Tricks to replacing tool handle

[michael dilday]

I am trying to replace the handle on an old lathe tool I had. Two attempts and both times the handle cracked about mid-way of where the tapered end went into the handle. I am new to this so my terminology may not be correct. I tried to drill varying diameter holes into the handle to kind of follow the taper and give a snug not too tight fit. Is there a secret to drilling the correct hole so I get the correct fit? Are they normally epoxied in? First time was red oak second time soft maple.
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[tom lucas]

There is no real magic to it. Are you using dry wood? The hole should be slightly deeper than the steel shank and just barely loose enough to twist it in by hand (no tools required). If you get this right. Then support the wood with a metal ferrule made from brass, copper, or steel. Use epoxy to hold the shank in the handle. Clean excess epoxy off using acetone before it hardens.

Some people drill a tiny hole in the side for epoxy/air to escape when pushing in the shank. I've never done that. I've made about a dozen handles and have never had one crack.

[michael dilday]

Ok so epoxy instead of a tight friction fit. That makes sense. I think I can do that. Thanks for your help.

[tom lucas]

Ok so epoxy instead of a tight friction fit. That makes sense. I think I can do that. Thanks for your help.

Lots of youtube videos on this. Check them out.

[Prashun Patel]

It does not appear that your ferrule is doing its job. A well fitted ferrule should restrict the split from starting.

[michael dilday]

It does not appear that your ferrule is doing its job. A well fitted ferrule should restrict the split from starting.

I ordered some ferrules that should help. Looks like my split is happening deeper past the ferrule. I don't think I drilled the hole big enough deeper in the hole. I think if I get the right ferrule, drill a bigger hole and epoxy it in I will be set. Thanks.

[tom lucas]

I ordered some ferrules that should help. Looks like my split is happening deeper past the ferrule. I don't think I drilled the hole big enough deeper in the hole. I think if I get the right ferrule, drill a bigger hole and epoxy it in I will be set. Thanks.

cheapest ferrules are copper pipe. Just cut to fit. You can turn copper and brass right on your wood lathe too. A lot of folks just grab what they have in their plumbing bins. The corners on Brass nuts can be turned round. Small tools that are used only for light cutting don't really need a ferrule. you can also use metal conduit, which is cheaper yet.

[John K Jordan]

Ok so epoxy instead of a tight friction fit. That makes sense. I think I can do that. Thanks for your help.

Mike Hunter says he epoxies his tools into holes drilled into wooden handles. If they need to be removed simply heat the tools shaft to soften the epoxy and twist.

I quit mounting tools in wooden handles - I was getting too many handles and running out of room to put them. Now I keep a lot of tools on shelves and in drawers and make handles with metal inserts so I can swap tools as needed. For example:

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These are epoxied into the wood. I mostly make these on the metal-cutting lathe but I've also made some on the wood lathe with normal woodturning tools.

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JKJ

[roger wiegand]

What's the wood? I'm surprised it cracked like that; it suggests either a weak wood or a pre-existing crack in the billet. I do mine with a tight friction fit, as in with a square tang hitting it hard enough to make the hole square. Never seen a break like that. For round shank tools I drill a hole that just fits and then just a bit of epoxy, for square/rectangular tangs, as tight a hole as you can drive the tool into. For tapered tangs I drill a stepped hole in about three stages, matching diameters of the tang for a tight fit at the intermediate points. Then epoxy. For pretty I'll cut sections of a cylinder to drive in at the top so as not to leave a space between the round hole and square tang.

For ferrules, you will find that copper unions are much stronger than plain copper pipe. I cut them in half and make two ferrules out of one. A repair union won't have the dimple in the middle. Brass gas flare fittings make great ferrules, I turn them down with a gouge to get rid of the corners, you can polish them up however nicely you like.

[Eugene Dixon]

Doug Thompson has an article on his webpage about making handles. A good read.

[Richard Coers]

Old tool makers would drill a pilot hole, then heat the tang on the chisel and burn the fit into the handle. Don't go to full depth, and you may need a couple heats. Then with the chisel on top, drop the end of the handle to the bench or floor to set the tapered tang.

[michael dilday]

Old tool makers would drill a pilot hole, then heat the tang on the chisel and burn the fit into the handle. Don't go to full depth, and you may need a couple heats. Then with the chisel on top, drop the end of the handle to the bench or floor to set the tapered tang.

I like that idea. Will have to try it next time.

[Dave Mount]

+1 on the brass flare nuts, that's what I use, mostly just because they're pretty. Pics below aren't turning tools, but the application is the same and I happen to have pictures. As others have said, you can turn the flats off using the lathe, but that always made me queasy (for no good reason) -- I turn a mandrel for them, chuck them in a drill, and run them against a belt sander to shape and polish. Not saying it's a better way, but it also works.

Please excuse the tool marks on the mallet, that mallet was the first thing I ever turned on a lathe, many years ago. I bought my first lathe because I was doing some forge work to make woodworking tools, and needed to make handles. The chisels were specialty sizes I made for making wooden molding planes, which I was also exploring at the time. If only my turning adventures had stopped at tool handles, I'd probably have gotten the baseboards installed in our house by now.

Chisel handles are lacewood, the marking tools osage orange (top) and crotch cherry (bottom). Gave them as gifts to woodworking pals.

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Best,

Dave

[tom lucas]

nice looking ferrules, Dave. I too like the brass flare nuts too, but they aren't so cheap unless you come into some excess stock. Still affordable but I'd have to make a run to the hardware store and it seems I always have some copper fittings/pipe lying about.

[michael dilday]

+1 on the brass flare nuts, that's what I use, mostly just because they're pretty. Pics below aren't turning tools, but the application is the same and I happen to have pictures. As others have said, you can turn the flats off using the lathe, but that always made me queasy (for no good reason) -- I turn a mandrel for them, chuck them in a drill, and run them against a belt sander to shape and polish. Not saying it's a better way, but it also works.

Please excuse the tool marks on the mallet, that mallet was the first thing I ever turned on a lathe, many years ago. I bought my first lathe because I was doing some forge work to make woodworking tools, and needed to make handles. The chisels were specialty sizes I made for making wooden molding planes, which I was also exploring at the time. If only my turning adventures had stopped at tool handles, I'd probably have gotten the baseboards installed in our house by now.

Chisel handles are lacewood, the marking tools osage orange (top) and crotch cherry (bottom). Gave them as gifts to woodworking pals.

426882426885

Best,

Dave

Very nice work Dave. They all look GREAT! Guess I need to re-do mine.