Thread: handle material question

I don't have a lathe and really want to make a brush handle.

I was at the hobby/craft store and came across a polymer clay.

Has anybody used this? I'm assuming after painting and firing it would react like a ceramic or porcelain.

I just wonder if it'll hold up as a handle and water usage.

Thoughts?

Haven't tried it but it sounds like a product that might not appreciate being wet.

Do you have a drill press or drill kicking around? You can rig up a redneck lathe with either of those and some sand paper. Hand cut the wood to close the dimensions. Take high grit sand paper glued to a piece of scrap let the drill run and sand the profile in. Not ideal but I have done it on occasion on the job site for dowel creation or re profiling a railing ball.

If you do try it let us know. And remember even on ceramic there always a uncoated section.

I've been wanting to make a wooden handle, but I would need a lathe or drill press. I only have a hand drill right now. I might try the hole drill method...

The polymeric clay can be fragile. I've had pieces of it crack just by holding it - and they weren't thin fragile pieces either. It has to be sealed with multiple coats of sealer if it is going to be around water. If water gets back into it, it just disintegrates.

For the makeshift lathe out of a drill do a google search for afghan lathe. It will tear up the drill's bearings in the long run, but it does work even with chisels and gouges as long as they are very sharp and you use light pressure.

Kotitekoinen puusorvi/Homemade DIY wood lathe: Kotitekoinen puusorvi/Homemade DIY wood lathe - YouTube really low tech

I can already hear pixel and harry....

That looks so sketchy.... I think I'd rather try to find something else to repurpose. Or just find an old brush to restore and out the 22mm knot into. Or have somebody make me a handle until I can get a bench top lathe.

Have seen several Homemade lathes that work just fine,Unlike metal lathes, wood lathes do not have to be accurate machines.
Your using hand tools and turning by hand,have seen many great brushe handles made with a drill press and Files.
Lots of options.

At one time there were no such things a lathes or power tools period. Everything was done by hand and the work was far more intricate and detailed than it is now.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

At one time there were no such things a lathes or power tools period. Everything was done by hand and the work was far more intricate and detailed than it is now.

Actually, lathes date back to 1300 B.C

I have tried using an old drill/mill press as a lathe after seeing some videos of it. It didn't turn out so well. I plan on trying it again once I get a center point that will hold the piece of wood better. The one I tried didn't hold it at all and the wood just stopped spinning, but recently I bought an old lathe for $2.50 without a motor and since I have a motor that I can use I might just use that instead. I still want to see if I can use the drill, but that will probably come later.