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Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

Simple Small File Handles

I finally got around to making handles for some small files:

Simple file handles - installed
Simple file handles – installed

You’re allowed to drill wood on a metal lathe, although running a vacuum cleaner to collect the fine dust is a Good Idea:

Simple file handles - hole drilling
Simple file handles – hole drilling

Yes, I could 3D print nice knurled handles, but these are something of an homage to my father’s small files with similar wood handles.

I’ve been meaning to do this for … decades …

Comments

4 responses to “Simple Small File Handles”

  1. Mick King Avatar

    I’ve turned handles for all my files from wood, did a lot of them from chunks from 2×4 or similar. Though I did just find the lost chainsaw file, which uses a piece of branch for a handle.

    1. Ed Avatar

      Sounds like a field expedient repair!

  2. RCPete Avatar
    RCPete

    A metal lathe with carbide insert tooling (the type with chipbreaker grooves is good) makes a fairly decent woodworking lathe.

    I’m fairly inept with traditional woodworking tools, but managed to turn a nice walnut box and a candle stick from a piece of loquat tree. As I recall, I used a carbide boring bar for the interiors. The candlestick was turned with wet wood, then turned again several years later.

    1. Ed Avatar

      Tiny Lathe™ uses carbide inserts, so I could start making pens. Given my level of dexterity, pen-making cries out for a CNC lathe … [sigh]