Easy Chopping Block Handle

by dtsunekawa in Workshop > Woodworking

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Easy Chopping Block Handle

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I have a nice stump that i use to split wood for my fire, but i often need to move it around the yard to chop and then back into hiding when it's not in use. It isn't particularly heavy but i wanted a way to carry it with one hand so that i could carry my maul in the other.

Solution

I decided to use some extra sheet metal i had to fashion a make shift handle. A sheet of metal is pretty inexpensive, but if you need to buy some you might as well buy a cheap strong gate handle or something for the same price.

Cut the Metal

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I cut 14" x 14" piece of metal. I was mainly thinking that i wanted a thick piece long enough to bend into a handle. You should measure the size of your stump before cutting the metal.

Fold the Metal

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I started by folding the edges inward so that there were no sharp edges exposed. Then i continued to fold it in half over and over until i had a piece that fit nicely in my hand. At then end it got a little hard to manipulate. I enlisted the use of my car, slowly rolling over the metal to bend and fold it.

Attach the Handle

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I first sanded the stump down a little bit to avoid splinters when picking it up.

Finally i used some wood screws and washers that i had on hand to attach the handle to the stump. I needed a little bending and folding to get the angle correct for the handle shape.

Test It Out

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That's it! So far it seems to be working great. I will update this later if i find it isn't secure enough or if i make other modifications.