IMG_3495 Coffee Cart Handle.jpgSeeing a coffee vendor recently with a standard black plastic handle on his coffee machine, I offered to make a wood handle for him. It was a good change for turning some large bowls. The metal shaft is shown on left, then original plastic, Mimosa, and last Mesquite with black rings. The button is Walnut. Long story of work follows.
The handle required 3 different size bores that were not standard size, 11/32", 13/64", and 3/4" or close since shaft metric and my bits are English. I had the 13/64 " in bradpoint, and the 3/4" as spur with #2 MT. I also had a 5/8" spur with #2MT. Chucking up a 2" square stock 4.5" long in chuck, I turned it round except for the square in chuck. I then drilled 3.5" wiith the 5/8" bit and then used a 1/2" half round scraper to open to the 11/32" opening and used a 1/2" square scraper to get a flat bottom to required diameter. I then used a smaller chuck to reverse the block and aligned with tail center to through drill with the 11/64 bit for the bolt, and followed up with the 3/4" bit to make the 5/8"" deep recess for bolt head, and again used square end scraper to get flat surface. I used a live center for steady and turned the top end of handle and sanded. I made a 3/4" tenon on block to mount in chuck and jammed the piece and again using tailstock for support, turned the bottom end. Sanding followed and then multiple coats of medium CA. The Walnut button was turned from 1-1/2" square stock. Starting again in chuck, stock was turned round and a shoulder established for long 3/4" section was put on end to fit in 3/4"collet , and that was drilled 1/2" to a depth to allow covering bolt head. Inserting in collet, the button was turned, sanded and finished. Long story but had to use some tools not normally used and come up with some tricks to work with what I had. Good practice. The CA finish is not normal for me and glad it will not have close inspection, but should hold up better than my normal Danish oil blend out in weather and hand use.
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