How I make handles for tanged tools.

[Dan Forman]

This is a bit of a different way of dealing with lathe tools with tangs, such as skews, or in this case, scrapers. Rather than try to put a square peg in a round hole, I came up with this method.

I make a laminated handle, with the center lam the thickness of the tang of the tool. This one is padauk with a cherry center. Before gluing together, cut a slot in the center lam the size of the tang, centered as pictured here. I used a bandsaw, and used the fence to make sure the slot was centered. Best to do this on a test piece first, until you have the fence settings just right, then go to the real thing.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1010717.jpg

Next, cut another piece of wood to fill the slot, but slightly longer. This will help keep glue from squeezing into the slot, which might make it hard to insert the tang later on. Now glue and clamp the blank together, pulling out the peg, wiping off any glue, then reinsert and wipe a couple more times to clean out as much glue as possible, leaving the peg out of the blank as it dries. If you sand the peg just a bit, it will make it a little easier to get out of the blank once it's glued and clamped. I didn't think of that until later, I just loosened the clamps on that part of the blank. Be sure to do this part in a timely manner, you don't want that peg stuck in the blank!

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1010718.jpg

Once the glue is dry, re-insert the peg, and trim it off even with the front of the blank. This will give something for your live center to seat itself in. Now go ahead and turn the handle to your desired shape. I applied a few coats of wipe on poly for a finish. once turned, in order to remove the peg, drill and install a small screw in the end of the peg, and pull it out with a pair of pliers. I used a short length of copper coupler for the ferrule, and polished it up while the blank was turning.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1010719.jpg

The only thing left is to insert the tool into the handle. These fit well enough that no glue was needed. If loose, just a bit of epoxy will hold everything in place, but chances are there will be enough dried glue squeeze out that the tang will fit snugly.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l279/T-Caster/P1010722.jpg

The only tricky part in the process is to get the peg out before the glue sets, and keep that cavity reasonably free of glue. There are probably better ways of doing that part, so feel free to apply another solution. You will need a peg though for the live center though.

I suppose this method is a little more work, but I like the idea of the tang being firmly captured, and it looks a lot more tidy.

Dan

[Norm Zax]

Very elegant result!
Are the ferrules just slided on, after the handle is turned but before the tool is inserted?

[Harvey M. Taylor]

GOODO Dan, gotta try that next time, thanky, Max

[Tom Godley]

I like it -- I like it !!!

[Chris Fierro]

I like your method--I am going to adapt this to handle some 1.25" by 0.5" tangless scraper blanks. The only thing that I would suggest to alleviate the need for the plug to take the center would be to turn a wooden chuck, mortise the same size hole, glue in that plug with additional length, and use that as a "plug / jamb" chuck. I haven't figured out exactly how to get that mortise centered in the wooden chuck though.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dan - I've yet to turn a tool handle but your system sure makes a lot of sense to me on how to deal with tangs. Sure makes more sense than beating it into a round hole! Thanks for taking the time and putting this tutorial together for us!

[robert hainstock]

Dan,
I have found over the years that sooner or later that the tang on the type shown will loosen . I ususally wind up re reseating it at 90degrees and pounding the butt end of the handle onto an unmovable surface. I am much happier with the newer trend towards round tangs. your solution just might be the answer for the tapered rectangler tang. :)
Bob

[Tom Hamilton]

Beautiful handles Dan, have you got a marketing plan and pricing figured out yet?!

You might also enjoy reading this article: http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/jThompson/restore/nutFerrule/nutFerrule1.asp about how to use a brass compression nut as a ferrule on a handle.

Another technique for the tang I read about recently on the Old Tools forum involves drilling the hole with different size bits. The first hole is drilled full length of the tang with the smallest bit.

Next hole is drilled with a larger bit but only 3/4 or 2/3 deep. Last drill 1/4 deep with the biggest bit, ie the size of the widest part of the tang. A little pressure, epoxy for insurance, and Schazam, handle and tool are one.

You could then use a plug in the hole to turn the handle of maybe even just put the live center into the hole.

Thanks for the post, beautiful handles, Tom

[Reed Gray]

I have used this method for a while. Instead of inserting a plug, I just use a steb center. It is pretty easy to line it up on center. I do put the ferrule on before seating the tool. I want the fit to be pretty close so that I have to tap it in, and don't want the stress of forcing the tang into the hole to open up the glue joint, not to mention that some of the ferrules won't fit over the blade of a scraper.
robo hippy

[Dan Forman]

Thanks for the comments. One of the members here asked permission to publish it on the Lone Star Woodturners webpage, so it's available from there in PDF form.

I kind of glossed over the tang issue, but bringing that end down to the internal diameter of the tang material, in this case 3/4" coupler (can't remember the exact inside diameter) is one of the first steps in turning, which guides shaping the rest of the handle. I used a parting tool to do this, but this could also be done with a skew, if you are comfortable with that.

I used a pipe cutting tool to cut the coupler to about 3/4" length, mounting it on a tight fitting dowel (made on the lathe) to aid in holding it while turning the pipe cutting tool. On other handles I also used a Dremel tool with metal cutting wheel to cut the pipe, but the that was a little more work to clean up the cut edges of the tang, which was done with a file, and once mounted, with sandpaper, as the handle was turning on the lathe. The out side surface of the tang was also polished with sandpaper, 220-600 grit, then buffed with honing compound to a high shine.

After the handle is shaped and sanded, the tang is installed with a bit of epoxy to hold it in place. The fit should be tight, with a little persuasion needed in the form of a wooden mallet, or a regular hammer could be used if a piece of wood is placed between it and the tang. As Reed pointed out, you want to do this BEFORE seating the tool.

As for seating the tool, I found it necessary to whack the bottom of the handle smartly with a mallet several times to get the tool seated fully. This is done while holding the handle loosely in one hand, with the tool pointing up, while the other hand applies the whacks to the butt end of the handle.

I didn't want to glue the tools in, because being new to the whole business, I didn't know what I wanted in a handle, so wanted to be able to easily extract the tools and mount in another handle if these weren't working out.

In all, I made seven handles, in various styles, which were among my first projects, and as such, provided a great learning experience. In the process, I got some first rate tools for substantially less than I could have purchased them for in completed form. So if you are just starting out, don't be intimidated, just jump right in.

Dan