Project Tutorials

Gavel

Click image for larger view

I glue the handle in with Titebond yellow glue. Oily woods like cocobolo I epoxy.

I align the grain of the handle with the face grain on each side of the head; the way of axe and other tool handles for strength.

Enco and other woodworking tool companies supply thread boxes and taps. I had bought the Beall Wood Threader years before I turned a gavel just because I wanted to thread some wood.

The finished gavel.

Face view of the head and handle alignment.

Do not use glue on the thread area before routing the threads. The broken threads to the left are the result. I thought that hardening the top edges of the threads with thin glue before routing would make them less likely to chip and break. I was wrong. The glue soaked threads broke off and jammed inside the die.

If I wanted to make a blinded wedged tenon as the head attachment method I would now make the hole tapered from narrow at the opening to wide inside with the long point of the skew or a scraper ground for the purpose.

Drill a hole through the handle of the tenon as a stop hole for the saw cut.

I split the handle on the band saw with the stop hole vertical and the tenon riding on the table.

A view of the wedged tenon inside the flared hole in the head. Ignore the split handle; it happened because I was trying to drive the wedge in without a head around it for support. You can see the difference between the drilled ¾” hole and the flare cut with the skew long point. This method locks the handle into the head securely. The correct measurements need to be made so the wedge will flare the tenon all the way out or the handle will be loose. Marring the head and handle while seating the wedge may occur.