Tool Handles

[julcle]

Hi Guys - A quick question if I may about home turned Tool Handles that I have made from Ash Stock that I have around the shed. I am happy turning and fitting to round stock for Bowl and Spindle gouges but not so happy on the square section stock. I have been given a couple of Ashley Isles Chisel Blades, One is a Bedan and the other a Flat Ground Skew and the stock is 1/2" x 1/4" with a tapered tang the overall length is about 10". Is there any sort of formulae for drilling the hole in the handle ( I can't imagine a square hole ) as I can imagine too small and the handle will split and too large and the tool will work loose, also is there any guidance on handle length to tool length ratio that I should be looking at to get a good balance on the tool. I would be interested I the views of the more experienced turners on the forum.
                            Many Thanks

                                      Julian

[MCB]

I've  drilled a hole in tool handles with a hand power drill mounted in a clamp so the axis was horizontal and used a Drill File of diameter equal to the thickness of the tang to first drill to the correct depth and then widen by moving the ferrule end of the handle to and fro until it's width equalled the width of the tang.

I  discovered that it's important to have a good ferrule on the handle to minimise splitting.

I  would  have preferred to drill vertically but there was insufficient clearance between the drill bit and the base of drill press for the handle. It would  probably be OK on a floor standing drill press though.

MC

[Bryan Milham]

I've made a couple of handles for square stock. OI have drilled a hole equal to the cross section of the metal about 2/3's the way down the tang, then using a small chisel chopped the hole square. I've not worried too much about it being a perfect fit, rather an under size is good as the insertion of the tool forces the fibres to grip and hold the tang better.

I have also seen 2 other methods. laminate the handle with the centre section being cut to take the tang before glue-up, then turn it round and the tang being heated to a level where it burns it's way through the round hole to set itself (not sure about this as an idea though).

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

I normally drill my handles on the lathe as a first step(I might rough them down first but not always). I then centre the blank using the hole as a centre point, this ensures the fitted blade is parallel to the handle.
   For tangs that are not round I will drill a hole slightly smaller than the o/a width of the tang decreasing in size  the deeper it gets. I split turn tapered wedges and glue them in place, one either side of the tang.
  As MCB stated a good ferrule is best.
As regards length of the handle that depends on what the tool will be used for. If it is a hollowing tool you want the handle fairly long for a skew I wouldn't make the handle longer than the blade.(Unless you are in to bodging or mill wrighting when I believe longer handles are preferred)
When fitting the handle position the blade in the hole and hit the end of the handle with a mallet, don't be tempted to rest the end on the bench and drive it home or you could damage the blade. You will feel when it is fully home.
I don't like heating the tang and burning it in, I am not a metallurgist so do not understand the damage I can do to the blade by heating to an uncontrolled temperature and also if you burn the insides of the handle you will harden the timber and so reduce the holdability (?)of the timber.I feel that there is also the chance that internal splits may occur so this goes against the grain(no pun intended) for me as we all try carefully to avoid heat checks in our work.
 If you end up turning a nice handle but the hole is too big drill the hole larger and turn a plug to fit snugly and then glue it in and start the hole again once the glue has dried. If you have arthritis or hand problems you might like to turn the handle slightly over diameter, this may make them more comfortable to use over long periods.
hope this helps
Regards
John BHT

[TONY MALIN]

I've fitted tanged tools by drilling an undersized hole (say at 3/4 up the tang) then heated the tang and burnt it in. It's also possible to use say 3 drills to make a stepped hole. Smallest drill first of course !!!

[Roger Lowry]

You could try Miller Dowel Stepped Drill Bits  on the Axminster site.  They come in 3 sizes.  Drill a hole using an appropriate size bit then finish fitting toll by heating and burning to fit.

Roger

[MCB]

I  understand that burning the tang into a wooden handle is  an accepted way of fitting FILES with handles but an earlier contributor cautioned against doing this for turning tools.

I  have successfully fitted turning tool handles by clamping the steel tool in a vice (fibre jaws; fixed to bench with M10 bolts) and encouraging the handle onto the tang by tapping  with a 2.5 lb engineer's hammer.

I  then secured the handle with cyano-acrylate glue.

I'll  be VERY surprised if it ever loosens.

MC

[TONY MALIN]

I thought I might get picked up about burning in the tang. I don't recall one coming loose. Another way is to glue wedges in the sides. Araldite is a useful filler. Any tips on fitting round bars?
I assume copper pipe is commonly used for ferrules, and secured by centre punching. I'm fortunate to have an "engineer's" vee block for support.

[MCB]

I  think that Copper Pipe is  too soft for ferrules. I  was given a turning chisel where the ferrule is  cracked and split longitudinally because, I  suspect the wood was forced out by insertion of a tang without sufficiently large hole pre-drilled.

MC

[TONY MALIN]

Seems at 88.6 I'm old fashioned !!!!

[TONY MALIN]

PS. Poor workmanship was to blame, not the copper.

[Bryan Milham]

Another reason for the ferrule splitting (and it's not uncommon) is the shortness of the metal set into the handle, sometimes only a couple of inches for a bar shaped tool.

If you think about the 'Turning' (physics not woodwork) motions and subsequent stresses on the handle where it's thinnest (the ferrule) you can understand why the ferrule is fitted and why they fail sometimes.

[Paul Hannaby]

I had a ferrule split on a tool because the handle got damp. Once it dried out again, the crack in the ferrule closed up again. Fortunately it was a thin tool so I could easily replace the ferrule without removing the tool from the handle.

[woodndesign]

It has no doubt been said in the past of the use of copper joiners which come in 8, 10, 15, 22 and 28mm internal diameter and thicker walled, should be a useful size there. As with concern for the inner rib, I've seen a plumber hammer it out over a punch.

Cheers  David

[julcle]

Very many thanks for all the replies, there is a lot here to digest but I do like the idea of the miller dowel drill bit, I will have to think about everything that has been said and have a go at a few. I do have a good stock of ferrules (well 2 or 3 ) so brass is not a problem but I have used copper in the past and not had any problems with it. I will let you know how I get on with it.  Many Thanks once again  --  Julian