Frank Townend
01-18-2009, 11:08 AM
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.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3205874305_f0b759a1a4_m.jpg
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.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3205876965_e6af2b8821_m.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3205877287_6f1481496f_m.jpg
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.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/3205874305_f0b759a1a4_m.jpg
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.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3205876965_e6af2b8821_m.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/3205877287_6f1481496f_m.jpg
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.