T-handle TH10 bushing black

A T-handle gives the hand something solid to pull on. T-handles TH10 with a bushing are injection molded handles in polyamide PA6 where the crossbar lies at 90 degrees to the mount, so the force ends up straight along the direction of the thread. The thread sits in a threaded hole in a brass bushing, which means the handle is fitted onto a stud, screw or threaded shaft and works as a nut with a grip.

The series covers eight versions with three bar widths: 50, 60 and 72 mm. The threads run from M5 to M10 and the thread depth varies between 6 and 15 mm depending on size; the height lies between 24 and 34 mm. All versions are black with a matte surface and are picked directly on the product page, where the whole range sits together under the same item.

PA6 is the right material for this type of handle. It is tough and impact resistant, so the handle does not crack from a drop on the floor or a knock from a pallet, and the surface feels pleasant to grip even when cold. The brass bushing gives a smooth and straight thread run that does not seize against the steel bolt; plastic straight against a thread would have worn considerably faster with frequent screwing on and off.

In workshops and machine builds T-handles sit on access hatches and inspection hatches, on pull out modules in cabinets, on quick locks for fixture parts and on locking screws that have to be released often. The T shape makes them just as useful for pulling straight out as for turning; you get decent torque through the crossbar, while the grip works with gloves and wet hands.

The choice of size is mostly about hand and force. The 50 mm width suits two or three fingers and smaller hatches, while 72 mm gives room for a whole hand grip and more pulling force. Match the thread to the bolt that is already in the design; the thread depth of each version is shown in the manufacturer's data sheet, along with the other detail dimensions such as hub diameter and total height.

You choose the bushing version when the threaded element sits in the material, that is, when the handle is to be fitted onto something. If it is the other way around, and the handle is to be screwed into a threaded hole, TH10 is also available with an external threaded stud in zinc plated steel. The two versions share dimensions and shape, so a design can be switched between them without the ergonomics changing.

One detail that is easy to miss in design: leave swing room around the handle. A T-handle that cannot be turned a full revolution without hitting an edge forces the operator to move the grip in small steps, and then the speed that was the reason for the choice is gone. Plan also for the handle possibly needing to be locked with a lock nut if there are vibrations in the machine; the thread in the bushing is an ordinary metric thread and is locked in the usual way. The handles are supplied in packs of 150 or 200 pieces depending on version.

The handles work well outside the classic workshop too. Sound and stage technicians use T-handles on rigging parts that have to be released in the dark, laboratories put them on adjustable stands, and in the wood industry they sit on fences and jigs. What these have in common is that the grip has to be found by feel and operated without the eyes leaving the work; the T shape is easy to find with the hand even when the eyes are busy elsewhere.

Do you want help choosing bar width and thread? We are happy to answer questions before you order.