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Neillarson

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May 14, 2007
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Location
Crystal Lake, IL, USA.
I could use eom help I bought some cold rolled steel and HSS tool bits. I bought 3 feet of 1/2" CR Steel and 10 HSS bits. I drilled the end of a 12" piece of CR Steel out to a depth of about 1". I also drilled out 2 holes and tapped them for set screws to hold the HSS bits. I am making a couple different profiles of bits.

Now I need to make a handle. I have some nice maple I am going to turn for handles. My question around is the mechanics of attaching the handle to the tools. I have buffed the tool steel out to get the carbon residue off of it. I thought I would use a file and rough it up then use a 2 part epoxy to glue it in the handle. Any idea how deep it should be in the handle? I plan to make the handle about 14" long. Also, should I oversize the hole by 1/32 for the glue (and to prevent a blow out when I press the handle in) or go exactly 1/2" on the hole and plan on a VERY thin layer of glue? I am not sure that I have the skill or technology to make a ferrule for the handle, any other ideas for a way to keep the side to side force from splitting the handle out? Or any ideas on how to make or where to get something to use as a ferrule?

Thanks for the forbearance for a newbee at the art of tool making.

Neil Larson
 
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Your best bet for a furrel would be to use a brass fitting. There are cap fittings that are used for soft copper tubing. Buy one for 1/2" copper tubing and your center hole should be aready there perfect and ready to go. Start turning your handle and turn the tenon for the furrel to thread on. Take advantage of that thread inside the cap and use a socket to thread it on tight.

To back track a bit, drill a hole on your lathe if you can. I would drill the hole as close to the rod diameter as you can. Use this hole to center your tailstock and turn the tenon for the brass furrel.

Ok, back to where we were ... you now have a hex nut brass furrel threaded nice and secure to your tenon. I like to rough the handle round and start at least a taper down to the handle so that when you have the tenon turned the brass will fully cover the tenon. Now engage your tailstock in the brass furrel hole. You can use a HSS lathe tool to turn brass, so now round out the furrel so that it's round and turn the rest of the handle to what ever shape suits your whim. Personaly, I like the handles long. My 1" gouge and 1" skew (that I use on pens) have the same length handle as my bowl gouges! I think they were 15" long. The rest of my tools have 12" handles made from cherry.

When you part the end of the handle, you can re-chuck the handle on the brass to final sand the end. I use a friction polish that I make from 1/3 Shellac, 1/3 DNA and 1/3 BLO.
I am not a fan of FP, but on tool handles I love it. Over time it will take the luster of the wood and not some spray clear that will get all chipped off.

For the rod, I like to take a "beater" grinder wheel and grind some grooves around the part inside the handle. This will help lock the rod in place.
 
I have used a brass pin inserted into holes drilled through the handle and the tool steel. I put one about two inches up from the end of the wood and a second one 90 degrees to the first one about three inches up into the meat of the handle. Get the pins in place, reverse the tool and re-mount in into the lathe and sand the pins smooth. [:)]
 
I have the tool shaft doen, drilled and tapped. I have the handle turned and the brass ferrul on it. I still have to bore the handle, which is now the problem as I do not have a chuck for my lathe (never needed one before)I think I will make a jig for this time and start watching ebay for an MT2 chuck.

I received my bits yesterday so I hope to finish the weekend when I can get out to the shop again.

When it is done, I will post a shot of the tool.

Thanks for your help
 
Neil, you probably should of drilled the hole first. Even with the chuck end, unless you have a steady rest, it's going to be hard to drill the handle perfect. This is why I mentioned to use the hole to center the stock for turning. (Really, the best way would of been to insert a wood or metal rod to hold the blank by that hole and rough it round)

You could give it a shot spinning on the lathe and hand drill it. Keeping the drill straight might be fairly easy if you are not pushing it.
 
Neil, there are numerous 'sellers' on e-bay that do have very nice MT2 chucks. Go ahead and get yourself one as it has many uses and will really be a nice addition to your lathe and to you as well. [:D]
 
Couple ideas...

For a furrel you could wrap nylon or kevlar thread around the furrel area, then coat with med CA glue. It's cheap & strong.. I've used different colored nylon just to give the tools a personal touch..

I agree the process is easier if drilling is done first.

USE EXTREME CAUTION mount a drill chuck in your head stock.
Insert Proper size drill
Lock tail stock in place & use the quill to push your handle into the drill.
Rather than using your hand/fingers you may want to wrap a piece of leather around the handle to hold it.

I use CA glue to hold the steel inside the handle.
 
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