Making a Multi Bit Screw Driver

I had a screwdriver that fell apart so I decided to make a new handle for it with my new mini lathe. It was a multi driver with many bits so I thought it would work fine for the shop.

I used Purple heart for the handle. It is an extremely dense wood regarded as one of the hardest and stiffest varieties in the world. I did not know how hard it was but I did found out right away. A little bit of research and experience with purple heart has taught me that when the wood is exposed to ultraviolet light it’s colour alters to that of a darker brown with a small purple tinge as it originally has. If the Purple Heart spends more time in the light the colour may alter from light to dark purple.

So to begin, I slowly turned the piece of wood on my lathe. I kept working on it until I came up with a shape that I liked. The tenon was measured with a caliper to match the ferrule. With the tool rest out of the way I sanded the handle with 150 grit sandpaper and followed up with 300 grit to get it as smooth as possible. To deepen the hole in the handle where the bits fit into, I used my drill press and 1/4 bit and drilled the hole to fit the hollow stem.

I used a small saw to remove the waste from the handle and applied a small amount of Epoxy to attach the hollow stem and the ferrule.

  

For the finish I used CA glue. This type of glue hardens quickly, and in no time the screwdriver was ready to use!

This is a great example of how to turn something old into something new, and a great excuse to use my new my lathe and some cool wood. Check out the video on how to make a multi- bit screwdriver in your workshop.