Turning Tools

Spindle roughing gouge, skew chisel, detail spindle gouge, possibly a parting tool.

1/4" brad point or regular twist bit. You will be drilling 1/2" deep.

Depending on how you hold and drill the piece, you may need a scroll-type chuck for your head stock and a Jacob’s style chuck for your tail stock.

An oil and varnish blend such as Rockler’s Nordic Oil would look great for a handle like this. For a higher sheen finish and extra protection use a wiping type polyurethane or gel varnish.

There are a couple of different ways to drill the blank. Some wood turners would prefer to pre-drill the hole then, using either a cone live center or a simple “cork” shaped block of wood in the hole before turning the handle. This pre-drilling can be done on a drill press(making sure it is straight) or on a lathe using a scroll chuck and a Jacob’s style chuck drilling from the tailstock.

Approximately 1" x 1" x 6" of a wood species of your choice. It all depends on the overall finished length you want your handle to be. Give yourself an additional 1” for cutting off the lathe.

Turning the Handle

1. Mount the block of wood between centers on your lathe. Plan on placing the 1/4" hole end on the tailstock side.
2. Round the square into a cylindrical shape.
3. Now it’s time to use your creativity and turn your handle to a unique shape.
4. Completely sand the piece starting with a coarse grit, working your way up in increments of 120 grit, 180 grit, 240 grit etc. The higher you go, the fewer scratches you’ll have and a smoother finish.
5. Reduce the diameter on the waste side and finish by either parting it off completely with a parting tool or by cutting the handle from the waste with a small handsaw while the lathe is stopped.
6. Finish off the end by hand sanding.
7. Before gluing, use a coarse sandpaper to roughen the surface of the 1/4" stem. You can use either epoxy or CA glue to attach the handle.