Turning tap handles

[Xernex]

So I randomly bought a lathe and decided to give turning a go. So far I've made a few tap handles that turned out decently.

Any other turners here?

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Nice I bought a Rigid lath like 20 years ago...I made a little corner table and havent used it since..Still in the garage though just in case. I was thinking about making handles but bought some nice homemade handles here from a member instead

 

[LittleRiver]

I just turned these two for my first keezer build. They're black walnut and red grandis eucalyptus, with an intentionally simple design. I have four taps so I'll turn two more, each a different species of wood.

 

[Xernex]

I just turned these two for my first keezer build. They're black walnut and red grandis eucalyptus, with an intentionally simple design. I have four taps so I'll turn two more, each a different species of wood.

Nice - I really like the simple design - I'll probably end up with something very similar for mine once all is said and done - right now I'm just teaching myself how to use the tools so I figure I'll use that to make ornate things that I can easily replace

 

[LittleRiver]

The ornate things do teach you a lot about using the tools. If it's been a while since I've turned, sometimes I'll just put on a scrap piece of wood and turn lots of different details to get back into the groove before putting on the real project.

Did you put threaded metal inserts in your tap handles? I did with those two, but I'm thinking next time I may just tap the wood.

 

[Amadeo38]

@Sailingeric turns some nice handles!

 

[Xernex]

Did you put threaded metal inserts in your tap handles? I did with those two, but I'm thinking next time I may just tap the wood.

I did for the resin one, but not the wood ones - I'm thinking I'll cast a bit of wood in the next resin form to make that easier next time.

 

[Sailingeric]

So I randomly bought a lathe and decided to give turning a go. So far I've made a few tap handles that turned out decently.

Any other turners here?
View attachment 613571
View attachment 613573

Funny, I got a lathe a couple weekend is ago and have turned several tap handles. I did these out of cocobolo for @Amadeo38

And these I did over the weekend the tall one is from Bubinga and the others are from cocobolo as well.

 

[Sailingeric]

The ornate things do teach you a lot about using the tools. If it's been a while since I've turned, sometimes I'll just put on a scrap piece of wood and turn lots of different details to get back into the groove before putting on the real project.

Did you put threaded metal inserts in your tap handles? I did with those two, but I'm thinking next time I may just tap the wood.

I used the metal inserts are those are a pain to get in. I used a mandrel on my lathe and used it for leverage to keep the screws going in straight.

 

[LittleRiver]

I used the metal inserts are those are a pain to get in. I used a mandrel on my lathe and used it for leverage to keep the screws going in straight.

I ended up drilling a half inch hole (using a chuck in the lathe tailpiece), which looked too big, but anything less might have cracked the wood. To install the insert, I threaded it onto a bolt/nut and snugged the nut against the insert. I used a ratchet to turn the insert into the wood while it was still on the lathe. I did this early, just after rough shaping.

 

[LittleRiver]

@Sailingeric turns some nice handles!

Yes he does!

 

[Xernex]

I ended up drilling a half inch hole (using a chuck in the lathe tailpiece), which looked too big, but anything less might have cracked the wood. To install the insert, I threaded it onto a bolt/nut and snugged the nut against the insert. I used a ratchet to turn the insert into the wood while it was still on the lathe. I did this early, just after rough shaping.

^ This is brilliant - I'll using a bolt today - using a flat-head screwdriver sucked haha. I actually ended up ordering a 33/64th drill bit since that's what my pieces called for and 1/2 was such a pain.


@Sailingeric - those are freaking gorgeous - I need to get my hands on some cocobolo. I just ordered everything I need to pressure cast resin and that should be arriving tomorrow, along with a gallon of resin. I'm trying to find some decently priced burls to add to my casts, but burl and decently priced seem to be mutually exclusive terms.

 

[Sailingeric]

I ended up drilling a half inch hole (using a chuck in the lathe tailpiece), which looked too big, but anything less might have cracked the wood. To install the insert, I threaded it onto a bolt/nut and snugged the nut against the insert. I used a ratchet to turn the insert into the wood while it was still on the lathe. I did this early, just after rough shaping.

That is similar to what I do, except use the tail stock to hold the drill chuck and the wood in the jaw chuck, twist by hand and tighten the tail stock slowly, works pretty good and once I cannot go anymore the little bit of the insert left I grind off flush with my grinder.

^ This is brilliant - I'll using a bolt today - using a flat-head screwdriver sucked haha. I actually ended up ordering a 33/64th drill bit since that's what my pieces called for and 1/2 was such a pain.


@Sailingeric - those are freaking gorgeous - I need to get my hands on some cocobolo. I just ordered everything I need to pressure cast resin and that should be arriving tomorrow, along with a gallon of resin. I'm trying to find some decently priced burls to add to my casts, but burl and decently priced seem to be mutually exclusive terms.

Thanks! Woodcraft has good prices on the cocobolo compared to most other places. I even got a 8x8x2 piece that was on 50% clearance price, which I made the handles from. The two I made for Amadeo was from the same piece but even in that the coloring varied some, a very interesting wood but I would wear a mask the dust really irritates my nose.

 

[Xernex]

Thanks! Woodcraft has good prices on the cocobolo compared to most other places. I even got a 8x8x2 piece that was on 50% clearance price, which I made the handles from. The two I made for Amadeo was from the same piece but even in that the coloring varied some, a very interesting wood but I would wear a mask the dust really irritates my nose.

I didn't see any at woodcraft this weekend - I did however see $300 bucks worth of other stuff haha. I mask up with everything, my allergies are horrific, and I have reactions to many types of wood (smart hobby to pick up huh?) I'm usually in long sleeves and pants to keep everything I can off my skin.

I spent my lunch hour today starting my first bowl. Using bloodwood for it, and it took me darned near the whole 45 minutes to rough it out and get it round. Did a little detail work for the outside and need to fix a couple of spots where I had catches from being too fast/lazy. Hopefully after work I can get some time to at least finish up the outside, and get it ready to reverse in the jaws and start hollowing out over the weekend.

 

[Sailingeric]

I spent my lunch hour today starting my first bowl. Using bloodwood for it, and it took me darned near the whole 45 minutes to rough it out and get it round. Did a little detail work for the outside and need to fix a couple of spots where I had catches from being too fast/lazy. Hopefully after work I can get some time to at least finish up the outside, and get it ready to reverse in the jaws and start hollowing out over the weekend.[/QUOTE]

If you have not watch Tim Yoder on Youtube, it is good info and he often calls his mistakes a design modification

Here is a small bowl I did from some 4x4x2 walnut from the Woodcraft discount bin.

 

[Xernex]

If you have not watch Tim Yoder on Youtube, it is good info and he often calls his mistakes a design modification

Here is a small bowl I did from some 4x4x2 walnut from the Woodcraft discount bin.

View attachment 613810

I've watched a few of his videos - I end up watching quite a few from Heath Knuckles and Nick Zametti - which explains my resin love.

 

[Sailingeric]

I will have to check them out. Andy Phillip does some really nice resin work as well as two or more woods glued together. I did a small bowl for my mother in law that was sycamore and with a cocobolo sliver runninger through the middle and it turned out great. I know they say glued wood is stronger than the wood itself but I was still nervous roughing out the square last night.

 

[Xernex]

Glued wood is something on my list for sure, but I'm a bit scared of it too.. but I figure at some point I'll end up trying it.

 

[tll77]

This is not a tap handle. It's a tryer handle for a 1926 probat coffee roaster. The roastmaster at our company is really into skateboarding and the old tryer handle was broken so I made this out or one of his old boards. The brass ferrule is turned from a garden hose fitting.

Here is a tap handle I made with some 2-row set in resin. Threads are tapped into the body but the grain makes them weak. I may need an insert next time. I'm planning to try this with darker grains too.

And, an espresso tamper with coffee beans set in resin.

 

[Xernex]

View attachment 613999
This is not a tap handle. It's a tryer handle for a 1926 probat coffee roaster. The roastmaster at our company is really into skateboarding and the old tryer handle was broken so I made this out or one of his old boards. The brass ferrule is turned from a garden hose fitting.
View attachment 613998
Here is a tap handle I made with some 2-row set in resin. Threads are tapped into the body but the grain makes them weak. I may need an insert next time. I'm planning to try this with darker grains too.
View attachment 614000
And, an espresso tamper with coffee beans set in resin.

Nice! I'm excited to try out casting this weekend - I'd been thinking of doing a grain embedded tap.

 

[shetc]

I really want to learn how to turn handles. What is a good starter lathe, specifically for smaller projects like tap handles?

 

[MaxStout]

I have a mini lathe, a no-name Chinese model sold by Penn State Industries, had it about 15 years. It works great for spindle work and small bowls. You can get a bed extension if you want to turn longer pieces. Jet makes a nice mini, too.

If you're looking for pieces of exotic wood to turn, try some of the pen-turning groups, as members often sell various woods.

 

[Sailingeric]

I got a Nova Comet 2 at Rockler . They have a package deal where you get the lathe, a chuck for turning bowls and a starter set of tools for $650. The lathe is a 12x16- 12 inch swing (which means it can handle a piece of wood 12 inches wide) and wood 16 inches long. Variable speed control and reverse which is good for sanding. I have smaller set of carbide tools I use for roughing down and bowls. Carbide is good as they don't need sharping and when they do wear out you just replace the tip.

https://www.rockler.com/nova-comet-ii-12-x-16-1-2-midi-lathe-with-chuck-and-5-piece-turning-set

 

[Sailingeric]

View attachment 613999
This is not a tap handle. It's a tryer handle for a 1926 probat coffee roaster. The roastmaster at our company is really into skateboarding and the old tryer handle was broken so I made this out or one of his old boards. The brass ferrule is turned from a garden hose fitting.
View attachment 613998
Here is a tap handle I made with some 2-row set in resin. Threads are tapped into the body but the grain makes them weak. I may need an insert next time. I'm planning to try this with darker grains too.
View attachment 614000
And, an espresso tamper with coffee beans set in resin.

Very nice, I too want to try casting resin. I have tinkered with different woods glued together. I did this one last night with cocobolo and maple.

 

[Xernex]

I really want to learn how to turn handles. What is a good starter lathe, specifically for smaller projects like tap handles?

I ended up with a Delta Midi model because it consistently came up on top 10 lists in my research, but you can go way cheaper and get good stuff. From what I understand Rikon makes some darned fine mini lathes as well.

 

[balrog]

While I have an inherited lathe and tools, I've managed only a couple of pens, and one particularly hella-frightening hole in the ceiling where the broken roughing gouge piece lodged. Since then I've been a little timid to to jump back into it.

 

[Jeremydc]

Funny, I got a lathe a couple weekend is ago and have turned several tap handles. I did these out of cocobolo for @Amadeo38View attachment 613673

And these I did over the weekend the tall one is from Bubinga and the others are from cocobolo as well.View attachment 613674 View attachment 613675 View attachment 613676

Just a tip, sand with the grain and you will avoid cross grain scratches. Looking good!

 

[Jag75]

Ones my wife's cousin made for me

 

[jeeppilot]

View attachment 614147









Ones my wife's cousin made for me

Those are super sharp. I’d spend money on those!

 

[Nuggette]

I made body jewellery for a while, a couple years ago on my Jet mini lathe and it worked great and was cheap. Tap handles are next. I didn't even think of it.