From WoodworkersZone WoodWiki
WoodZone Woodworkers Scratch Awl Class, by stwoodie.
Welcome to the Handmade Scratch Awl Tutorial.
This will be section one of two, and it will cover turned handles and round shafts. The second section will cover bandsawn handles and twisted, hex and square shafts.
This project came to mind after I saw the very fine scratch awls that were published in the ShopNotes #99 issue.
Some of the metal material shown here was purchased from SmallParts.com, through Amazon. If you click through WoodZone's Amazon link and buy within 30 minutes, WoodZone will get a small portion of that sale to help maintain the forum here.
We can use the guide as is, or personalize it to suit our own taste.
You can make a round shaft, hex shaft, or a square shaft awl as you prefer. Experiment. Make one of each. We'll start first with a simple round shaft like this one.
Any type of hardwood will work, whatever your preference.
I started with a 3" long 1-1/2x1-1/2 Oak Burl Blank. Final length is 2-3/4".
Steel is preferred for the shaft, whether it is round, hex, or square, in the 1/4" size.
The ferrule can be copper, brass, steel, aluminum, whatever you have lying around or want to purchase.
A Wood lathe and turning tools if you prefer a round handle.
Abrasive sanding discs and belts.
Hacksaw or metal chop saw.
Files
Drill press, hand drill, or a drill chuck on your lathe.
Super Glue (CA)
Fast setting epoxy
* A good heavy pair of work gloves is recommended for handling and grinding hot metal. *
Let's start with a 1/4" round shaft. I cut mine to a 5-3/4" length.
I used a stationary belt sander to start the end point taper, then finished it off with a file. Stock is mounted in the wood lathe chuck and filed to a sharp point.
Wrap some tape around the shaft to protect it from the lathe jaws. Use a low speed on the lathe. Start with a coarse file and finish the taper back to 1-1/4" to 1/1/2".
Finish up with a fine file.
If you do not have a chuck on your lathe, you can also use a drill press or a hand held drill to sharpen and polish the shaft.
After the shaft is made, you'll square up a blank, drill a hole slightly smaller than the shaft diameter to a depth of 1", mount a wood blank on the lathe, and turn the basic shape. I used a 7/8" O.D. .029 thick, 3/8" long brass tube on the end to help strengthen the handle. Turn a tenon on the end, sized so the brass tubing will need to be driven on. I added some super glue to help hold it, as the wood will contract and expand with changes in humidity. I used a small flat file to smooth the burrs off the brass tubing.
After you get your handle turned and sanded, apply a small amount of epoxy to the drilled hole and insert the shaft onto the handle. Using a 3/16" washer in a vise will apply pressure directly to the shaft instead of the point, which prevents bending the tip.
After the epoxy has set, tape off the shaft and brass band, apply your finish, and you now have a very useful new shop tool.
Here is a finished Awl. All of the dimensions I listed are a reference only.
You can make these whatever diameter and length that you may want.
The awls we'll make in part two will have square or hexagonal shafts, and I'll show you how to make a decorative twist, if that's what you'd like.
