Extra large mallet - wood ID?

[Lee Alkureishi]

Hi all,

I quickly decided that I don't like fighting with my underpowered 14" electric chainsaw to rip logs in half. After reading up on it, I decided to try using some splitting wedges instead. A quick shopping trip later, and I now have 2 steel wedges. Now I just need a hammer...

I used this as an excuse to turn something, and decided to make an extra large mallet. Not sure if it'll work well enough - I may still need to buy a sledgehammer, but figured it doesn't cost anything to try... So, I picked up one of the (very green) logs I got from my local cemetery's firewood pile, and made a silly-big mallet. I like how it came out, but even more so, I loved the wood... It didn't look like much in log form, but it's actually really nice inside and turned super easily - check out the length of those shavings! It also smells really nice when turning.

The pictures show it before finishing, then after a coat of friction polish and beeswax (I know it's a weird choice, I just wanted to see what it would look like...). I've also attached a pic of another log of the same wood, for easier identification (sorry for the blurry picture). Anyone know what it is? I'd like to get some more!

Edit: Forgot to mention - it's definitely not honey locust, although it looks similar! It's much softer, turns easier and smells much better.

Thanks!

Lee

[Jerry Marcantel]

Looks like pine to me, but I'm not that good at IDing wood.
That's a good looking mallet, but it looks more like some of those old cartoon clubs the cavemen were packing while hunting for food and women.hehehehe. Looks like your pooch is happy..... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Jamie Donaldson]

Looks like pine to me as well, and definitely not good wood for a mallet. Mallets should be made with end grain on the hammering ends, not side grain. What you really need for this job is a sledgehammer.

[Jeff Nicol]

The mallet kind of reminds me of an Olympic torch, but could be a "Knucklehead" equalizer! But the wood looks like some rsort of pine, what did it smell like? That will be the tell tale start to ID. coule be a Scotch pine by the grain and color of the wood. I only live about 5 hours away so should be something I have seen before.

Jeff

[Lee Alkureishi]

Yes , it did smell like some sort of pine. I've never seen an orange pine though... (not that I'm any kind of wood expert).

Thanks for the tips about the mallet - I enjoyed the experiment...

Jerry - that's the look I was going for :) and yeah, my dog was loving her new bed in the shavings!

[Jason Ritchie]

That's an awesome club you got there! I like it! No idea on the wood though but I do see what looks like pine sap dripping on one of the limb knots in the last pic. I see you are a fellow Harbor Freight 34706 owner as well. Mine has served me well for many years until I recently upgraded to a Grizzly G0733 a few weeks back. IMO there is not better value in a lathe for someone starting out. Now it sits sadly alone in the garage awaiting its next owner.

[Lee Alkureishi]

I see you are a fellow Harbor Freight 34706 owner as well.

Thanks, and yes I am. I have a few questions for you about the lathe slowing down under load - will PM you.

Thanks!

[Jim Underwood]

I'd imagine if it's pine that you have and awful sticky mallet handle... Not much risk of it flying out of your hands - unless it exploded on impact...:D

[Bob Hamilton]

A mallet like that would be called a beetle, which is normally used in combination with a froe for riving. I have seen cherry trees with bark like that and weeping sap, and that would account for the color in the finished piece.


Take care
Bob

[Lee Alkureishi]

Hi Bob,
That's exactly what I was going for-thanks.

I guess it could be cherry, but it does smell suspiciously like pine... I suppose time will tell!

[Steve Vaughan]

I'm gonna guess a type of spruce. Cool looking beetle regardless!