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Weighted Tool Handles

Personally I think they are completely unnecessary. If you move the tool rest rest into a proper position, the weighted handle is a waste. I dumped all the lead out of the one I bought and never put it back in. Now at 73, I don’t need more weight that causes more hand fatigue.
 
Curt Fuller said:
I'm not sure the weighted handles, the metal handles filled with shot, make much difference. But, a wooden handled tool with the end drilled out about 5-6 inches and poured full of lead will almost always land on the end of the handle when it rolls off the lathe. ;-)
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Now thats wisdom :)
Handle never really owned one, thought about it a few times, never got any further.
 
Curt Fuller said:
I'm not sure the weighted handles, the metal handles filled with shot, make much difference. But, a wooden handled tool with the end drilled out about 5-6 inches and poured full of lead will almost always land on the end of the handle when it rolls off the lathe. ;-)
Click to expand...
Wood is good! I do not care for metal handles on turning tools, just a personal preference. Ash, white oak, and hickory make great handles.

But in all seriousness, I used the lead idea when I made a chess set in the late 90s. Drilled out the botton of each piece about 3/4" deep with a 3/8" bit, put a glob of epoxy in the hole, poured in small lead bird shot, and capped it all with another glob of epoxy. Worked great, all were bottom heavy and not tippy.

During covid I started another chess set (started...) and this time instead of lead, I was epoxying a 3/8" x 3/4" long (maybe 1" long) bolt into the bottom of the pieces with the same result. This required a 2-step hole to accommodate the bolt head.

For wood handled tools that like to run away on the bench, a couple-few hand plane strokes onto the fat rounds on the handle can slow down their getaway. And the resulting facets improve overall grip on the handle (something many of the metal handles share).
 
I have a myriad of handles but my favorite were the handles that Doug Thompson first made, round aluminum with the two grub screw nose and a long lasting foam cover. I have several of Doug's square rounded cornered weighted handles most of which were mistakes when lasering the persons name who bought it. What many may not know is that the Thompson handles are really weight adjustable as there is a plastic plug that you can drive down for having less weight and you can drive it back the other way if you change your mind. Be careful when you take off that end cap because if you spill the insides you'll never pick it all up.
 
I have weighted a few of my homemade wood handles with lead shot. I don’t add lead shot the full length, just enough for better balance. None of my metal handles are weighted.
 
I don't care for weighted handles. I don't even like heavy handles, although I have some heavy Monster handles - I quit using them years ago.

But as often the case in woodturning, things like this may depend on what and how you turn. I use many tools with short, lightweight handles, and often with NO handle - just held by the shaft. Again, it depends on what I'm turning.

Hogging out big bowls and such from hardwoods? Occasionally get a catch? Long, heavy handles might be needed; weighted handles might be useful.

JKJ
 
I tried 2 of the old Glaser tools, and didn't like the shot filled handles at all. If you are standing at the lathe for hours a day, they just wear you out holding up that much extra weight. My favorite handles are straight round cylinders, and I like them bigger around, like 1 1/2 inch diameter. I do all of my roughing with scrapers on the bowls I turn, so no problems with standard bowls. I don't do "ornamental" pieces. I still don't understand the popularity of them. I have a Robust, and slide the headstock down to turn bowls so I am turning on a short bed lathe. This is just more ergonomically correct position. Posture stays straight, no bending over or leaning, and your arms stay in close to your body. That to me is the whole point of the sliding headstock, you get a short bed lathe and a long bed lathe in one machine.

robo hippy
 
At this month’s NWWT club meeting Jimmy Allen from D-Way tools demoed making handles for their handle new(?) inserts. He cored out the handle (7/16” diameter, i think), and tapped it to hold a large allen set screw. Then filled it with lead shot. He passed around a 16” handle with one of D-Ways large negative rake scrapers. It was very nicely balanced.
 
I had a 16" Thompson handle for his 5/8" bowl gouge filled with lead pellets for awhile until I decided that I didn't like it, and dumped them back in the tin of air-rifle pellets for plinking at cans on the rare occasions I have time to be bored.

Edit to add: I can see it being a nice counter-weight to steady a big scraper. That might be worth a try.
 
The only time I weighted handles was when turning custom handles for dressage "whips" for equine competition. Compared to hunter-jumper competition, dressage handles are longer and had to be balanced exactly right. I added lead shot to the end until the balance was close, then dumped out the shot and coated it in epoxy and tamped it back into place. Fortunately, I didn't have to make too many.

Nothing to do with turning tool handles, but that's me - off on a tangent.

JKJ
 
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