Here are a few turned screwdrivers I made for Christmas presents. They are made of Maple and Cherry that I cut down when I cleared the lot for my house.
Nice job. Beautiful wood and finish.
I just got a Rikon mini-lathe as a belated Christmas present and can't wait for the tools I had to order to arrive so I can start peeling projects like these. I saw the kits in a Rockler or Lee Valley catalog and was wondering about the quality of the hardware. Any comment?
The quality of the hardware is very good. I got mine from Rockler. They had a sale on them so I bought about a dozen. They are normally about 7 bucks a kit but they went on sale for 4 bucks. They come with #2 Phillips and flat bits and also a small and large square drive. I wish there was a smaller phillips and flat bit option but there isn't. There are a few diameter tweaks to take into account. Drill the 5'8" hole for the insert on your drill press to ONLY the depth of the insert. then finish up the rest of the hole with a 7/16". That way when you drive the insert in it stops. That way when you use your screwdriver as a chisel ( you know who you are) it won't be driven into the handle. Also leave the diameter for the brass ferule slightly large so it doesn't slip. I had to super glue the first one to hold it in place.