New Handles for an old tap wrench

I was using the old tap wrench(my favorite one), tapping holes in a plate for an adjustable angle plate I am building. The old wooden handles finally gave up the ghost. I felt one crack while running the tap in and that was the end of that one...
http://images12.fotki.com/v216/photo...MVC013F-vi.jpg
The broken handle.
http://images58.fotki.com/v511/photo...MVC015F-vi.jpg
These just slip over the steel wrench handles to provide extra leverage for bigger taps. This one won't slip over anything now... :(
http://images61.fotki.com/v52/photos...MVC018F-vi.jpg
Using a 3/8-16 tap in 1/2" thick steel plate, i needed the extra leverage. i dug a couple of aluminum shorts out of the scrap bin and got busy on the lathe.
http://images12.fotki.com/v616/photo...MVC017F-vi.jpg
I bored the pieces out to 19/64th's to press onto the handle and did a little profiling just to add some interest. Wasn't necessary but it took no time at all.

see next post.

I used a piece of ScotchBrite while the part was spinning in the lathe to give them a brushed finish.
http://images57.fotki.com/v283/photo...MVC019F-vi.jpg
Test fitting the first one.
http://images12.fotki.com/v254/photo...MVC021F-vi.jpg
With both handles made I could continue with the tapping project.
http://images15.fotki.com/v1631/phot...MVC001F-vi.jpg
You can see one doesn't go all the way on but it's on there pretty tight. I'll fix this after I get this angle plate project done.
These worked well and I got all 39 holes tapped in about a half hour... :)
http://images56.fotki.com/v168/photo...MVC014F-vi.jpg
Thanks for looking
Mark

Thanks astroracer! We've added your Tap Handles to our Tapping and Threading category, as well as to your builder page: astroracer's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tap-handles"><img src="http://www.homemadetools.net/uploads/138634/tap-handles.jpeg" /></a></div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tap-handles">Tap Handles</a> <span> by <a href="/builder/astroracer_2">astroracer</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/handle">handle</a>, <a href="http://www.homemadetools.net/tag/tapping">tapping</a></div> </div> </div> </div>