LumberJocks

Playing with sticks

Project by Shopsmithtom posted 823 days ago 522 views 0 times favorited 12 comments Add to Favorites Watch

As part of my project to build a traveling woodworking tool box and fill it with hand tools, I decided to duplicate a broken handle on an old chisel and make some handles for a couple of small files.
My source for the wood was my neighbors firewood pile. I “liberated” a couple of sticks that I figure he wouldn’t miss (it’s a really big wood pile) and decided to try them on my lathe. It seemed logical since I wouldn’t need to take them from square stock to round as they were mostly round, anyway.
I made 2 from ash and one from what I believe to be maple. I might have to look for more ash, I like the look of the grain pattern because of the “stick” stock. I can’t attest to the structural stability of this approach, but, hey, I can always make more.
I also discovered that copper water pipe end caps (Menards, less than $3.00 for a bag of 10) make pretty serviceable end thingies (whatever they’re called)
I finished them with Varathane Cabernet stain and a couple of rubbed coats of linseed oil.

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you


12 comments so far

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2517 posts in 894 days


posted 823 days ago

Beautiful handles! And, you got the wood from a firewood pile – that’s great!

I believe the copper thingies are called ferrules.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View Shopsmithtom's profile

Shopsmithtom

409 posts in 1095 days


posted 823 days ago

See, I knew if I called them thingies, someone would give me the correct name…and on the first comment, too. At least I knew what the sticks are called. -SST

-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14188 posts in 1060 days


posted 823 days ago

my jaw dropped in disbelief!! From a stick???
Ok .. that’s it.. no more bonfires… I’m going to use every piece of firewood for building projects!!

These a SWEET.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Greg Mitchell's profile

Greg Mitchell

1383 posts in 969 days


posted 823 days ago

Nice looking handles. I also use the copper ferrules on my tool handles. They seem to work great!

-- Greg Mitchell--Lowell, AR--gdamitchell@sbcglobal.net

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

7368 posts in 1146 days


posted 823 days ago

very nice looking handles and those copper end caps work great as ferrules, never thought of that. Great idea.

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View Obi's profile

Obi

2191 posts in 1137 days


posted 823 days ago

they’re actually called “Thingies” in the beginning but since everybody had a different idea of what “thingies” really were somebody named them inapropriately. I like the thingy thing. I use them all the time.

Oh, by-the-way, nice handles

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 966 days


posted 823 days ago

Nice handles AND Thingies. A couple of recent posts on this Forum is beginning to make me really start studying firewood stacks – might have to start doing some “night recons” looking for project material :-))

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Dano's profile

Dano

217 posts in 932 days


posted 823 days ago

Cool, I love the source of the wood!

-- Dan in Central Oklahoma, Able to turn good wood into saw dust in the blink of an eye!

View BlueStingrayBoots's profile

BlueStingrayBoots

465 posts in 902 days


posted 823 days ago

Awesome and a cool custom design.

View Karson's profile

Karson

25871 posts in 1300 days


posted 823 days ago

I just thought about using copper pipe, but copper thingies look like a better idea.

Nice handles.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View brunob's profile

brunob

1476 posts in 1069 days


posted 823 days ago

Great idea. Think I might head to the hardware store tomorrow.

-- Bruce from Central New York

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14188 posts in 1060 days


posted 822 days ago

Cajunpen—this might be helpful.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

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