Shopmade wooden handles for our turning tools are at least one custom accessory that we all can afford. They are inexpensive, fun to make and come in many flavors. They may reflect their owner's turning technics and philosophy better than the lathe(s) he owns or the work he turns out or for that matter, the smocks he wears or doesn't wear. Could be, but the ferrules, size, shape, timber and finish of tool handles all together count for less than the user's ability. You learn to turn by doing, not by designing and there's a world of difference between sitting in a chair for a demo and standing at the lathe for a hands-on. I heard that!
Preferring the steel or aluminum OEM handles or those made at home from pipe or steel bar probably suggests more than a willingness to open the purse or a love of weapons, but I don't know what, so for now, I'll only consider wooden handles. Besides, I happen to like wooden handles.
Size varies, but the shape and finish of handles that come with store bought turning tools act as a sort of identity for the company. That's not always a good thing for some companies. The quality tools made by Bob Sorby, Hank Taylor and other old friends are often better identified by the handle than by the shaft. I retain most of my 'name brand' handles partly to show that I do have a few quality store-bought tools, not always because I prefer their handles to mine. They are "A poor thing, but mine own".
It's a wrench to take off a distinctive company handle, but some store bought handles are just not for me. I turn my own custom handles for some of my store bought tools and put the store bought handles on my ugly shopmade tools. That way I get two bragging rights instead of one. There's a certain swagger in deliberately adding a rough limb or broken hoe handle to a fine powdered and frozen steel shaft with a high sounding name. :) You can boast with excess indifference, can't you?
Personal preference is the master word, but I wonder if purpose and application shouldn't decide a particular turning tool's handle. Maybe one shape, size, etc. after all doesn't fit all. I happen to prefer a relatively short and thick tubular handle with a plain rounded end for spindle roughing gouges and skews. For spindle gouges the company line generally suits me though some are pretty short and skinny. Is that to save money on manufacturing and shipping costs to spend on promoting? I dunno. For detail gouges and deep fluted swept-back 'bowl gouges' with vanity names, I like handles long enough to reach my hip or belly and for deep scrapers even my armpit. Better to swing and sway with the tool than to flail and wave with it. Sometimes a slow romantic dance holding your partner close beats jitterbugging. :)
How long these custom lengths need to be depends on my corpulence at the time. Sadly, that's a variable since Lori is a very good cook, but she's also a calorie cop. Being a Yankee, her pot likker is sometimes a little thin for this Southerner. As for fat back and sow belly, forget it. :)
I hope that I've gently annoyed some of you enough that you'll share some of your prejudices (or indifferences) re wooden turning tool handles. TIA and all that.
Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter