How would you guys make tool handles?

[Brad54]

I've got two hammer projects on the back burner: one is a slap hammer, the other a lead hammer.
Both will have steel handles. I want to have some sort of a more comfortable grip on both of them. Anyone have any suggestions? A wood handle isn't really an option, and plastic dipping won't do it either.

-Brad

 

[rsieracki]

Wrap in in duct tape...

Bicycle handles work if you match up the pipe to them

 

[KenS]

Motorcycle grips make comfortable handles and are typically sized to fit 7/8" or 1" tubing.

Simply weld a piece of tubing over the tang or handle of your homemade tool and glue on a grip.

Grips range in expense from downright cheap to pricy, and are available in many colors and styies. The only downside is you have to buy two at a time.

Here are some samples:

JC Whitney cheapie grips...

Cheapies and moderate-price grips....]

Snap-on price grips...

 

[rsanter]

whats wrong with a wood handle?

bob

 

[Brad54]

whats wrong with a wood handle?

bob

It's kinda hard to weld a wooden handle to a slapping spoon I'm making out of a piece of leaf spring.


-Brad

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a hammer that the handle broke on so I welded a piece of 7/8" X .125" wall tubing to and then slid a piece of heavy wall heat shrink over it and heated it. Then installed another piece of heat shrink over the first. Works great and has lasted over 10 years. Mike.

 

[Herb]

Maybe something like this? http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=74

 

[zer01]

Use paracord, lots of sites dedicaded to wrapping handles with rope.

 

[Flathead Red]

Use paracord, lots of sites dedicaded to wrapping handles with rope.

The old 550 cord is awesome. I have used it many times over the last 24 years in the military. 550 refers to it's tensile strength if anybody wondered.

Red

 

[Flathead Red]

It's kinda hard to weld a wooden handle to a slapping spoon I'm making out of a piece of leaf spring.


-Brad

I think wood could be a great option. Weld a piece of threaded rod to your leaf spring and attach a nut on both ends of the wooden handle once you slide it over the threaded rod.

Red

 

[rsanter]

It's kinda hard to weld a wooden handle to a slapping spoon I'm making out of a piece of leaf spring.


-Brad

go look at how a wood handled knife is done
use an old broken hammer handle or get a piece of the round wood stock used for hanger poles.
slpit the piece and you attach to the flat blade of the ******* spoon by drilling 2 or more holes in the handle portion and then you run a wood screw through one part of the wood handle into the other part going through the holes you put in the metal

bob

 

[JamieK]

I saw somwthing on TV the other day specifically for making handle grips. You heated it up in boiling water, wrapped it around the handle, and then squeezed it, making an impression of you hand. Similiar to how football mouth guards are made.

Here it is...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001RCU7CQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

www.mygrip.net

 

[V8 BUG]

Cast an aluminum handle on it. www.backyardmetalcasting.com has lots of ideas about stuff like that.

 

[hoopty388]

+1 on the bike grips.

I have a hand full of vintage (50+ years old) schwinn hand grips that go on every handle I can cram them on.

 

[Griff93]

I like to make a knurled section on a lathe for the tool handle. This seems to provide the best grip when your hands are really oily or covered in grease.

 

[woody 73]

I would go with wood also,wood is very foregiving. If you go into any woodworking store ask them if they have any small blocks of wood;not just any wood will do,ask for a color that you like.
Example if you want a purple handle ask for purpleheart wood.
If you want red ask for bleeding heart wood.
If you want orange ask for osage orange.
If you want black ask for walnut.

The sky is your limit...

Hope this helps.

 

[Flathead Red]

Nice thread. Toolguyd just had something on making wood handles as well.

http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/

Red

 

[willy3486]

I have a love of redoing old tools. I hardly ever buy new rakes,shovels,etc. I have various tricks I do. I use old non galvanized pipe for handles on rakes,shovels,etc. One trick I do to make it more confortable is to take some foam and put it on handles. At work I get lots of parts that are shipped with foam to cushion it. Its similar to those foam liners that are about one inch high you put on a bed. I cut it in strips about 2 inches wide. I then take one end and wrap around the pipe tightly. The first turn that I do is to wrap it completely around. Once the end is wrapped over I take electrical tape and tape it down to hold it. I then wrap the foam tightly around the pipe but go at a slight angle. I wrap it similar to a screw. One I get it as long as I want, usually 20-30 inches I wrap another pice of tape on that end to hold it. I then start on one end and wrap it tightly with electrical tape. I go down until all the foam is covered. It makes a great cushoned handle. If you don't want to go to that trouble a piece of a old hose pipe is good as well.

 

[RetroJim55]

Heater hose you use on a car works good too . Just get the lager size and if you can get it to slide on there , just use a good adhesive on the inside and it will bond to the handle and work great . It really does work good and is cheap .

Jim

 

[tylerae40]

I've done a few of these things- personally i prefer a food handle as long as it's in good order- i done use wood for anything else but tool handles and table tops. I use alot of old handles on stuff- have a chipping hammer at home made from an old handbrake handle, as well as other odd stuff. If your going to use the slapping iron alot i'd say use some heater or air con pipe insulation stuff over it adn duct tape, as otherwise the vibration of the work will go through the tool and into your hands.- hope this helps mate.

 

[InPrimer]

a little ot, not a handle on a hammer, I am a big proponent of speed handles, you know that funny crankshaft looking thing in your tool box... I didn't like the knurled handle on my speedhandle so i slipped on a bike grip ,works great, reason I'm fond of speed handles, used to spin them a lot while in the AF, that was before batt powered drill and such, we worked on R&R inspection panels and "sparks" were not allowed. I can probably remove any screw it just takes practice.

 

[lilredex]

You could try your hand at this old time method of attaching a wooden handle.................

 

[z28toz06]

use the paracord, then get some heat shrink tubing. it will pull tight right over the cord, giving u a good grip. http://www.buyheatshrink.com/heatshrinktubing/index.htm