A custom palm gavel...

[Steve Vaughan]

So, I've got a close friend that serves on an important committee for our Commonwealth in Richmond, VA. He asked me about making one of these and said that he would give me a drawing. I got the drawing and here's the result. Walnut with Watco Danish Oil following by RenWax. The base is 3 1/2" in diameter and the gavel is about 4 1/4" tall.

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[John Keeton]

Excellent work, Steve!! Nice, clean cuts, beads and coves. Really nice walnut.

Makes me miss doing some spindle work - something I don't do much except for finials.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Nice clean work, but which end is for striking, I assume the heavier rounded end? Is this a "standard" or "formal" design with a history?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nicely done. Walnut is nice and finish well done. I agree with John that the beads and coves are nicely done.

[Sid Matheny]

First rate and he should be happy with it!

Sid

[Steve Vaughan]

Thanks everyone. Jamie, the striking end would be the wider, flatter end - it's the right end in the pictures. The striking surface on both the handheld part and the top striking surface of the plate are rounded ever so slightly so as to make a cleaner 'tap.' That feature was my own thinking cause I've never made one before and I didn't do a lot of reading up on them.

I just followed the gentleman's plan. As far as history, this is the shape and size that he remembered using before and the reason he wanted this (as in the other one he used many years ago) is that he can keep it in his coat pocket so as to keep it with him and it doesn't get "lost."

I did just a little bit of reading on a website and I took a piece of the design from there that my friend had not taken into account, but it certainly made sense. I didn't picture it, but the bottom of the plate is concave. The idea is that you get a much better and louder strike. Thanks again.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I asked because the thin edges of the flatter end would be very subject to chipping if struck very hard. And yes, a concave bottom of the plate with some arched cut-outs in the bottom rim would enhance the sound of the strike. I've made a few gavel sets over the years.

[Roger Chandler]

Fine piece of work Steve.......I like the design of this........I have seen them used at some government meetings and such....your friend should really like this one!

[Michelle Rich]

nice clean spindle work..thanks for sharing it..

[steven carter]

Really nice set there Steve. Looks like it will give years of service.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I like it - very clean and the walnut gives it a formal look!

[terry mccammon]

Jamie

If you are interested there is quite a tradition of gavels and sounding blocks of this or similar sorts that were intended as traveling gavels for Masonic Lodges that had no formal constant meeting place where the furniture could be stored. I have seen a variety where the actual gavel is short and gripped with the whole hand, the underside of the sounding block was recessed so that the gavel would fit inside for convenient storage when traveling.

[Kathy Marshall]

Very nice Steve! Neat shape and the walnut looks great.