First lathe project, a simple tool handle

A couple of years ago, I bought an old (1950’s) Craftsman lathe with the intention of learning to use it. I got it home, turned it on and got very scared.  This particular one was shaky, unbalanced and just felt unsafe.  I didn’t touch it for about six months and then decided to actually try turning something.  I made a simple tool handle for an ice pick even though I felt like the whole thing was going to fly apart at any moment. I decided right then, that I needed to get a different lathe.
Fast forward a couple of years…  I found someone who wanted my lathe and told them it was theirs when they could come get it. In the meantime, I started getting lots of suggestions from my friend Kevin, on what to replace it with.  Eventually, I purchased a brand new lathe and decided to take you along with me on it’s first run, and on my first project, another tool handle.

This is a really fast and simple project that gave me the confidence and interest to use the lathe more in the future. I hope it’ll get you out there to try something new too!