3/8 for the 1/2 gouge and 1/2 for the 5/8 gouge ). Due to size I used a 1" copper coupler for the 5/8" gouge. Then I drilled through the ferrule and brass pipe and tapped for 1/4-28 set screws.
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So these are done and I am happy with the result.

Now looking at my "wish I had better" tools I still use I see a need to make some new handles for them. First one will be my HF parting tool. When I removed the tool from the handle it has a really small tang, just slightly over a 1/4" square. I created a groove on my router table in two wood halves. I glued these to the tang. Then I will glue the nipple into the handle, install the tool and mark where the set screw will contact, remove wood in that area, glue and install set screw. The set screw is to prevent rotation ( not tool removable ) as the tool will glued in.
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Comments welcome, don't mind overkill, but want safety. Note, the brass nipples are more precise on the ID where the steel nipples have a smaller irregular shape.

[Mike Goetzke]

Nice write up. I made a few handles myself a short while back. For my gouges I drilled into the wood for a tight fit for the tool (they needed to be slightly beat on) and also used epoxy with a vent hole beneath the end of the chisel. I'm interested in your use of the brass nipples and set screws so the tool is removable. Did you bore a big hole and press/epoxy the nipple in the handle?

Thanks,

Mike

[William C Rogers]

Nice write up. I made a few handles myself a short while back. For my gouges I drilled into the wood for a tight fit for the tool (they needed to be slightly beat on) and also used epoxy with a vent hole beneath the end of the chisel. I'm interested in your use of the brass nipples and set screws so the tool is removable. Did you bore a big hole and press/epoxy the nipple in the handle?

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, the 3/8 brass nipple has a OD of 0.675, that is 11/16". That is the size I drilled. It was a very nice fit, didn't need to beat it in. The ID was 0.498 and the Thompson 1/2 gouge fit it perfect, no slop and slides right in. For the 5/8" gouge the 1/2" pipe ID was 0.625, again a perfect fit for the gouge. The OD was 0.845 and the closest bit I had was 7/8". So it had more clearance than I wanted but went with it. Doesn't seem to be a problem. Nothing is going anywhere. After gluing the ferrule and nipple to the handle I drilled for the set screw. The set screw goes through the ferrule, wood, and nipple and contacts the gouge. Doing round shafts use the brass as the steel is not near as to size and has a forge line in the ID. Also I was always double checking to be sure the tool would be straight with the handle. I did use a steady rest drilling the holes for added support.

Bill

[Geoff Whaling]

William, they look pretty good, well made & nice setup for the drilling with the steady. Just a small pointer - probably go up to a larger ferrule size on the bowl gouge tool handle - not that much timber left between the gouge shaft & ferrule.