Help finding handle for corn mill, please.

Hi all,

I have an antique hand crank corn mill that wants a new handle and I'm having trouble figuring out what to get.  

The current handle may not be original but it's shape is fine.  It's missing it's ferrule -- new word for the day -- and the bolt running through it is so tight that my husband's afraid the handle will break as he dismantles it.  He also has a lot of concerns about the size of the opening (for the bolt) so I don't want to order the wrong thing.  

I tried contacting the CS Bell company to see if they would sell me a handle, but the phone # is bad and their email bounces.  I've looked on eBay... no clue what to get...so many of the wooden handles are for other tools... and then there is this whole thing about the opening size!!

I think the handle from the Country Living grain mill would work, which is available to buy, but it is twice as long (for 2-handed) and sticks out quite a bit.

I guess it's possible that the wood does NOT crack when he dismantles it. That would be fine.  I did a search for ferrules, also with also overwhelming results. And No, my husband will not fashion a ferrule for me out of copper tubing. sigh.
I'd be grateful for your ideas or experiences.
Thank you,
Caroline in Idaho.

I wouldn't worry too much about the disassembly of the handle. It looks like it is in reasonably good shape considering the age.

I would recommend a penetrating oil that creeps. Apply it to the bolt and let it sit for a bit.

I think the biggest thing you want to make sure is the replacement handle and new bolt match. You can get sets for grain mills that should match up just fine. You may need to shim a little with some washers but that should be the extent of the problem.

I checked out the Country Living Grain Mill you mentioned and that is exactly what I would go for if I was in your shoes.

If you wanted to get fancy, I think you could make a handle yourself with a bit of time and the correct tools.

Have you thought about carving a new handle?

https://permies.com/t/192082/whittling

At Wheaton Labs, the folks have come up with some nifty ideas for replacement handles.  there is a thread though my search did not come up successful.

Caroline, what I can see in the photos you posted of the mill, I can see square head nuts on the body.  I think you may be right about the handle having been replaced sometime in the past, as the bolt now holding the handle is a hex head.

If all else fails, send me a message and I'll be glad to turn a new handle with a threaded insert for a new bolt.  I don't often turn these days, but I'm sure I could work up a new handle for you, how would a cherry or walnut handle look on your mill?

Peace

This may get a little long.  Apologies.

The handle and bolt do not look original.  It appears along its journey someone used a spare bolt that did not quite fit the thread pitch on the receiving side/handle.  

Here is a source for replacement handles if it should break while removing.  6" trowle handle



Lee Valley tools sells them from 2.25 inches to 10.25 inches.

Lee Valley tools

If you want the handle to rotate as you turn the wheel follow something like this installation:



A simpler way would be to just use washers on either side of the wheel.  Match a bolt and nut for diameter and thread pitch and length.  Epoxy and press the nut into the handle.  press the nut into the pre-drilled hole.  Add a washer to the bolt and put into wheel.  Add second washer on other side of wheel.  Hold the head of the bolt with a wrench and slowly turn the hande onto the bolt hand tight.  the washers (if not over tightened) should allow the handle and bolt to turn freely as the wheel rotates at speeds under hand operation without a bushing or bearing in the wheel.  

Jack Edmondson wrote:A simpler way would be to just use washers on either side of the wheel.  Match a bolt and nut for diameter and thread pitch and length.  Epoxy and press the nut into the handle.  press the nut into the pre-drilled hole.  Add a washer to the bolt and put into wheel.  Add second washer on other side of wheel.  Hold the head of the bolt with a wrench and slowly turn the hande onto the bolt hand tight.  the washers (if not over tightened) should allow the handle and bolt to turn freely as the wheel rotates at speeds under hand operation without a bushing or bearing in the wheel.  

Here is a sort of illustration of Jack's second suggestion. If I were doing it, I'd find a good quality shouldered bolt - one with a plain shaft with a small clearance to the hole in the wheel, and threaded at the end as it comes out of the wheel. A flat washer either side of the wheel will spread the loads there.
The handle actually only needs to rotate relative to the wheel, whether the bolt rotates relative to the handle doesn't matter, since your hand will hold it the same way throughout the wheel rotation. It would be simplest to glue the end of the bolt into the handle firmly therefore, but if you had a threaded bush inset in the handle then it could be screwed in, and might be more durable (and disassemblable for storage). The ferrule helps spread the load into the handle by clamping the wood firmly and stopping it splitting so is worthwhile having for durability.

Thank you all very much for your ideas and suggestions. I will mull them over and figure out what I can accomplish. Again, many thanks!!

Caroline