Composite tool handles ????

[Clarence Martinn]

What are they, and are they better than wood handles for Turning Tools ????

[Brian Deakin]

The information from page 10 of the pdf below may be helpful

http://www.dmwoodturners.com/wp-cont...G-AUG-2013.pdf

[David Walser]

There are lots of alternative materials for use in making handles for turning tools. None are universally superior to wood. They are in some ways better than wood and in some ways not as good as wood. The chief advantage of alternative materials is that they tend to be interchangeable. That means you can swap out one turning tool for another. This can save a lot of room! I have several of the D-Way beading tools, but only one handle for them. The tools and handle all fit in a small box in a drawer in my tool cabinet. If each had a handle, the beading tools would take up the entire drawer. This can be a very big advantage if you travel with your turning tools. A lot of demonstrators and snowbirds use interchangeable handles for this reason. Note: Wooden handles can be made so they are interchangeable. And not all tool handles made from alternative materials are interchangeable.

Another advantage of interchangeability is you can swap out a tool from a long handle to a shorter one. For some tasks, a longer handle won't fit or a shorter one won't provide enough leverage. Being able to swap from one handle to another can be an advantage for this reason. However, I find I almost never use it. Generally, I like shorter handles for spindle work and longer handles for bowls and the like. So, my spindle gouges and skews all have short handles on them and my bowl gouges and larger scrapers all have long handles. However, I occasionally use my skews as a negative rake scraper -- particularly when hollowing boxes. So, I will swap them out to a longer handle if I can. (Most of my skews have wooden handles, but I do have two that go in interchangeable handles.)

Another possible advantage of interchangeable handles is the ability to change the length of the tool blade extending beyond the handle. This is very similar to changing the length of the handle. I have one interchangeable handle that uses a collet to lock the tool to the handle. When using that handle, I frequently change the length of the tool. All my other interchangeable handles use grub screws. With these, I seldom change the length of the tool. I don't have any of the Stuart Batty tool handles. They use a taper lock, which means you cannot change the length of the tool.

Most of my tools have wooden handles. I have a few Doug Thompson handles. I have the D-way handle I mentioned. I also have the handle that uses a collet, which is a steel tube covered in 3/8" foam. I generally prefer wooden handles. Why? I prefer the feel of them. With the exception of the foam covered handle, my other handles are hard and cold to the touch. We generally think of wood as hard, but it doesn't feel as hard as steel or aluminium to the touch. Wood, generally, is also better at dampening vibrations. Finally, with the exception of the Carter and Sons tool handles, all the alternative handles I've seen are simply long tubes. Some are round, some are octagonal or triangular in shape, but they're the same shape the length of the tool. My wooden handles have a shape to them -- generally thinner in the middle and thicker on the ends. At bottom, I use wooden handles because I like the feel of them in my hands. And, I like the way my hands and arms feel after using them more than I do the feel after using a handle made with an alternative material.

[Reed Gray]

My favorite tool handles are straight wood cylinders. I played around with many different shapes from bump near the ferule to bump on the handle so I don't go off the end. Settled on the cylinder. I to tend to grab closer to the ferule, and have the rest of the handle under my forearm. I have tried a number of other variations, but still prefer wood. Not too heavy, not too light, just right. Never understood the shot filled handles. Too much weight for a long day of turning. Don't like metal because it doesn't feel right. I do need to get some of the cam lock type inserts for my wood handles. Easier to transport.

robo hippy

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

Wood is the original carbon fiber composite!

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Composite handles are good - but pricey for a carbon fiber version. Not sure there's a great advantage over wood, though. All my tools are in interchangeable handles. Some are metal with a synthetic cover (D-Way handles) but most are wooden handles with either a collet system or a Hoseluk adapter to secure the tool. I prefer wood - it's reasonably light weight, with no finish and a final sanding to no more than 120 grit the grip is excellent. They are friendly to the hand and relatively warm compared to metal handles.
There's also a sense of pride in turning your own - you can easily experiment on shapes, lengths, etc. I like the Ellesworth designed handles Robust sells with a nice collet and a three-sided shape that fits well in the hand. If you're going to make your own and want it to be interchangeable Robust sells an excellent collet system you can get or the Hoseluk adapters are readily available from Craft Supply or Packard. If you do make your own there's some excellent articles available on the AAW website that review the process.

[roger wiegand]

I have both interchangeable handles and wood handles. I tend to make wood handles for tools I use a lot, and the interchangeable ones for seldom used tools, just to manage storage a well as for long tools with long handles where sharpening becomes awkward when you can't pull the steel out. The Robust collets referenced above give you the best of both worlds, interchangeability along with a handle you can make that fits your hands, looks, and feels nice to use.

I'm not aware of any advantage that the high tech material handles I've used have conferred. They don't do anything different and generally don't look or feel particularly nice. OTOH, they work just fine.

The big advantage of dedicated tool handles (in addition to always being ready to go) is that you can make them all different, so you know which is which without having to take time to inspect the business end. (especially helpful when they are all point down in a bucket when traveling with them)