Drilling hole in new tool handle – how?
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Hi,
I’m going to be turning a couple of chisel handles.
Can anyone recommend the best way to drill out the hole for the chisel?
I don’t have a drill press.
I can have a go free-hand with the handle in my vise, but wondered if there was a better way.
I have seen some YouTube videos where people use a drill attachment on their lathe, but I’m an absolute beginner with my lathe so don’t know if this is sensible or not?
Thanks
Darren.
Here’s the way I was taught to do it on a lathe. There are variations, but this is the main theme
Cut your square blank at least 6mm wider than you intend the diameter of the finished handle – this is for waste both sides and at least 12 mm longer.
If you are not going to drill it by hand, the alternative way is to drill a pilot hole first on the lathe for which you will a Jacobs chuck in the headstock. Use a drill in this chuck about 4- 6 mm mm diameter for the pilot hole the length of the intended tang. You’ll refine the shape of the hole off the lathe later to match the angle of your tang, but this needs to be as central on the long axis as you can get it.
Mark the centres accurately on each end of the blank.
With the chuck and drill in place select the end of the blank that will be at the ferule-end and align it toward the headstock. Offer it to the drill and advance the tailstock to the marked other end.
Start the lathe on the lowest speed – about 60 – 100rpm. Hold the blank and advance the tail stock so the drill cuts. You’ll need to stop frequently and withdraw to empty the flutes of the drill or it will cease cutting.
At the required depth stop. Draw back the tail stock and spin the lathe momentarily. As the thing slows mark the dead centre on the exposed tail end with a pencil. This may not be exactly the original mark but should be close and will be the true axis of the blank from now on when it is mounted on your chisel. Use this for turning from now on.
Reverse the blank and remount it with the hole end at the tail stock and turn it to shape. Start with the ferule section, fit it and then get the shape and then sand it before parting off.
Finally, enlarge the hole to take the tang with a hand drill starting with the fattest portion and getting smaller in drill size, but always following the original pilot hole.
If you have an old style triangular tang, file the corners sharp and use the resulting aris to cut the hole in the handle by rotating the handle on the tang. Clear the debris from the hole periodically and keep going until you have about 6 mm left above the bolster, then tap the whole handle home. It’ll never come off and the whole chisel/handle assembly should be dead central on one axis.
The first few may be crud, but persevere and you’ll get better at it.
Good luck.
You have options. You can drill the hole before you turn the handle, but then you have to be sure the hole is mounted on a short straight dowel or jam-chuck before you turn the outside.
OR you can drill slightly oversize, then epoxy by eye.
OR If your blank is mounted on your lathe in a chuck, that’s easy, because the drill will naturally self Center, (on low speed, I bring the drill mounted on the tail stock chuck into the spinning wood, the drill will naturally only cut in the centreline)
OR you can go old- school, drill the hole in the blank, then mount your tool, then hand carve the handle to suit by hand tools only (tapered octagonal handles were traditional in early America- no ferrules, just a bit of straight grained ash)
11 December 2016 at 5:22 pm #143241The way I’ve always done it is as follows:
– mount the blank in the chuck. It should be 1.5 to 2 inches longer than the desired length of the handle.
– use a Jacobs chuck in the tail stock to drill the hole for the tang.
– mount a cone center in the tail stock which fits in the hole drilled and keeps it centered.
– turn the handle, finish on the lathe if desired, then part it off at the chuck end.
– sand off the nub left from the parting off and touch up the finish.I’ve also done off-center turning to get oval and 3 and 4 sided handles, but that is a bit more complicated.
11 December 2016 at 5:32 pm #143242On second thought, if you don’t have the chucks mentioned, you could drill the hole in the blank with a hand drill, taking care to have it absolutely square. You could then turn between centers using a cone center in the tail stock to center the hole.
tenjin,
Handle turning with Paul:
Fitting chisel handle:
Also, Brass tubing is available from online metal suppliers and at good hobby stores.
Typical ferrule size is 3/4 inch diameter with a wall thickness of about 1/32 or so and between 5/8 and 3/4 long unless you’re sizing them progressively for chisel size.
I cut mine to length with a hacksaw but a tubing cutter works well also.
Hope this helps,
Best,
Craig -
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