# Handle material for woodchuck



## arjudy (Sep 7, 2009)

I just ordered a woodchuck tool from Ken (bitshird) and plan on making my own handle. I would like some suggestions on what the material should be. So let me know what you would use. The tool will be polished and engraved so I think it needs to be something a little special.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## nava1uni (Sep 7, 2009)

use cocobolo or something dark to highlight the tool and bring out the engraving.


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## THarvey (Sep 7, 2009)

I used Padauk for mine.  My tool is blued, not polished.

For a polished tool, I would suggest something darker, like Cocobolo or Ebony.


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## VisExp (Sep 7, 2009)

Some nice Southern African woods come to mind :wink:


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## traderdon55 (Sep 8, 2009)

I would use a spalted wood. I made a handle for a tool out of a piece of oak firewood and with the spalting it had it turned out looking so good that I would not trade it for any wood that I have ever seen.


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## Mac (Sep 8, 2009)

trader don ,I did not know that you liked my firewood so much ,maybe I need to get another piece of black locust from  you, so we can be  closer to even.

I use oak or hickory I have both with spalting in them and they do turn out nice. The oak was a standing dead tree, that my dad had cut for firewood. I like a longer handle and the oak had to be cut off to go on my lathe 12-20. and price was right free.


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## bitshird (Sep 8, 2009)

I just use plain old straight grain Ash, make the handle so that it's 5 times longer than you expect to ever hang the tool over the tool rest, I've never been brave enough to stick my tool much over 3 to 4 inches, and I have an 18 inch handle on it. Also turn the handle so you can almost touch the palm of your hand with your finger tips, a small diameter works well near the rear of the handle, there is no offer for the tool to twist since it's square, and sitting on the tool rest. I stalled a friends Powermatic with a woodchuck and truly wasn't over powered by the torque of the lathe. but I only had about 2-1/2 maybe 3 inches into some dry hard Maple.


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## Mac (Sep 9, 2009)

by the way don't clean wood chips off the tool with your fingers!!
and if it slides out of your hand don't try to catch it .
I don't know about the catching part personaly but I did learn after about 3 times about cleaning off with fingers.
have fun with your new tool.


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## TowMater (Sep 10, 2009)

I've used Bloodwood for one of mine (blanks were pretty cheap at woodcraft $12-14.00 for a 2X2X24" blank IIRC) and for another I used a pressboard beam. Came out looking like burl. I have pic's at home of some curlies I pulled off of a walnut bowl blank that was at 9% moisture, pretty impressive if you ask me.

Great tool.


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## Crashmph (Sep 10, 2009)

I have made several tool handles out of scrap pallet wood.  Mostly maple and some quilted and curly maple handles.  You would be surprised what people make pallets out of.


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## arjudy (Sep 10, 2009)

I ordered some Zambezi Teak from Keith (VisExp). Should be here late this week or early next.


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## stolicky (Sep 10, 2009)

I'm a fan of using walnut for handles.


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## wolftat (Sep 10, 2009)

I made one out of Lignum that stands out in the crowd of tools on my bench.


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## jleiwig (Sep 10, 2009)

Mine is pine...lol...given that the tool rarely sees any force on it I just never got around to making a proper handle for it!


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## el_d (Sep 10, 2009)

Went out and cut down a piece of mesquite from my place, It has sap wood and heartwood. Love the look of it.


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