Anbody want to get in on an order for ferrule material?

[scsmith42]

Now that I've joined the ranks of folks with "spinny thingys...", I'm thinking about making some lathe tool handles as well as chisel handles with the new Delta 46-460. So... I'm also thinking about material for ferrules.

I've worked with Copper before, but am thinking about ordering either some brass or highly polished stainless steel tubing from McMaster Carry to make some ferrules from. The best price break seems to be for either a 3' or 6' length of tubing, which would probably make more ferrule's than I'd need.

Is anybody interested in going together on an order? If so, do you have a material preference other than copper and a diameter preference?

Thx.

Scott

 

[Mike Davis]

I use brass pipe fittings because I like the solid end. I drill the size hole to fit the tool and use the screw threads to secure the ferrule to the handle.

Copper seems way too soft to me but I would have to try it before I say absolutely no.

I have seen some tools with copper, but haven't tried them long term.

Stainless would be nice but is it considerably more expensive than brass?

Would you be interested in 1/2 , 3/4 and 1" ?

 

[yellofins]

I ended up sing PEX plumbing crimps for my ferrules.
They polish up nice and come in 4 sizes....

 

[scsmith42]

Mike, according to the McMaster Carr catalog, the brass has a higher tensile strength than copper, so it would probably be a better option. Plus, you can put a nice polish on it and end up with something that is different than the norm.

Here are some different prices. I'm using 1" od tubing as a reference.

Ultra-high polish type 316 Stainless steel tubing. 16 ga, .87 id, $52.20 for 36", or about $1.50 per 1" long ferrule.


Smooth bore SS seamless tubing: 1: .035 wall $35.39 for 36", or about $1.00 per 1" long ferrule.
same thing, but in .065 wall: 45.47 per 36" or $1.25 per ferrule

Titanium tubing (if you want the ultra-cool ferrule!), .035 wall, $80.00 for 36", or $2.22 per ferrule

Nickel Chroium tubing (I wonder if this would look like polished chrome?) .065 wall $149.32 for 36", or $4.13 per ferrule

High tensile strength alumimum tubing, .035 wall is $11.69 for 36", .065 wall is $16.19 or .45 per ferrule

BRASS TUBING: .032 wall is $18.86 for 36", or about .50 per ferrule. .065 wall is $39.92 per 36", or $1.08 per ferrule. HOWEVER, if we order a 72" length of the .065 wall, the price is $60.48 or .84 per ferrule.

Note that these prices are from last year's catalog, and may have gone up a bit; however you get the idea.

Seems to me that the high tensile aluminum is the best deal, followed by either stainless or brass. Brass polishes easy, but stainless can be finished out with sandpaper.

Yellowfins - that's a good idea re the pex fittings. Inexpensive and easy to obtain. I was thinking along the lines of something that could be more interesting and unique. If we pool together and order a longer length of tubing, the price can drop down. I have both automated bandsaws as well as tubing cutters for cutting the tubing, or if it's soft like brass we could simply chuck it into a lathe and use a parting tool for a very clean cut.

Anybody interested?

 

[ScottM]

Brass is nice as it is hard but soft enough that you can use your wood turning tools to mill them.:thumbs_up


Yes I would be interested in enough to make a few.

 

[Mike Davis]

BRASS TUBING: if we order a 72" length of the .065 wall, the price is $60.48 or .84 per ferrule.

Shipping will raise that a bit.

I'm in for a foot or two.

 

[BSHuff]

before you order some premium virgin stock, have you looked to see what is available at a local scrap yard? I buy 'scrap' brass for between $2 and $3 a pound and Stainless is $1.50-1.75 depending on how 'clean' it is for reuse. That is a LOT better than dollars per inch.

 

[NCTurner]

Local scrap price for stainless is $1.50/lb. I would also suggest that you peruse ebay, before using another Retail vendor.

Brass

Brass2

Stainless

 

[striker]

If you have a canvas / Bimini top guy in the area you can probably pick the drops for nothing. Typically they use 3/4 and 7/8 O.D. x something like .050 - .062 wall SS tubing. I'm thinking larger tops - small/cheaper tops are done on aluminum.

Not a big deal to find in Wilmington. Inland areas probably not so easy.

Stephen

 

[eyekode]

I have used simple copper pipe for mine. Not as strong as other metals but honestly I don't think strength is an issue. Or at least the copper I believe is plenty strong. I actually like how it looks too:

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery
(oops, I forgot to polish the ferule before I took the picture above)

I do recommend making the handle ends easily distinguishable. You could even stick to a pattern so you know which are gouges, skew's etc.

Salem
​

​

 

[scsmith42]

Gary, thanks for the e-bay links - definitely a better deal than McMaster Carr.

Brian - that's good advice re the scrapyard; I'll have to make a trip down to Lee metal in Sanford to check out what they have in brass.

Stephen, good point re the stainless source. I don't know if we have many boat top places, but I'll keep my eye out.

Salem, those are some nice looking copper ferrules!

 

[sushinutnc]

I too went the copper route, but used cooper end caps. I like the look of the eased edge on the top of the ferrule. The hole can be drilled in it to closely match the diameter of whatever tooling is inserted through it. I would have preferred brass, but I didn't see anything like these in brass at the BORG.

Unfortunately, in this photo, you can't see the leading front end of the ferrule, but you can see how it eases over the front of the handle.

 

[sushinutnc]

I use brass pipe fittings because I like the solid end. I drill the size hole to fit the tool and use the screw threads to secure the ferrule to the handle

Mike-- are these the type of fittings you use (end caps)?

When I was hunting around in the BORG for ferrule substitutes, I almost went with these, but decided they were thicker than I'd like, and I didn't like the shape of the sides and the stamped writing on them. If I had a metal mill, I would have probably gone with them. Or do you use something else?

 

[NCTurner]

Mike-- are these the type of fittings you use (end caps)?

When I was hunting around in the BORG for ferrule substitutes, I almost went with these, but decided they were thicker than I'd like, and I didn't like the shape of the sides and the stamped writing on them. If I had a metal mill, I would have probably gone with them. Or do you use something else?

Brass turns quite easily with regular HSS tooling on a wood lathe.

 

[sushinutnc]

Brass turns quite easily with regular HSS tooling on a wood lathe.

:thumbs_up Good to know.

 

[NCTurner]

FWIW, copper hold up nicely and looks great with a high polish and quick wipe of poly or lacquer. I have even used bits of metal conduit. Ferrules aren't typically all that thick on turning tools and is really just to keep the wood from splitting on the grain. I have seen ferrules from all sorts of bits, string, copper, brass, steel, hose clamps, etc.

 

[Mike Davis]

No, that is not the fitting I use.

It is thinner and hex shaped on the outside, the top is flat and the whole thing is finely machined.

I will try to post some pics tomorrow.

 

[eyekode]

Mike, They mention brass coupling nuts in this article on making handles: http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/images/extra/TurningToolHandles.pdf

Is that what you use?
Salem

 

[Mike Davis]

No, what i use are Brass compression nuts 1/2 , 5/8 , and 3/4 inch outside of pipe sizes. So they fit the wood just a bit over the size of pipe they are sold to fit. Always make a test piece using the same wood that will be in your handle and fit the brass nut to it because the hardness of wood will make a big difference in the way it fits the internal screw threads of the brass compression nut.

See the second item on this page link.

http://www.plumbingstore.com/compression_fittings.html

 

[scsmith42]

I've been doing some shopping (using some of the info that Gary supplied). A 48" long piece of brass tubing, .875 od and .700 ID, would cost us about .73 per 7/8" long ferrule. That's 21 bucks for the tubing, and $14 bucks for shipping. Unfortunately, this seller did not have any other brass tubing appropriate for ferrules, if they did shipping could be grouped and we would save more.

On the other hand, Lee Valley sells some pre-made brass Ferrules, approximately the same diameter is .76 in quantities of 10 or more (plus shipping - the raw brass tubing cost includes shipping). Plus, the Lee Valley Ferrules have a slightly flared base to make installation easier, and it appears that the end towards the tool is rounded over.

Unless we find a smoking deal on some brass tubing at a scrap yard, it may make more sense to get a group order together for Lee Valley so that we can take advantage of the 10+ discount.

Thoughts?

Scott