Turn a Hammer Handle??

[Keith Palmer]

I would like to make some smaller handles for some 8 oz hammers to give to my boys, but not sure as to how to make them. I would like them to be oval shaped like an OEM handle.

Any suggestions/tutorials??

Thanks!

[Jim Koepke]

You could turn a handle with a shape, then carefully trim the sides, a little sanding or use of a rasp would smooth the transition. The tenon for fastening into the head likely does not need turning. 8 oz seems a bit heavy for a kid, unless it is a bigger kid.

Some of my first chisel handles shapes could easily be adapted to hammer handles if they were trimmed.

jim

[Gary Herrmann]

Turn the blank round, then move the tailstock (assuming that's the end of the handle to grip) and it about 1/4" off center. Take light cuts the last 6 inches or so and you'll get your oval. Stop and check progress so you don't turn this section round.

[Bob Vallaster]

In few words: turning with multiple centers. A least two, maybe three.
First a visualization exercise.
Get pencil, paper, compass and straight edge.
Draw a straight line ~1" long. Put a dot on the line near center. Make two more marks about 1/4" either side of first mark. You now have three dots in a row with distance of 1/2" from the most distant dots.
Set the compass to ~3/4" and strike circles around the outer dots. The overlap between the circles would be something approaching 'oval' if this were turned as a spindle.
To remove the sharp corner, you can:
1) use the first center mark to clip it
2) use a spoke shave
3) use a rasp or the abrasive gouge
4) use a combination of the above.
The top end will be simpler if it is turned with a single center and turned fat. Unless the hammer head has a round broach, anticipate whittling-to-fit with a pocket knife.
Make extra blanks---the process takes some practice to produce a 'keeper.'

BobV

[john taliaferro]

http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=549 this should do ,merry christmas keith johnt