Replacement Hardwood( Spotted Gum ) Tool Handles

[Greg Thatcher]

At Park Handles , located near Windsor NSW, we manufacture a large range of tool handles, and also have a large quantity of offcuts of Spotted Gum for the smaller end of the market.I can be contacted at; [email protected]

[FenceFurniture]

Very timely Greg. You wouldn't read about it - for the first time ever I sanded back my Cyclone mattock handle (also Spotty), gave it 3-4 licks of Linseed oil - looked and felt great. Two weeks later I cracked it levering out a root. :~ It's still working, but......

Now all I have to do is figure out who will be near Windsor soon.

[cava]

At Park Handles , located near Windsor NSW, we manufacture a large range of tool handles, and also have a large quantity of offcuts of Spotted Gum for the smaller end of the market.I can be contacted at; [email protected]
Do you have a catalogue and pricelist?

[Greg Thatcher]

It might be you if you are interested in old machines. We are currently running 3 Defiance lathes dating from the turn of the 19th century and a pre 1924 Robinson copy lathe. All these machines are in daily use and are bloody marvellous.

[Greg Thatcher]

Unfortunately our price list relates to quantity wholesale clients. prices for small quantity buyers are open to negotiation. things to be considered may be how pretty or ugly you are, normally only very ugly people want to buy from us. Seriously though we are happy to sell small quantities. I have a son who just happens to drive to Melbourne every week. What are you after ?

[cava]

I don't need anything at the moment, however I could be up for a new axe handle and smaller chisel/spokeshave type handles in the not too distant future. Hence the enquiry...

[Greg Thatcher]

We make axe 600 to 800,hatchet,hammers various,engineers 250 by 50 increments to 500, sledges 600 to 1050, blockbusters 800 & 900, picks, mattocks, shovels long & short,hoe long & short, asstd miners, adze , fernhook & rakho to name a few. not chisel or file at the moment (no market for quality in these products as cheap imports rule here )
I have no hesitation in saying that the handles we make are the finest available anywhere. They are manufactured to the relevant Aust standard, unlike any imported product, and sadly some that are made here. ! ? ! ?

[DSEL74]

It might be you if you are interested in old machines. We are currently running 3 Defiance lathes dating from the turn of the 19th century and a pre 1924 Robinson copy lathe. All these machines are in daily use and are bloody marvellous.

Unless there are photos it didn't happen/ doesn't exist......forum rules..

[NCArcher]

I agree, we need photos.
Welcome to the forum Greg.
If we happened to be going through Windsor could we have a sticky beak inside the factory? (Willing to take photos and post to forum :photo:)

[FenceFurniture]

If we happened to be going through Windsor ......oh goody, maybe you can pu a Mattock handle for me please?

[AndrewOC]

Yes, a website would be convenient.
Something like;
A. Mansukhlal & Co. - Striking Tools Handles (http://www.toolshandles.com/strikingtoolshandles.html)
Replacement Handles - Vaughan Manufacturing (http://www.vaughanmfg.com/shopping/Departments/Replacement-Handles.aspx)
Striking tool hickory wood replacement handles; axe handle, hammer handle (http://www.tennesseehickoryproducts.com/replacements.shtml)

Would love to see an Aussie equivalent.
regs,
Andrew.

[Bushmiller]

At Park Handles , located near Windsor NSW, we manufacture a large range of tool handles, and also have a large quantity of offcuts of Spotted Gum for the smaller end of the market.I can be contacted at

"prices for small quantity buyers are open to negotiation. things to be considered may be how pretty or ugly you are, normally only very ugly people want to buy from us."

Sounds as though as though people over 6' or those of us who are unattractive could be seriously disadvantaged :rolleyes: .

Could we have found a worthy successor to Hely Bros? Welcome to the Forums.

Regards
Paul

[Willy Nelson]

Sorry Gents
This thread is useless!!!!!!
I need photos of the machines, a description of use and photos of the end products, please.
Of interest for WA people, the Darnenup Heritage centre has an axe handle copy lathe, which they hardly use. Gee I was tempted to purchase it. I have a disease, I find, purchase or am given axe heads, and I must fit a handle to them, and subsequently, have too many and must give them away to worthy recipients.

Greg, please put some piccys up, or may I suggest that you start a new thread dedicated to what you do, who knows, hopefully you will get some new business. Unfortunately, you are in the foul and most foreign East, you use stinky Easterner weeds for timber, therefore, I will not be purchasing from you
Sincerely
Willy
Jarrahland

[Greg Thatcher]

Hi NCArcher,
Absolutely no problem with that,however not always there. Best to check prior to the anticipated visit to avoid disappointment.. Initial contact to email would probably be best.

If you are interested I posted this with the help of one of my sons.

https://youtu.be/mV008Knvvm8

This is a you tube reference but I dont Know how to highlight it . you must realise I am a Luddite..!!

[Greg Thatcher]

Hi Bushmiller, I speak with Michael Hely from time to time, in fact some of the machines we are running came from Hely Bros.

[Greg Thatcher]

Hi Willy,
From that foreign country that uses funny red coloured( spellcheck thinks that is wrong) wood. It was only a few years back that a major manufacturer closed down on your side of the world. Their name currently escapes my worthless memory but I thought it was A....? something. Am I right?
From memory also they mainly used a very dark brown timber for their product.
Kind regards
Greg T

[Greg Thatcher]

Hi Andrew,
Website not available as yet,as we have mainly been operating as wholesalers up until now,selling the EMU brand into the SA, VIC, TAS, NSW & QLD market through a wholesaler. This will be changing over the next few months.....lots to do. FYI Park Handles has been active since about 1950.
Regards
Greg T

[Bushmiller]

Hi Bushmiller, I speak with Michael Hely from time to time, in fact some of the machines we are running came from Hely Bros.

Wow!

That is fabulous. I am not sure if Michael will remember me, but you can tell him when you two next speak that I still have the tin of Silber Gleit he gave to me. I use it sparingly (it goes a long way) :rolleyes: . Please give him my regards.

You may also have seen the ancient racing handle I posted in RSSER's Axe Talk thread, which also was a freebee from Michael, but has rather heretically been attached to an agricultural, home made block splitter.

Regards
Paul

[Stu Smith]

Hi Greg,

I am interested in the machines you use to make various tool handles.
Sorry, I am an electrician that works on machine control systems, but have not been involved in the timber industry.

The reason I ask is that I am carving (by hand, slowly....) Japanese wooden training swords, Bokken.

When I look at the curve in them (there are various types/curves) and hold them against tool handles, I find that Adze handles aren't far off.

Do your machines have to be retooled for a new item, or it it something like a pantograph where a shape can be followed?

The reason I ask is that if I am going to compete against the Japanese, hand carving is not going to cut it.

Below are pics of two standard shapes so you can see where I am coming from.

All the best,

Stu


411089411090

[Bushmiller]

Stu

Greg of course is the best person to reply to your question, but I remember seeing the Hely Bros axe handles being turned when their operation was still running. In principle, there was a metal pattern and four handles were turned at a time. Quite impressive. So I would think that provided a metal pattern can be manufactured, any long shape can be replicated.

Regards
Paul

[Stu Smith]

Hi Paul,
Thanks for that.
That sounds like the go, it will be interesting to see what Greg has to say.

On that, a couple of things:

Do you know what the dark brownish/red timber was that some handles used to be made from?
I have an adze, small axe and hatchet handles put away to copy. The wood is dark brownish/red, dense and gets to a very smooth finish.
The hatchet had a label, I can't find it now, but was Bonser I think.
I would like to get hold of some to make a Bokken out of.

On the subject of an axe lathe or similar machine that can pump out consistent copies of a master.
If someone is sitting on a non working one, I have the ability to get it going, especially on the electrical side.
Feel free to let me know, maybe we can talk business.

All the best,

Stu

[Greg Thatcher]

Hi Stu

Sorry so long in replying. The BONSER brand used to belong to Hely Bros,however since their closure it has been used by someone else, but sadly without the same attitude to quality.
AGK in WA used to use a timber they called mallet,but they closed down more than 10 years ago.
Hely Bros used principally north coast spotted gum from the Hunter region and they closed when our friendly Forestry Commission closed that area to Spotted Gum extraction.
Regards Greg Thatcher