# Fiberglass splitting maul, repair help



## memory (Mar 10, 2011)

I have an 8 pound fiberglass handle splitting maul that I got from a local hardware store and the head will not stay on. It had some kind of clear resin holding it on and while using it to hit some wedges, the resin type stuff just started coming out in pieces. I was hitting them pretty hard. 

How would I go about fixing this? I tried some plastic welder stuff from an auto store and I only bought one tube and it was not enough to fill in the entire empty space around the head. I don't think it would have held up anyways. I would think I would need something that expands a little or am I wrong on that?


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## ngzcaz (Mar 10, 2011)

After getting tired of replacing handles on my heavy maul, I took a piece of pipe ( pick whatever diameter & length fits your particular hand best ) and welded it to the maul. Many cords of wood have been split since and its still going strong and will easily outlast me.

:msp_biggrin:


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## kd460 (Mar 10, 2011)

Slow cure epoxy works the best. You need to remove some of the old epoxy so the new epoxy will have room to "fill".

They sell replacement handles and epoxy in a kit at most home centers. The one I used had a metal clip to lock the head along with the epoxy.

The biggest trick is preventing the epoxy from running out while it cures. I used plumbers putty and let the maul sit upside down (head on the ground-handle in the air) till it cured.

You also have to make sure the inside of the head where the handle goes and the handle itself is clean. No problem filing some grooves in the handle to create channels for the epoxy.

Fast cure epoxy breaks apart like you mentioned. KD


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## pointer (Mar 10, 2011)

*handle fix*

If ya have a fleet farm close by they sell a repair kit for about 6 bucks. It is a two part epoxy.


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## Labman (Mar 10, 2011)

When I put a fiberglass handle on my maul years ago, the directions suggested filling the gaps between the handle and maul with BB's. Never came loose. 

Funny story.

My 3-4 year old son saw the handle laying in my truck. He picked it up and said ''But Daddy, it is plastic!''. I explained that I had carefully bought a plastic handle because it was stronger than the original wood handle. Later in the project, I was waling away at a crotch with the maul. My son asked, ''What is that, a piece of plastic wood?''.


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## TMFARM 2009 (Mar 10, 2011)

personally i would use some 3m epoxy.. get panel weld epoxy front auto body supply shop.you cant get it apart once it sets.. most cars are fixed with it these days..


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## jackstock394 (Mar 10, 2011)

*Maul repair*



pointer said:


> If ya have a fleet farm close by they sell a repair kit for about 6 bucks. It is a two part epoxy.


Weld a peice of pipe on to it, if your hands can the vibes. My bubby does that and wraps cloth tape around it to make it easier on the hands.Also you can get hickory maul handles at the hardware stores and saw shops,just make sure your maul head and handle match. Then get the little wedges that go into the end of the handle, trim to fit and pound it in.This works good, but you got to soak it in a buckett of water a couple hours to expand the wood.Or you can go buy a new maul lol ,sometimes thats easier.


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## memory (Mar 10, 2011)

ngzcaz said:


> After getting tired of replacing handles on my heavy maul, I took a piece of pipe ( pick whatever diameter & length fits your particular hand best ) and welded it to the maul. Many cords of wood have been split since and its still going strong and will easily outlast me.
> 
> :msp_biggrin:



With the handle being metal, wouldn't the vibrations kill your hands?



kd460 said:


> Slow cure epoxy works the best. You need to remove some of the old epoxy so the new epoxy will have room to "fill".
> 
> They sell replacement handles and epoxy in a kit at most home centers. The one I used had a metal clip to lock the head along with the epoxy.
> 
> ...



How long of a cure time is slow cure epoxy? 



pointer said:


> If ya have a fleet farm close by they sell a repair kit for about 6 bucks. It is a two part epoxy.



I do not have a fleet farm close by. I do have a Harbor Freight, TSC and a Rural King(not open yet) near by. I looked at TSC and did not notice a repair kit.



TMFARM 2009 said:


> personally i would use some 3m epoxy.. get panel weld epoxy front auto body supply shop.you cant get it apart once it sets.. most cars are fixed with it these days..



Would any auto parts store carry that? I have an Oreilly's and an Autozone nearby.



jackstock394 said:


> Weld a peice of pipe on to it, if your hands can the vibes. My bubby does that and wraps cloth tape around it to make it easier on the hands.Also you can get hickory maul handles at the hardware stores and saw shops,just make sure your maul head and handle match. Then get the little wedges that go into the end of the handle, trim to fit and pound it in.This works good, but you got to soak it in a buckett of water a couple hours to expand the wood.Or you can go buy a new maul lol ,sometimes thats easier.



I know somebody that is a machinist and I thought about getting him to make a handle that fits perfectly inside the head. But I would think you would have to put some rubber on the handle so it doesn't hurt so bad. I wouldn't think just cloth tape would be enough.

I have thought about getting a new Fiskars but I kind of got used to this one. And plus I have no idea which Fiskars I would get.


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## TMFARM 2009 (Mar 10, 2011)

nope check for a carquest ,napa,or paint and body store... you may get it ready to install and just go to a local body shop and have them epoxy it for a few bucks.
just a thought.


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## kd460 (Mar 11, 2011)

24 hour cure epoxy, mix the hardener and resin in the exact 1:1 ratio. Clean as much of the old epoxy off as you can from the handle bringing it down to the original plastic. Use sandpaper, file, whatever. Heat will soften the epoxy from the head, but don't use too much heat. 

File a couple of recessed rings around the handle at the part that goes into the head. This will form grooves for the epoxy and make the bond stronger. About 1/8" deep for the rings.

Clean the inside of the head with a file, or whatever, remove any rust inside the head as well. Final clean with alcohol, brake clean, or whatever to get any oils or residue off the surfaces to be glued.

You want a visable gap between the handle and the head. Not a huge gap (1/16"), but enough to know that the epoxy can run down into all the areas inside he head and "surround" the handle. If needed for positioning, use peices of thin bare wire, strips of solder, or similiar and "wrap" the part of the handle that fits into the head to act as shims or apply tension to keep the handle snug so it won't drift during the cure process. Just make sure the wire is positioned so it gets completly covered or hidden inside the head.

Seal off the top of the head as best as possible so the epoxy will not run out. Use tape, putty, or whatever. Just make sure you get a good seal.

Use a vise or something to hold the maul by the head so you can position the handle evenly and squarely into the maul. You want the handle pointing up towards the sky for this part. Make sure you point the maul edge correctly and it is not tilted up or down, an/or turned slightly left or right in relation to the handle.

Mix the epoxy on a paper plate and use a plastic spoon. Get a heat gun or a hair dryer. Mix the epoxy, warm it up with the heat gun, scoop up some epoxy with the spoon and drip the epoxy into the gap between the head and the handle. You can mix lots of epoxy because this is slow cure so it won't harden up on you. The heat makes the epoxy "thin" so it will flow into all the gaps and spaces between the head and handle. Heating the head and handle is fine also (to get it to flow into the gaps). You can also wiggle the handle when epoxy is in it to get the epoxy to flow into the gaps. Just gotta make sure you sealed thing up good so the epoxy won't run out.

When you have a complete fill (look for a bead that will form around the entire head and handle in the gap), check for any epoxy running out the underside of the head (the top) and stop any leaks using putty or tape. Also double check the positioning of the handle/head.

Now let it cure! You should do this in an area that will be above 60 degrees for a few days. Room temp is better (inside the house). Let it cure for 2 days at that temp. The colder the temps, the longer it takes to cure. Check the position of the handle a few times early in the cure process. The epoxy will start to thicken when curing, but will still let you make minor positioning adjustments in case the handle settles or leans on you during the cure process. Do what you gotta do to prevent that handle from moving when curing. 

When hard, take a grinder or a file to the top of the head to remove any protrusion from the handle sticking up too high above the head or any epoxy residue. Remember you are filing/grinding fiberglass so do it outside and or wear a mask. Don't heat the head too much with a grinder or it will break the bond of the epoxy.

On the last one I did, the handle had a "ridge" in the plastic just below the head. The handle worked it's way loose, so when I reglued it, I ground down that ridge (it's only in the yellow plastic covering of the handle) so the ridge would fit into the head. I made sure that the ridge was a little tight so it would help hold the handle in place. I epoxied it from the top of the head till that cured, then flipped it over and did it again from the underside of the head. That maul has split about 10 full cords so far without problems.

This is just one method (am not saying it's the best either), there are a few ways to do the above, even in two stages, or handle pointing down, or whatever. The above is what works best for me. I have had only one failure and that was when I used a "quick set" epoxy.

Finally, don't leave the maul outside. Rust in the head will affect the bond of the epoxy, but if you fill the epoxy correctly, it will seal the head up. Also, instead of hammering on the maul head with a sledge, use splitting wedges when possible. The impact of a sledge on the maul head can break the epoxy and/or bond. Use the maul for splitting and the wedges to take any "punishment" on the tough peices. KD


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## browntrout (Sep 8, 2012)

*What kind of slow cure epoxy did you buy? There are many kinds.*

Hello, what kind of slow cure epoxy did you buy, as there are many kinds and strengths. Thank you, Greg. 





kd460 said:


> Slow cure epoxy works the best. You need to remove some of the old epoxy so the new epoxy will have room to "fill".
> 
> They sell replacement handles and epoxy in a kit at most home centers. The one I used had a metal clip to lock the head along with the epoxy.
> 
> ...


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## kd460 (Sep 8, 2012)

I just went to the local hobby shop and bought the 2 part epoxy glue that comes in the plastic bottles. I stayed away from the "super fast" or 5 minute setting type stuff. The fast cure stuff gets brittle and sets up before it has a chance to "seep in" to the gaps between the head and the handle. I buy my epoxy and "crazy glue" at the hobby shop instead of the home depot or super stores because you get more product for the $$ and the hobby shop is locally owned, the big box stores are not.

This is what I used on at least three handles (axes, mauls, hatchets) and has held up for 3 seasons on my maul:

Bob Smith Industries SLOW-CURE 30 Minute Epoxy (9oz) [BSI206] | Glue, Oil & Cleaners - A Main Hobbies

Again, the above was purchased from my local hobby shop. Even though it says "30 minute epoxy", it does not fully cure for 24 hours (at least). It is best to let it set up for 48 hours at room temp of about 70 degrees. The colder the temp, the longer the fully cured time. "fully cured" means it does not reach it's full strength till "fully cured" or till the 2 part reaction (setting, bonding, curing chemical reaction, whatever) is complete.

Also, I did a little search and found this: 

Devcon 35345 1 Oz Clear 2 Ton Two Part Epoxy: Sealants, Fillers & Adhesives : Walmart.com

Hardman Epoxy | Urethane | Silicone | Epoxy adhesive | 04001

Woodworker.com: Structural Epoxy Adhesive Is Gap Filling And Waterproof, T-88 Epoxy 12pt adhesive&searchmode=2


The thing is (and I learned this the hard way), the fast setting stuff gets brittle after awhile. Not something you want with an axe or maul head. When I was just searching for a link to the glue that I used, I found out that there is such a thing as "impact resistant" glue/epoxy, so I provided the links.

Also, unrelated, but a little nice to know information on glue (from past experience with railroad model building): You can ad a little paint to epoxy to change the color (just mix it in to the resin before mixing the hardner), or powder like baby powder, printer toner powder (to make it black) or baking soda to make it thicker. It probably weakens the epoxy a little, but if cosmetics are what your looking for anyways or like gap filling, who cares about strength. 

Also nice to know info, when using crazy glue, if you need it to set up instantly, or to fill gaps, or to build up/fill a hole, put the crazy glue on, join pieces together, and then sprinkle baking soda on it. Instant set up of the crazy glue and you can repeat as many times you want to "build up" a surface or fill a gap. Works great for a quick fix on something. 

Lastly, JB weld is good stuff for what it is intended for, but it is pretty thick and sets real slow. If you warm it up with a heat gun or hair dryer after you mix it, it will flow or run like pancake sryup. Helps when you need it to "run down" into gaps or whatever. The heat will also make it set up alot faster. Just remember to heat the parts you are glueing and not just the JB weld. Not sure how it affects the strength.

Anyway, more info than you asked for, but hope it helps. KD


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## kholmz (Dec 18, 2016)

Here is a fix I came up with. I drilled a 1/4 inch hole through it and pinned it with a brass rod. I also did the JB weld trick. The drilling was surprisingly easy, with a pilot hole then the 1/4 inch drill bit. I also tapered the hole using a step drill bit and flared the brass rod into it with a hammer. Then sanded it smooth with a flapper disc. It cost a couple dollars for the fix, but I figure it is a life time solution. Perhaps it is how it should have been done in the first place It's an 8lb head. Here is a pic:


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## muddstopper (Dec 19, 2016)

Those plastic handles have always been a thorn in my side. Best fix I have found is to replace the plastic with wood. I set the head on top of the stove until it gets hot and then use a drift punch to knock the handle out. I then set the head back on the stove so it stays hot while I file fit a handle to fit the hole. Once the handle is fitted, I drive it into the hot head and drive in wedges and then set the hammer to the side while it cools off. Once cold, the hammer shrinks tight to the wooded handle so theres no slipping. Biggest problem with the wood handles is finding one that will fit tight in the oddball hole where the plastic handle fit. I think I ended up putting a 10lb sledge handle in a 3lb hammer. Took a little fileing to make it fit, and I had to saw it off to proper length, but I like the way the handle fits my hand better than one of those little plastic handles with the rubber grip.


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## svk (Dec 19, 2016)

Just some random thoughts from a guy who lives by trial and (often) error:

I have repaired a couple of axes (multiple times) for a children's camp where I do charity cutting for their wood supply.

The fiberglass handles are more expensive originally but will take much more abuse from young bucks who have more strength than skill.

Once they are cracked I cut them off at the head and drill them out with a drill press just like I do with wood handles. 

FWIW the one axe that originally had a fiberglass handle fit a standard wood handle with zero sanding/filing needed.

The last time I put wood handles on the two axes I wrapped the base of the handle with cotton rope as a shock absorber and haven't gotten them back in nearly a year. I also bought them a X27 which works better unless the monster maul is needed.


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