What Wood for Judge's Gavel

[Bob Bergstrom]

Bob,
I am having a hard time picturing what it looks like to jam chuck the head so that a drilled hole will be centered. Sorry to be so dense. Could you give me a little more explanation?

Using a fairly thick blank of scrap of wood turn a recess deep enough in the scrap that that it will accept the head of the gavel sideways so the area that will be drilled will be facing the tail stock. The head will be perfectly centered. Once drilled just remove and fit the handle.

[Guy Belleman]

Ron, here is a picture of the jam chuck for the gavel head. Getting the hole perfectly centered is necessary. http://www.turnedtreasures.com/proje...gavel_pg4.html

[Ron Kanter]

Thanks Guy.
That makes it very clear.
And the whole tutorial is OUTSTANDING.
Haven't had a chance to read through it carefully, but I did notice that you show attaching the handle using threads and using a wedged tenon. Do you have a preference?

[Roger Feeley]

It's good to consider wood of regional significance. Here in Kansas, the state tree is Cottonwood. I can't imagine a wood much worse for the task. In Kansas, I think I would choose hedge (Osage Orange).

[Steve Doerr]

Ron, here is an illustration of what Bob is talking about. Jam chuck

[Thom Sturgill]

Ron, basically turn a bowl that the head will fit into snugly with the ends jammed into the insides of the bowl so that the head spins on its short axis. Pressure from the drill held in the tailstock will help keep the piece in place while you drill.

I was taught to drill the hole in a square blank at the drill press before turning. Just be careful to get the hole centered in the width of the piece.

If you are off-center, scribe a line the length of the blank parallel with one side that passes through the center of the hole. Extend the line across the end faces and make sure that your live and spur centers are on those lines when you round the blank. That would re-center the hole. The length can be adjusted when turning to balance either side of the hole. Unless you flatten the area at the hole, DO NOT turn a shoulder on the handle as a flat shoulder will not mate up to a round surface. It is much better to bring a cove back to a peak or bead.

I like the ideas of turning several samples - good spindle practice, and either choosing wood from the state tree or of local importance, or her personal favorite. for example down hear in Florida the state tree is the Sabal Palm, which I don't think would work well, but I live on the Treasure Coast which is a big Citrus area. So I would probably use some form of Citrus or Avocado which is farmed locally also, though Rosewood and Mahogany are also local woods.

[Ron Kanter]

Steve,
That is a great tutorial. Not only shows every step, but includes the little tips that make those steps go smoothly.
Thom,
Thanks for the alternative method for drilling a centered hole. Always more than one way to get the job done. So you have a preference when making gavels?

[Jim Watkins]

I made one for an exulted ruler at the Elks Lodge. This was made from Brazilian Cherry. It looked great after it was done. The Striker was the wood. Then I used a high gloss poly urethane finish.