# Making Octagonal Tool Handles Without Lathe



## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Hi,
I'd like to have a go at making a couple of octagonal chisel handles.
Is there a way to do this without a lathe? I have a tablesaw, pillar drill and jigsaw etc.
" use a table saw to turn a square blank into an octagon " ?
Thanks.


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## Neil Tsubota (Mar 20, 2010)

Each angle on any octogon is formed by a joint of 22.5 degrees.

So if you wanted to make a "standard" STOP sign, you would need a "protractor" and a angle bevel gauge, so that you can cut the opposite angle just by "flipping" bevel gauge over.

Sorry for the complicated explanation.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Cut the corners off a square and you have an octagon. If you try this on a table saw you will need a jig to hold the square piece at a 45 degree angle while cutting those corners so it doesn't take your fingers with it. A simple jig would be a board with a V groove.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Peter; you'll likely find that a square-in-profile octagon isn't very ergonomically comfortable.
If that turns out to be the case, just use your spoke-shave to taper the octagon down to fit your hand more comfortably. It'll still be an octagon in cross section.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Just me, but... For TS? I would first square the stock and leave long. Easier and safer to worth with a work piece than can be mounted and/or be manageable. Using a taper jig, give both ends slight tapers. (4 sides)

Tilt the blade to a 22 1/2 degree bevel. Mount the stock in the taper jig. Cut the four bevels on one end. Flip the stock and repeat. Dress and sand. Cut the ends to size.

If on a router table. Give the ends a slight taper (adjustable angle jig adjust flat, mounted at a taper, block with a piece of scrap to the repeat taper) Mount the long squared stock in the adjustable angle sled, now set at 22 1/2 degrees. Mount it at still set taper (blocked), diagonally across the sled. Same flip, repeated for other end and trim the handles off when done.

Either way would get you there. Can think of other ways... but those 2 would be my preference for ease, speed, accuracy and safety.


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## denniswoody (Dec 11, 2011)

Why make it more complicated than it has to be. Cut a square block then use a hand plane to bevel the edges. Given you are only talking a short length this should take about five minutes.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

denniswoody said:


> Why make it more complicated than it has to be. Cut a square block then use a hand plane to bevel the edges. Given you are only talking a short length this should take about five minutes.


I agree with you, Dennis (I took a slightly different approach with the spoke-shave).
This is one of those creative projects where you get to revel in the woodshavings, enjoying peace and quiet, and not have to worry about taking your hand off through inattention.
Using good quality carefully sharpened hand tools is just pure pleasure.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

A V bit will trim off the sides quick, uniform and easy. 4 passes and you are done with no sanding required.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Mike said:


> A V bit will trim off the sides quick, uniform and easy. 4 passes and you are done with no sanding required.


Thanks Mike,
That sounds like the easiest solution.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

To make my lighthouse sides, I use a 22.5º router bit.
Cut a square, and use that bit in the RT to make 8 sides.


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## PRDarnell (Mar 21, 2012)

FWIW, Chris Schwarz in his September 3rd Popular Woodworking blog showed how to lay out the guide lines in "Octagon Layout Made Easy" using a compass and straightedge. From then on it doesn't matter whether you use a router or a TS to make the cuts.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Mike said:


> A V bit will trim off the sides quick, uniform and easy. 4 passes and you are done with no sanding required.


A few more questions Mike.
How would I make the shoulder that the ferrule fits on?
I read that hickory, ash, or oak are good for handles, any other species to consider?
Cut steel pipe to use as ferrule?
If I cut a 30mm square blank to use to make the handles. What spec should the V cutter have, to cut the octagonal shape correctly???
Cutting Angle Length ' C' 13.0mm
Overall Diameter ' D' 19.1mm
Cutting Angle 45 º
Shank Diameter 1/2 ???
Actually doing the cut on the router table, any special technique, setting up to do it?
Cheers.


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## andysden (Aug 9, 2011)

all of these ideas are good jigs work great for multiple making of anything Andy


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks for all the input guys.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Peter, to create an octogon from a square blank you would set your bit so it cuts away one third of the height. Since you specified 30 mm you would want 20 mm left above your cut on the fence side. 4 passes will give you a perfect octogon provided your wood is square. Figure out haw many handles you want to build and cut the octogon on a piece long enough for all of them then cross cut to length.

I highly recommend buying a V bit larger than 1" diameter, in fact 1-1/2" is the most useful I have found. A 1/2" shank is required to support a bit this size.

On a 30 mm handle I think a 1/4" roundover bit run across each section of the butt end will give a nice shape to the handle. You can build a jig to cut round tenons on the end of your handle; this would be useful for many other projects like table and chair legs too.

The ferrule could be a short piece of pipe super glued onto the round tenon.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

*using the home router table as a shaper*



Gaia said:


> Hi,
> I'd like to have a go at making a couple of octagonal chisel handles.
> Is there a way to do this without a lathe? I have a tablesaw, pillar drill and jigsaw etc.
> " use a table saw to turn a square blank into an octagon " ?
> Thanks.


Peter I have given this issue regarding "Making Octagonal Tool Handles" a lot of thought over the years and making them is just one of the many things that I don't have the time to do, just yet, but I will do it. It really depends on if you want them to have parallel or tapered sides or, shaped sides like how "wood lathe tools" normally are, and that is what I think you are talking about, if you want them to have the shaped look that wood lathe tools normally have then you need to make a box to hold them while they are cut on a router table, the box must have a working 8 point indexing wheel and the work pieces need to be able to rotate inside the box as well as being able to hold the work piece that will be "longer than the finished handles will be" as you will need to finish them off to length after the eight cuts are done, but the box also needs to be able to hold the new handles "firmly fixed" when each cut is made and be able to stop the rotated work piece at all of the 8 indexing stations when each cut is made, this box need to be made with a very low profile as you do not need the work piece to be too high up in the air and far away from the surface of the router table so design it to be a low as you can make it, the design of the box also needs be made to include a "handle pattern profile" low down at the bottom, and level with the underside so that a bearing can follow along it as each cut is made so you will need to find some bearings that fit snugly onto the shaft of any half inch, longer than normal, straight router cutter, the pattern should look like how you want the tool handle to look when it is finished and the bearing, with the long straight router cutter up through the middle of it, will normally then follow along this pattern when the cuts are made, boxes I that I have made have been made in a way where the pattern can be changed, for a different one, so the box can be used for doing other work, you may need to use an extension arbour to get the cutter high enough so make the box is as low and as compact as you can make it, then one by one the eight sides of the handle can be cut as the bearing follows the pattern, when you make the box then for safety reasons then you will need to ensure that the cutter is "fully covered and shielded" when you do each of the 8 cuts as it will be sticking straight up and a long way out of the surface of the router table when it is being used, doing this type of work is "advanced use of the router table as a shaper" and it is not for an "unskilled person" to try so if you are not very skilled then hold off doing this type of "router table shaping" until you are fully able to make this type of indexed box, and also be able to use it safely, I have not posted photos of similar boxes and I have only "described this type of box", as you need to be skilled enough to be able to design your own boxes, and be able make it yourself, without a provided plan, to be able to use it safely. This does work and using the home "Router Table" this way, will open up a whole new world of "Router Table Profile Shaping" and the "making and the use of profile following jigs on a home router table" but it is not for the inexperienced router table user so be sure that you can do this type of work safely before you set out to make and use this type of box. NGM


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## friendly1too (Sep 25, 2004)

A copper end cap frpm the plumbing department might make a good ferrule


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

friendly1too said:


> A copper end cap frpm the plumbing department might make a good ferrule


Good idea there. Hadn't thought of that. 

Also taper "something" to tighten it when tapped on. Or wrap with stainless wire.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

friendly1too said:


> A copper end cap frpm the plumbing department might make a good ferrule


Cheers.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

MAFoElffen said:


> Good idea there. Hadn't thought of that.
> 
> Also taper "something" to tighten it when tapped on. Or wrap with stainless wire.


I read somewhere about tapering the ferrule and handle part for a snug fit. Beyond my skill set at the moment


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

Mike said:


> Peter, to create an octogon from a square blank you would set your bit so it cuts away one third of the height. Since you specified 30 mm you would want 20 mm left above your cut on the fence side. 4 passes will give you a perfect octogon provided your wood is square. Figure out haw many handles you want to build and cut the octogon on a piece long enough for all of them then cross cut to length.
> 
> I highly recommend buying a V bit larger than 1" diameter, in fact 1-1/2" is the most useful I have found. A 1/2" shank is required to support a bit this size.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mike,
This jig to cut round tenons on the handle, any info much appreciated.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

curiousgeorge said:


> Cut the corners off a square and you have an octagon. If you try this on a table saw you will need a jig to hold the square piece at a 45 degree angle while cutting those corners so it doesn't take your fingers with it. A simple jig would be a board with a V groove.


Cheers for that.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

MAFoElffen said:


> Just me, but... For TS? I would first square the stock and leave long. Easier and safer to worth with a work piece than can be mounted and/or be manageable. Using a taper jig, give both ends slight tapers. (4 sides)
> 
> Tilt the blade to a 22 1/2 degree bevel. Mount the stock in the taper jig. Cut the four bevels on one end. Flip the stock and repeat. Dress and sand. Cut the ends to size.
> 
> ...


OK thanks.


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## Gaia (Feb 20, 2010)

neville9999 said:


> Peter I have given this issue regarding "Making Octagonal Tool Handles" a lot of thought over the years and making them is just one of the many things that I don't have the time to do, just yet, but I will do it. It really depends on if you want them to have parallel or tapered sides or, shaped sides like how "wood lathe tools" normally are, and that is what I think you are talking about, if you want them to have the shaped look that wood lathe tools normally have then you need to make a box to hold them while they are cut on a router table, the box must have a working 8 point indexing wheel and the work pieces need to be able to rotate inside the box as well as being able to hold the work piece that will be "longer than the finished handles will be" as you will need to finish them off to length after the eight cuts are done, but the box also needs to be able to hold the new handles "firmly fixed" when each cut is made and be able to stop the rotated work piece at all of the 8 indexing stations when each cut is made, this box need to be made with a very low profile as you do not need the work piece to be too high up in the air and far away from the surface of the router table so design it to be a low as you can make it, the design of the box also needs be made to include a "handle pattern profile" low down at the bottom, and level with the underside so that a bearing can follow along it as each cut is made so you will need to find some bearings that fit snugly onto the shaft of any half inch, longer than normal, straight router cutter, the pattern should look like how you want the tool handle to look when it is finished and the bearing, with the long straight router cutter up through the middle of it, will normally then follow along this pattern when the cuts are made, boxes I that I have made have been made in a way where the pattern can be changed, for a different one, so the box can be used for doing other work, you may need to use an extension arbour to get the cutter high enough so make the box is as low and as compact as you can make it, then one by one the eight sides of the handle can be cut as the bearing follows the pattern, when you make the box then for safety reasons then you will need to ensure that the cutter is "fully covered and shielded" when you do each of the 8 cuts as it will be sticking straight up and a long way out of the surface of the router table when it is being used, doing this type of work is "advanced use of the router table as a shaper" and it is not for an "unskilled person" to try so if you are not very skilled then hold off doing this type of "router table shaping" until you are fully able to make this type of indexed box, and also be able to use it safely, I have not posted photos of similar boxes and I have only "described this type of box", as you need to be skilled enough to be able to design your own boxes, and be able make it yourself, without a provided plan, to be able to use it safely. This does work and using the home "Router Table" this way, will open up a whole new world of "Router Table Profile Shaping" and the "making and the use of profile following jigs on a home router table" but it is not for the inexperienced router table user so be sure that you can do this type of work safely before you set out to make and use this type of box. NGM


OK, thanks for the sensible helpful advice.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Mike said:


> I highly recommend buying a V bit larger than 1" diameter, in fact 1-1/2" is the most useful I have found. A 1/2" shank is required to support a bit this size.


Mike--

Wait one... V bits are usually 60 degrees or 90 degrees. You have one the is 67.5 degrees to create a 22.5 degree cut? Who is that made by?

With a 60 degree bit you get a hexagon.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Mike, I can tell you need more coffee this morning. A: "Octogon" - 8 sides. B: Using one side of a 90° bit = 45°.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Mike said:


> Mike, I can tell you need more coffee this morning. A: "Octogon" - 8 sides. B: Using one side of a 90° bit = 45°.


Having coffee now... 1 hour total sleep between the last 2 nights.


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## andysden (Aug 9, 2011)

better go to bed forget the coffee and computer Andy


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I could of swore I posted photos of the jig, maybe I put them in the wrong thread? Anyways here are a couple of photos. Just one more reason to get the Router Workshop HD flash drive.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

Mike said:


> I could of swore I posted photos of the jig, maybe I put them in the wrong thread? Anyways here are a couple of photos. Just one more reason to get the Router Workshop HD flash drive.


yes, you posted it in the thread about rouding off tenons


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Yes, I just found that Chris. This jig is simple to build and use but there are no plans available for it.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

to make the Octagonal Tool Handles easy and quick use the Craftsman router lathe "crafter," duck soup stuff. 

==


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Gaia said:


> OK, thanks for the sensible helpful advice.


I understand that the information that I have written here is complicated, I have made this type of box several times to do different types of shaping and it always works well, However since I wrote this I have had a few more ideas and I am so happy with them that I intend to make this box using the new design and to then use it to make a full set of new Handles for my Wood Lathe Tools, They will have 12 sides but the box can be used to make items like chair legs or table legs or columns with any number of sides just by changing the index wheel, These days I am still building a House but I think that within a month I will have it done and be able to post some photo's of the new handles.

I intend to start a new thread called "Using the Router Table as a Profile Shaper" and the photos of the tool handles will be there. NGM


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