For this month's President's Challenge - "Attention getters" I knew I wanted to do a gavel but I wanted to do it a little bit different. The handle is secured to the head with hand chased threads. Step 1 was to drill and then hand chase the threads in the head. The blank is 5" long and just under 3" square.
The head was then mounted between centers and the profile turned. I found a PDF online with a profile I liked and based my design on that profile. The layout was pretty simple just a little bit of measuring to make sure things were symmetrical.
The handle was then turned and the threads hand cut on the end. This is endgrain orientation so threading was more difficult. I soaked the threads in superglue to reinforce the short grain fibers.
The profile of the handle was turned next. I wish I'd left it a little thicker, I may end up turning another one leaving a little more meat but I hesitate because of the end grain threads.
Last the nubs were sanded off of both ends of the head and the butt end of the handle before a coat of oil was wiped on. I plan to turn a sounding block out of the same wood but that's a project for another day.
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