Drilling tool handles

[Tom Hansen]

I'm working on making some handles for my tools instead of changing them out of the 3 universal handles I have now. Turns out, a 1" round by 24" spindle gets a bit wobbly in the middle. No problem, I'll just build a steady rest. So I built a steady rest. It also turns out that my 1/2" and 5/8" tool shanks won't go into 1/2" and 5/8" holes. I need 17/32" and 21/32" bits.

Well, i have a good selection of 1/2" and under bits. I also have a decent selection of 1" and larger forstner bits. What I don't have is exactly what I need and can't make myself.

Anyone have ideas of how I can bore out the holes about .32 over without purchasing new bits?

If not, anyone have ideas as to what I should buy to make the holes the right size? Standard bits that size are hard to find. I can buy a set of small forstner bits but it's the same thing, only 1/2" and 5/8" standard sizes. Either way gonna cost an arm and a leg for a set or I can just buy the single bits and use them once and put em in a drawer for the rest of my life. Are there anymore drilling options that I'm not aware of that woodworkers use?

Honestly I can probably pound them in with a wooden mallet. Any benefit to epoxying my handles on or is that NOT what I should be doing?

 

[Ron Solfest]

I haven’t had that issue with a half dozen gouges I’ve made handles for. I have put a small amount of 5min epoxy on before I put bar into a tight hole (wouldn’t recommend epoxy filling spaces). I’ve also put a 1/16” hole in from the side of the handle into the channel to allow air to escape as I push the bar in (hide hole with wire burn mark.

if you need to get another 1/32” opening I think I’d spin some sandpaper in the hole to enlarge it before I bought a specialty bit.

 

[sjbrandt]

The April 2020 American Woodturner had an article by David Ellsworth on making tool handles. He basically turned a dowel/mandrel at the headstock end to which he applied sandpaper and reamed the hole in the handle to be a bit larger until it fit the shaft of the chisel.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Does running the bit you used in/out of the hole a few extra times buy you a little room?

I'm assuming you drilled the hole on the lathe? Chuck the bit into a hand drill, then ever so gently put a little side pressure on the drill and ream the hole one or two times and recheck your fit. Careful- it's very easy to overdo it and make the hole too big.

 

[Lou Jacobs]

I’ve on occasion ground the sides of a spade bit down to get an exact, odd sized hole. Just remember to do both sides equally.

 

[john lucas]

Heat the tip.of the tang to red hot. Let it cool just below red and then drive it in the hole. It will.custom size the hole and you dont even need to glue it it. I put the tool.in a vise and protect the tip with apiece of hardwood. Then heat the tip.of the tang and the drive the handle.on. once it's in I will pour cold.water on the tang to help cool it.
If you dont want to do that you can buy bits from Fastenal. Probably could order them from Amazon.

 

[Glenn Lefley]

John Lucas nailed it! Works every time.

 

[Tom Hansen]

I feel silly I didn't think about the sandpaper dowel... I made a small firebrick forge a few years back so I could easily try that john lucas trick too.

Thanks all.

edit: HAHA!! 80grit on a dowel worked like a charm!

 

[john lucas]

I’ve on occasion ground the sides of a spade bit down to get an exact, odd sized hole. Just remember to do both sides equally.

Loud i rigged up a way to grind both sides of a spade bit dead on using my Dremel and a table that fits in my banjo. I use a index wheel so I can rotate the bit exactly 180. I mount the bit in a drill chuck onn the headstock and the point goes into a wooden piece in the tailstock quill. I put a guide fence on the table to control the Dremel. Bits ground this way do not chatter and leave a clean hole. I designed this technique to make tapered drills for candle holders. There is an article in American Woodturner on this. I'm away from my computer so cant look it up.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, a 1/2 inch hole will take a 1/2 inch shank, but you need to persuade it to go in. If you use a forstner bit, they do tend to wander a bit, so one like that may take more persuading than a long straight shaft drill bit. I don't like a loose fit and then fill with epoxy. I have heard of the torch method, but have never tried it, but that method is older than dirt. If I drilled a hole 1/64th over, the tool would most likely fall out, eventually.

robo hippy

 

[John Torchick]

I made a Bedan tool a while back. Drilled the handle on the lathe with the bit the same size as a square side of the steel bar. Ground a bit off the corners, inserted with a bit of epoxy.

 

[Timothy White]

Drill the handle 9/16” mount handle in epoxy. When you need to remove tool, heat it and remove.

 

[Tom Hansen]

wait, heat will "unset" epoxy?

 

[Robert D Evans]

I use Gorilla epoxy in all my tool handles. I've never had one come out. I get the hole as close as I can. Cover the shank in epoxy and put epoxy in the hole. Then insert the tool and rotate it around so you get full coverage. You'll have to clean up the squeeze out at the top. Set the tool upright to dry. Tomorrow, that tool will never come out of the handle.

 

[Brian Gustin]

wait, heat will "unset" epoxy?

Really rather depends on the epoxy, but for the most part, your typical woodworking epoxies (as well as much of the "finish" stuff, and your average dollar store buys such as gorilla 5 minute) will soften and/or melt under enough heat.. (Heat the tool close to the handle, usually..) You can of course get epoxies that are heat resistant (but I don't think there's any that would be truly fire-proof, as in an oxyacetylene torch flame..)