Bowling Pin Woodworker's Mallet

[Frank Townend]

Based on an idea from Larry Marley's Web Site (http://marleyturned.com/id124.htm), and E-mails back and forth, I decided to see if I could turn a Carver's/Woodworker's Mallet from a Bowling Pin.I bought a couple of Bowling Pins from eBay, but was told later you may get them free from a local alley.

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I started out by driving a dowel into the bottom hole for my spur center, then made parallel cuts through the plastic shell with a parting tool. With face shield on, I used a roughing gouge to "flip" off the bands of plastic shell.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3419/3205874411_856570bbd0_m.jpg
Here are a number of plastic shell "rings". I held the roughing gouge tightly against the tool rest and they popped off rather quickly.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3265/3206717876_b22cf888c7_m.jpg
As I turned a tenon for my chuck, I cut it deep enough to release the plastic foot. Here is the foot ring, it pops right off. Had I known simply removing enough wood to release the foot would create a nice tenon, I would have followed that path.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/3205875897_d01f37fddd_m.jpg
Here I have marked the bowling pin with one inch lines to aid layout of the mallet.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3335/3205876043_931bc95408_m.jpg
Here it is in the chuck, ready to turn to shape.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3206718778_c18aa764f3_m.jpg
The mallet, starting to take shape.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/3205876663_a0cbfaa290_m.jpg
Shaping the handle.

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After getting the shape I was pleased with, I used my Ci1 Easy Rougher (http://www.easywoodtools.com/ci1.htm) to prepare to part the mallet from the lathe.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3475/3205878169_5366b80386.jpg
And here is the finished mallet, ready for some serious woodworking.

[Norm Zax]

Nice and smooth!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nice looking mallet! Thanks for sharing the process! Never thought of bowling pins before!

[George Clark]

Frank,

Really neat idea. Something I will try, myself. Thanks for sharing.

George

[Frank Townend]

Thank you guys! I found Larry Marley to be of invaluable help.
I'll add a couple of observations:


Some of the glue joints want to separate in the process of turning, I used CA glue and they seem to be holding together nicely.
Larry said a couple of pins he turned were "hollow", as is the case here. Not shown in the picture, and something I will fix later, is a two inch deep hollow 1/8" inside the bottom and about 1/4" inside from the sides.

Worst case the striking body will be 2 1/2" long after I turn off the hollow. I could turn a plug, or even use lead, etc. for weight, but because this is a prototype, I may just turn it off.

[Jeff Nicol]

Frank, A buddy of mine's brother runs a bowling alley near by and he gives me pins and bowling balls when he gets a bunch of culls. I was going to use the pins as targets but the mallet is a better idea!

Great tip!

Jeff

[Dewey Torres]

Great idea! Looks like it can be use for heavy carving work.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking mallet and a nice idea.

[Frank Townend]

Thanks Guys, but let's send Larry the thank you for giving me the idea. Target practice is good, but one heavy duty mallet can come in handy.

[Radek Kowalski]

The Mallet looks great! So you say go to the bowling lanes and try to get some pins?

[Frank Townend]

I say go for it Radek! Post pictures when you are done.
Of course ask the manager if he has old pins. I don't want to read about your "accident", caught at the end of the alley with people rolling bowling balls at you.:eek:

[Jeff Nicol]

Most bowling alleys have junk pins, I am not sure what they do with them but if they get the plastic cracked or the bottom busted they are junk and out they go! Can't hurt to ask, I just happen to have a connection.

Jeff

[Jim Kountz]

Well now whodathunkit?? A bowling pin!! Great!!

[Frank Townend]

Thanks Jeff and Jim. I have two more pins so I'll "perfect" the technique. I should make a bowling pin pepper mill...

[michael gallagher]

very neat idea! There is a bowling alley not too far from my house.....

[Chris Padilla]

So they use maple for bowling pins, eh? Maple on the floor...maple in the pins...I think I see a pattern there.

Nice idea!

[Frank Townend]

Thanks Michael, head on over before the 32,000 other wood turners in your neighborhood beat you to it. :D

Right you are Chris, I guess when you hear someone is planning a bowling alley in your town, start planting Maple trees. ;)

[David Walser]

Frank,

Cool mallet. One question, what type of wood is the bowling pin made from? I assume it needs to be hard and heavy -- even though it's coated with plastic.

[Chris Huybregts]

Work had our christmas party at the "main event" (video game, bowling, laser tag, etc) and after getting spanked bowling, while turning in my shoes, I asked the worker what he did with their bad pins, sure enough, he walked behind the counter and gave me one.

I will be attempting to make a mallet this weekend!

[Frank Townend]

David it is Maple, glued strips.
Chris, great job scoring a pin! I'm looking forward to your results.

[Pat Zabrocki]

What a great idea and great job too!! As with others, I'll have to copy this idea. Again, very nicely done!
Cheers
Pat

[Chris Huybregts]

Hey Frank, I'll definitely post my results! (Week 3 of turning, so, we'll see how good the mallet turns out :)

[Frank Townend]

Thank you Pat, don't forget to post your results.
I think you will enjoy it Chris.
My posting above is a little abbreviated due to the maximum number of photos allowed per post, but I drove a wooden dowel into the hole at the bottom of the pin so my spur center had something to bite into:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3205875515_01628dca51.jpg

Also take your time getting the rings of plastic off.

Good luck!

[Larry Marley]

Nice job Frank,
I learned to turn these from Greg Huff of Joplin, MO.

[Frank Townend]

Thank you Larry and I think you and Greg (http://www.ozarkschoolofcreativearts.com/Inspiration.html) started something.
I think it is a great project for any skill level and it allows the turner to personalize the shape to his or her taste. I am looking forward to seeing how others "turn" out.

Thank you and Thank you Greg!

[Dale Bright]

Frank,

Are you going to bring your mallet to Show and Tell at the CAW meeting in Feb.?

Dale

[Frank Townend]

Thanks, as a matter of fact I was planning to do so Dale.
And I thought I would answer the call for Newsletter (http://www.capwoodturners.org/newsletters/20091JANCAWNEWSLETTER.pdf) articles by putting together a little show and tell.
Thanks for asking!