How do you fit a socket chisel handle??

[Thom Sturgill]

I tried turning a new handle for a socket chisel, and while the fit seemed snug, the chisel will not stay on. Doing a Google search, the only article I found suggested using thickened epoxy which I thought would be too permanent.

So how do you guys insure that a socket chisel handle will stay tight?

[Jim Koepke]

I tried turning a new handle for a socket chisel, and while the fit seemed snug, the chisel will not stay on. Doing a Google search, the only article I found suggested using thickened epoxy which I thought would be too permanent.

So how do you guys insure that a socket chisel handle will stay tight?

My wife agrees with me that we need a lathe. First, we have to find the room.

I do not glue any of my socket chisel handles.

For fitting socket chisel handles, the taper has to be the same inside the socket and the handle. One way to fit this after the handle is off the lathe is to gently twist the handle into the socket, take it out and pare down the areas that are darkened from the old oxidation inside the socket. A candle can be used to to put carbon black inside the socket, or if you have some pencil lead dust from a drafting pencil sharpener, swirl a little of that around in the socket.

Of course, one needs to start with a handle that is a close fit.
Then, make sure the socket is not deformed. If it is mushroomed even a little, you will have to use a file to remove any lip on the inside of the socket.
There should be some room at the bottom of the socket beyond the handle.
When the handle is placed into the socket, it should not rock back and forth or side to side. The contact between socket and handle should be as equal as possible over the whole taper.

Once this is worked out and the handle is in the socket, I hold the chisel by the socket very tightly and pointing away from any thing that could be injured, give the handle a few good whacks with a mallet.

After all of the above, if the handle comes of easily, I would start to suspect a cracked socket.

Hope this helps, and if anyone else knows more, hope they chime in.

jim

[Mike Henderson]

What wood did you use for the handle? A very hard wood won't stay in the socket as well as one that's a bit softer.

Also, are you sure the taper fits the socket well? When you push it in by hand and turn it, you should be able to see "wear" marks all along the taper. When you push the handle in by hand, you should not be able to wobble the handle at all (wobble: Push back and forth on the top of the handle. If it moves relative to the socket, the taper isn't a good fit.)

If it fits well and still won't stay in the socket, use epoxy to glue it in. But if you ever want to remove the handle, you'll probably have to cut it off and drill it out.

Mike

[Thom Sturgill]

Jim, I true lathe is my next acquisition. I used my drill press with an adapter for a tool rest.
Mike, I used bloodwood for the handle and matched the diameter at the top and bottom of the taper with calipers.

The fit is snug, but now only at one point when I twist it. I suspect the socket is out of round. I originally tried twisting and getting a glaze which I then sanded off, it made things worse as it originally would not even turn a full circle. When tight there is no wobble, but the slightest twist and it falls off. I cut the shoulder bacj once to increase the length and diameter of the taper after attempting to size it, and may yet do that again.

I was thinking of putting a very thin coat of Vasoline in the socket as a release agent to prevent bonding and then using thickened epoxy. At least after drilling out the majority of the wood the rest should come out easily.

[John Powers]

epoxy it in and if you need to get it off, heat the socket and it will let go. will not require heat anywhere near enough to affect hardness of the steel.

[Thom Sturgill]

John, thanks, that's the detail I needed to know. I worried that if the handle ever needed replacing, the chisel would be useless and I have several more bought off the 'bay that I will probably replace the handles on. They are mostly older socket chisels. I also have two new Crown skew chisels that I just don't like the balance of and thought a heavier handle might help, but they are tanged. I will have to see how they cut and if they will keep an edge before I do that though.

[Mike Henderson]

Bloodwood will make for a difficult fit. It's a bit on the hard side and doesn't "conform" to the socket as well as some other woods. I have a bloodwood chisel handle and it does come loose occasionally. I just tap it back on and consider it part of using some of those exotic woods as handles. I have a couple of ebony handles and have the same problem with them. It's not enough to get me to glue them in yet.

I realize that those exotic woods are not the best chisel handles but I like the look. And if they break, I can easily make new ones.

The wood that seems to work best (for me) is pecan but it's fairly common looking.

I keep working on the shape of the handles trying to find the shape that best fits my hand.

Mike

[Your question inspired me to go look at a problem chisel I had and I found that the taper was a bit too long and was hitting the bottom of the socket - just barely but it was enough to keep it from seating well. I cut about 1/8" off the bottom and it fits much better.]

[Gary Benson]

You might try using some silicone just to hold the handle in place, would be easy to remove and clean up if you needed to, but might do the trick.
To get the taper right, I have filled the sockets with wax to achieve a pattern that was easier to measure when making the new handles that the inside of the socket itself. Used some vaseline to make sure the wax didn't stick, and the wax contracts some as it cools, making it easy to remove. I also stuck a bent wire (paper clip) into the warm wax to serve as a handle to remove. I used some dental denture base wax, but a firm candle was would likely work just as well.

[Thom Sturgill]

Mike, the looks is a large part of why I replaced the existing handle. Improving the balance and fit (to my hand) were the other reasons. I just did not realize how hard it was going to be to get the handle to stay.

Gary, Silicone was my first thought, but there are so many different formulations that I was not sure which would hold and yet be able to release. The old handle fit well and was tight, it just was too light yet too large at the end for my hand. I used it to size the new handle.

[James Carmichael]

You know my might be a galoot if: you buy a lathe & turning tools to make handles for your flea-market chisels.

Seems like I read on this forum sometime back that, once the handle is a good fit, heating the socket up to red, and then malleting the handle in place.

[Thom Sturgill]

You know my might be a galoot if: you buy a lathe & turning tools to make handles for your flea-market chisels.

Does 'that auction site' count?

[Leif Hanson]

Here's the method I use...

Making Chisel Handles

HTH
Leif

[harry strasil]

1. roll a tapered cone from some paper and slip it into the socket.

2. fill the cone with sawdust and wood glue mixed or a quick drying 2 part epoxy.

3. let dry and remove from the socket.

4. use the pattern to make the taper on the new handle.

5. make sure the bottom end is at least a 1/4 inch short of touching the bottom of the socket

6. if you have an undercut at the top make sure its at least a 1/4 inch from bottoming out on the top of the socket.

7. try the socket for fit.

8. after you are sure of a good fit. wet the tang of the handle and drive into the socket, it will squeeze and compress in tight and then when it dries it will lightly rust to the inside of the socket.

My $.02 method

for a handle that keeps coming loose, cut an 1/8 or so off the end and spray a piece of paper with WD40 amd wrap around the handle tang and then drive it in. WD40 leaves a sticky reidue when it dries to help hold it in. You can also use masking tape wrapped around the handle tang.


Jr.

[harry strasil]

another method for a loose handle is to drill the tang with a small bit about an 1.5 deep, slit about an inch of it two ways with a real thin dovetail saw, cut off a nail that is twice the diameter of the bit an 1.25 long and start in the hole with the slots and then drive the handle in, its like foxwedging a hidden dovetail tenon.

[Mike Henderson]

Here's the method I use...

Making Chisel Handles

HTH
Leif

Very good tutorial - Thanks!!

Mike