silly post, clamp handle

[Jim Meier]

Last week I was working on some acrylic for a fish tank sump and when I was done I absentmindedly leaned one of my 72" jet clamps against the garage door... later that day I opened the door and BANG, the clamp falls and the handle went flying...

So I bought a piece of marblewood and stuck it in the lathe. The result is very comfortable and works well. I cut off the stub and drilled it out to fit after the photo was taken and unfortunately its a little crooked, but, oah well, next time I'll drill with the drill press ...
Has anyone else done this to repair their tools?

[Allen Neighbors]

Nice job, Jim. So what if it is a little crooked... you can still be proud of it. And it works, so it's a good deal.
Yep, I repair anything I can with wood... especially if it's a handle that needs replacing... in fact, sometimes I replace one that isn't even broken, just because I had a hankering to. :)

[Nathan Hawkes]

Nice new handle. I do tanks too. I actually am out of the hobby right now, but I still have a maintenance business. Know anyone that needs a sump out of 1.25" acrylic?? J/K. I've been saving it for building a 240g. tank--roughly 4.5x3.5x2 feet

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great job on the handle Jim. Looks good.

[Gary Herrmann]

Cruise on over to the neander forum, Jim. Lots of folks turn handles for various tool repairs. Did it myself last weekend.

Drill press with a v clamp is your answer.

Look at it this way. How many of us have a clamp with a marblewood handle? I sure don't.

[Jim Meier]

Thanks, I'll be making one of those this week from a screw clamp. fortunately it works, but I may begin replacing some other clamp handles in the next few months....

[Clem Wixted]

... I cut off the stub and drilled it out to fit after the photo was taken and unfortunately its a little crooked, but, oah well, next time I'll drill with the drill press ...
Has anyone else done this to repair their tools?

Jim,

Drill it on the lathe before you turn the handle. Use a Jacobs chuck in the tailstock, hold the wood in the headstock with a chuck and use the tailstock crank to drill the hole. It will be concentric. Take out the Jacobs chuck and use your cone pointed revolving tailstock center and turn the handle.

Clem

[Ben Gastfriend]

Looks good to me. Better than the old one, anyway.

[robert hainstock]

I like your wood choice. And the style. As turners, we should all be able to make our own handles of what ever else we need. We should always think of lathe early on when we have a problem . ;);)
Bob