“Turn” Handles Into Savings

The price of good turning tools can be pretty steep. Since most of the better lathe tools can be purchased without a handle, put your money where it counts—in the steel, not the handle. After all, it’s the steel that does the work, and high-quality steel gives you an edge that lasts a very long time.

Besides the obvious cost savings, there are other benefits to making your own handles. First, you can customize their length and diameter—no longer do you have to settle for “one-size-fits-all” tools. Second, although a matched set of tools might seem like a good idea, giving each tool a unique handle is an easy way to tell them apart when they’re stored edge-down in a tool rack.  –John English