Sizing Ferrules for homemade handles

[Jesse Tutterrow]

I would like to turn handles for my tools instead of buying tools with handles.

I have just received the Sorby 3/8 spindle gouge and am searching the Internet to find a rule-of-thumb as to what size ferrule I should use. Is there a standard as to tool diameter to ferrule diameter?

 

[Owen Lowe]

My own “rule” in this instance would be to have at least 1/4” of wood around the shaft and fit the ferrule to that. So, a 3/8” shaft would require something like 7/8” or 1” ferrule inside diameter.

 

[Bob Mezzatesta]

I use Pex brass PEX fittings with end cut off. I believe they come in two sizes. I epoxy the tool and the ferrule. Haven't budged yet.

 

[Bob Mezzatesta]

A picture is worth many words.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Welcome to the AAW forum, Jesse. I. Think that Owen's rule is a good rule of thumb.

I have a ½" Sorby bowl gouge (5/8" actual diameter) which has a one-inch ferrules which is barely more than ⅛" wood around the tool shank. I have several Crown bowl gouges of different sizes and they all have 1 1/4" ferrules. For the tool handles that I have made, I usually aim for 1/4" of wood support, but depends on my stash of brass pipe nipples and other plumbing fittings.

There aren't any hard rules about handle design. It's mainly about ergonomics, using sound wood, and a good solid connection to the tool shank that goes at least two inches into the handle. As long as a bowl gouge is being used properly, there is very little bending moment force between the handle and tool shank. I've used bowl gouges sans handle just to show that is can be done although ergonomically it's not too great. The"catch" in all this would be that the connection between handle and tool needs to be catch proof if you are still experiencing occasional catches.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Copper tubing is a quick and easy material to use for tool handle ferrules.
You can also use the copper couplings which will be larger then the tubing.
1/2" , 3/4" and 1" tubing and couplings gives you a large range of ferrules to choose from.
Aluminum and Brass are other good materials to use for ferrules, easy to machine.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have not measured but the handles I have made not counting scrapers are for 3/8 or smaller and I think I used 1 1/4 copper tubing or fittings. The reason for the ferel is to add extra support for the wood at the point of stress. The main support for the tool is in my opinion farther back into the handle. In a catastrophic catch situation the 1/8 in more of wood will not make much difference.

 

[john lucas]

I sure thought I had a photo showing ferrule material but could not find it. I use copper pipe, Copper end caps, brass lamp tubing you can get from Lowes lighting department, Brass hex fittings from the plumbing department ( I simply turn away the hex to get it round and the screw threads inside really hold) Aluminum tubing, and even string lashed around it and coated with epoxy or CA glue. Size is dependant on the size of the handle and what fittings I have. I don't know that there is a rule other than to have the steel fare enough into the wood to keep from breaking. The ferrule just keeps the wood from splitting. Glued on tubing will eventually fall of from wood movement which is why I prefer the screw on brass fittings. I simply turn the wood down to a diameter that lets me thread the hex nut on. Then glue it in place and turn it to whatever shape I want. YOu can also use screw clamps if you want a removeable handle.
YOu can see some of my homemade handles and ferrules in the skew photo.

 

[Mike Johnson]

A small indent in the ferrule will usually keep it secured to the handle.
A center punch can be used to create an indent into the ferrule.
A hydraulic crimping tool can be used on an older tool where the ferrule is getting loose.

 

[Bill Boehme]

The one in the second picture, John ... looks like it would be really handy when hollowing an Escheresque form.

 

[Jesse Tutterrow]

Thank all of you for your replies.

Until I get more experience I will go with Owen's rule of 1/4 inch wood between the tool shaft and the ferrule.

--Jesse.

 

[john lucas]

I usually extend a tool at least 2" into the handle. The Ferrules are usually around an inch long. When I use the sweat pipe to thread brass nuts I have very little wood around the tip but much more near the back of the nut. I've never had a tool break at a ferrule. Early on I had one break the shaft completely out of the handle but that was one hell of a catch and wasn't the wood or the Ferrules fault.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Early on I had one break the shaft completely out of the handle but that was one hell of a catch and wasn't the wood or the Ferrules fault.

My excuse would have been that there was a loose nut on the back of the handle.

 

[Clifton C]

HEY...I resemble that remark....

 

[Mike Johnson]

I was on Ebay this morning restocking a few items and was looking at hose ferrules.
There are a large variety of brass, aluminum and steel ferrules readily available in different
diameters for water hoses, air hose, hydraulic hoses etc.
The water hose ferrules have a rounded end and come in several sizes and are inexpensive.
You can glue these on or turn the handle to correct diameter and press the ferrules on.

 

[Lamar Wright]

I was on Ebay this morning restocking a few items and was looking at hose ferrules.
There are a large variety of brass, aluminum and steel ferrules readily available in different
diameters for water hoses, air hose, hydraulic hoses etc.
The water hose ferrules have a rounded end and come in several sizes and are inexpensive.
You can glue these on or turn the handle to correct diameter and press the ferrules on.

Hi Mike, I am making a chatter tool using an old hacksaw blade and I have a 1" dowel to use for a handle. When you press the ferrule onto the handle do you use wood glue as well?

 

[Mike Johnson]

Lamar,

You can, or you could also use hot glue which you can heat up later on to remove if needed.
Many of the ferrules I have seen on a number of tools are not glued on. When it comes to a
tool being able to be fine tuned or removed or replace the working end of the tool, is always a
consideration that should be made by the builder. Wood handles tend to dry out over time if
not taken care of properly, this usually causes the handle to shrink and the ferrule to become
loose. With the newer adhesives and wood sealers and finishes this may not be an issue in
later years, so it comes down to your preference when assembling the tool. Many times it comes
down to what adhesives you are comfortable in using which work with your finishes and wood.
You could also use CA glue which can be heated up and allow removal of the ferrule if needed.
Many ferrules are crimped on or a center punch is used to create an indent of the ferrule which
holds onto the wood. If you are using epoxy to secure the shank of the tool into the handle then
you could also epoxy the ferrule in place. My go to adhesive is Eclectic 6000 which stays pliable
and grips all surfaces better then most. Many adhesives become brittle over time whereas this
product will not.

 

[Owen Lowe]

The water hose ferrules have a rounded end and come in several sizes and are inexpensive.

I bought some of these several years ago. My complaint with them is that they’re pretty thin-walled compared with copper water pipe and much thinner than a copper or brass joint connector. I really don’t know the stresses ferrules are under so maybe it’s a moot point.

I salvage copper or brass pipe & fittings whenever I can, so I have a small stash of various sizes whenever I need to make up a new handle.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I bought some of these several years ago. My complaint with them is that they’re pretty thin-walled compared with copper water pipe and much thinner than a copper or brass joint connector. I really don’t know the stresses ferrules are under so maybe it’s a moot point.

I salvage copper or brass pipe & fittings whenever I can, so I have a small stash of various sizes whenever I need to make up a new handle.

That was exactly my thought. I have seen them and concluded that the wood is stronger than those thin items, but maybe a ferrule is more decorative than actually a necessity. Some woodturners just wrap braided fishing line around the end of the handle and then set it with lacquer or varnish. I think whatever you use for a ferrule is mainly important when a tool is misused.

 

[Mike Johnson]

They make cheap ferrules and they make better quality ferrules.
A cheap garden hose is rated anywhere between 50 PSI to 600 PSI the ferrules
used on the better quality hoses are heavier walled.

 

[Lamar Wright]

Lamar,

You can, or you could also use hot glue which you can heat up later on to remove if needed.
Many of the ferrules I have seen on a number of tools are not glued on. When it comes to a
tool being able to be fine tuned or removed or replace the working end of the tool, is always a
consideration that should be made by the builder. Wood handles tend to dry out over time if
not taken care of properly, this usually causes the handle to shrink and the ferrule to become
loose. With the newer adhesives and wood sealers and finishes this may not be an issue in
later years, so it comes down to your preference when assembling the tool. Many times it comes
down to what adhesives you are comfortable in using which work with your finishes and wood.
You could also use CA glue which can be heated up and allow removal of the ferrule if needed.
Many ferrules are crimped on or a center punch is used to create an indent of the ferrule which
holds onto the wood. If you are using epoxy to secure the shank of the tool into the handle then
you could also epoxy the ferrule in place. My go to adhesive is Eclectic 6000 which stays pliable
and grips all surfaces better then most. Many adhesives become brittle over time whereas this
product will not.

Hi Mike and many thanks for your tip on installing and gluing the ferrule on a turning handle. I think that I will use the Eclectic 6000 that you suggested. I have a ferrule that came off an old screw driver that was just pressed on without any glue. Thanks again and happy turning.

 

[john lucas]

I use epoxy for my ferrule's. You can always heat epoxy and remove the ferrule if need be. I just had a skew fall out of handle. That skew is at least 20 years old maybe more. It is an off brand that I got as part of a set and one of my most used tools. I almost always sharpen it by hand so even after all these years it's still quite long. I store that skew in a rack with holes so the blade goes through the holes. I guess the shock of dropping it in that slot finally got to it. It was a square tang that had been inserted into a round hole using heat which is the way I learned to do that type of tang. I have never used glue when I do that and based on what I found when I looked at the tang neither did they.
I was making some tool handles today and that's why I thought this might be relevent since it actually happened when making the tools.

 

[Tom Hamilton]

I use ferrule's for tool handles as well, but mostly for duck calls. I buy tubing/pipes of the material I want to make the ferrule's out of and cut them to length as I need them. I always shoot for a press fit, but also glue them in place with E6000, often I will pin them in place with 3 pins.

Happy turning - Tom

 

[Lance Mirrer]

View attachment 22827 A picture is worth many words.

Very interesting pic. What is the piece you are using? If you screwing this into the wood is there also wood coming up through the end?

 

[Bob Mezzatesta]

I hope these pictures help. A PEX fitting is smooth inside and when you cut off the end it leaves a shoulder. I drill a depth hole for the tool, insert a live centre for support and then turn down the handle to a snug fit for the Pex fitting. When done I mix up a batch of epoxy and put most of it in the depth hole for the tool. I put a fairly small amount where the ferrule goes press on the ferrule and let it set. The pictures are of a bedan I just made. Hope this clarifies.

 

[Bob Mezzatesta]

And here is an image of the fitting. It is used to join Pex plastic pipe to copper pipe. It is fairly heavy brass.

 

[Phil Light]

Nobody has mentioned heating the brass ferrule before putting it on the handle. Brass expands considerably when heated. Turn the handle big - too tight to even start the ferrule. Heat the ferrule with a blowtorch while holding it with a pair of Vice Grips (not too tight! Don't want to deform it). It will slip easily onto the handle. The ferrule contract as it cools and will never slip. Not a drop of adhesive needed, nor does it need to be pinned in place. This is how it was done before the invention of epoxy. Well-made vintage tools have ferrules that were placed hot onto dry handles.

 

[robo hippy]

The ferules that are thin enough to use the indent tend to break on the indent. I have a number of old tools from my first set from Craft Supplies that are that way. Almost all of them have split off of that dent.... I did see a David Ellsworth clip where he makes an oval shaped handle, turning on 2 or 3 centers, and he wraps the last inch or two with nylon string, very tightly, and then super glues the whole thing..... Probably works very well....

robo hippy

 

[Mike Peace]

Alan Lacer published an article that said the wood should be 1/8" thick between the tool and the ferule.