Turning aesthetics

[Nige7]

Hi dr4g0nfly
This is a method I have used before particularly with old file handles. Using a decent sized blow torch I have heated tangs on files to red heat without getting the rest of the file so hot as to get colour changes.  Admittedly files tend to be hard and brittle so a bit of annealing round the tang does not go amiss.  I certainly wouldn't use this method on 'lightweight' tools as they don't have the mass or the surface area to cope well with fierce heating without getting to too high a temperature at the business end. All of this is experience from OLD steel tools NOT modern HSS steels which can be complicated to treat.  Some modern HSS steels can suffer from thermal shock. Fast increases in temperature from room temperature can lead to cracking in the steel, not something you want on your new Sorby gouge

Nigel

[BrianH]

The normal way to protect the tool proper from overheating when burning a tang into a handle is to wrap it tightly in rag, with just the tang showing, and then keep the rag wet.
Hope that helps a bit
Brian

[woodndesign]

I don't see as to any of the manufacturers tools I have handled, showing any form as to being heated for the fitting of the handles, it is likely they're pressed or driven after tapered or stepped holes being drilled, even with file handles.

Burning a tool into a handle may result in a poor fit due to carbin build up on the wood, then this is my thought on it, interesting long term as to the outcome to which you do.

Brian is correct in to stop heat run, wrap tool with wet rag, take care.

Cheers,   David

[Andy Coates]

Even with experience of heat treatments I wouldn't want to fit a handle to a turning tool in this manner. Especially not just so I could fit a handle of unsuitable wood. As Paul stated the olive wood may cause a reaction with the steel - especially if it is an old carbon steel tool. This in itself will weaken the tang over time - and as these things do, you'll only know when it's too late.

My advice: get a piece of boring old ash, beech, or similar and make a safe handle.

On the subject of old files as turning tools. Don't. They are always tang-fitted tools and they WILL snap. As they tend to be made into scrapers and used in a manner which almost inevitably leads to a catch it is bound to happen sooner than later. Why take the risk. If money is an issue either do without or but a reputable cheaper brand like Record.

[Nige7]

Thanks to all.  I'll take the advice about  not using the Olive. It's not too late to turn it into a couple of light pulls   Ash and Beech I have so that advice I will also take

I had no plans to turn old files into turning tools though I have seen that advocated elsewhere; my reference to files was only in the method of fitting handles:)  Thank you for the warning though Andy, I might well have got around to trying to make a scraper from an old file at some time!

Does the acidity of something like Olive make a difference to the glues and finishes we can use?

Nigel

[Bryan Milham]

Most modern glues can handle the acidity of woods, but Olive and some other woods like Teak (and it's substitutes) are so full of natural oils thay can be very hard to glue.

The best method is to make sure you've de-oiled extremly well using white spirit or meths before applying  glue to them.

[Nige7]

Thanks dr4g0nfly, something else to keep an eye on then

I had wonderd about sandwiching a piece of olive between two pieces of a darker wood and turning some light pulls or spirtles.  Am I likely to meet problems if the grains of the two woods are a little different in density?  I guess it will be a little like cutting end grain twice on each revolution though if I ensure the laminations run with parallel grains that should make things easier???

Nigel