The Woodshop Shed

Garden Tool Handle for Christmas (a little late)

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


My sister wanted a specific gardening tool for Christmas so I got it and I hated the handle. It looked like it was turned then run through the table saw to create a slot for the tool's tang to sit in. It was also very bland and fat (my sister has little hands). I carefully cut off half of the wood holding the tang, being sure to leave the side for the pin intact (in hindsight I don't think I needed that but, hey, I was winging it).
First I turned a one piece handle and drilled holes in the end for the tang. Then I realized I had no good way to make the multiple holes into a slot. On line search took me to SawMill Creek where a feller shared how he used lamination to create tanged tool handles. Cut out the outline of the tang from the middle piece then glue and turn. I didn't prep the separate pieces very well and ended up with some gaps. The kind jocks on the 2022 Bowling League(Turning Swap) helped me work through that (epoxy and saw dust). Thanks y'all!
I used curly maple and ebony. The finished handle is 1 at largest diameter and tapers down in the middle. It is 7 3/4 long. Clear epoxy was used to secure the tool, ferrule and pin in place. 3 coats of BLO and buffed on the wheel. The curl in the maple didn't show as well as I would have liked but it's done and delivered (not quite 3 months late). Sister likes it and says the size is just right! She promised to send a picture of her holding it after she gets her nails done(I'm kidding, she already had them done). I'll add that when she sends it.
If you've made it this far I commend you. Thank you for looking. Comments always welcome.PS. Brother-in-law says it's a good back scratcher!

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