Mallet

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

I was going to make a mallet out of this piece of Lignum Vitae, but now im thinking that it might be too hard for a mallet head ? Im afraid it will destroy my handles on my LV PM-V11 bench chisels. They are made of hard Maple I think

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Should I go for it or find a softer material for the head ?

[Brian Holcombe]

Hard maple or beech, not because the lignum vitae hammer wouldn't be awesome, but because it's such a precious material that you may find better uses for it in the future.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Suggestions would be appreciated :-)

[John K Jordan]

Yes, terrible choice, send the chunk of lignum vitae to me immediately and I'll make a nice mallet for you out of maple, osage orange, walnut, cherry, cocobolo, what ever you want!

Just kidding. I don't smack bench chisels often. I suspect lignum vitae would be good for some mallets - I use it for a lot of things, turned and machined, when I can find it. I made my general purpose shop mallet from Dogwood, turned in one piece.

For carving, I found this about mallets:
https://whiteeaglestudios.wordpress.com/2010/11/28/carver%E2%80%99s-mallets/

But for expensive bench chisels? This guy has a different outlook:
"...a good rule of thumb is to always use a mallet that is softer than the chisel handle."
https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/blog/98/Mallet%20Soft%20-%20Handle%20Hard

BTW, one thing I like to do with things with separate handles that are used smacking - join with screw threads instead of glue. For example, I make gavels and although they won't (or shouldn't) get the abuse a woodworker's mallet will get, they seem to hold up and there is no glue joint to loosen. Just an idea.

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JKJ

[Tony Wilkins]

Re the gavel: plus it's always good to get in good terms with a judge!

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

JKJ I was thinking of making a slight tapered hole in the head and then make a kerf for a wedge at the top of the handle.

[David Dalzell]

If you ever make your own hand planes a thin piece of the lignum vitae makes a great sole when glued to the bottom of the plane. It is hard and naturally oil filled, making for a smooth action.

[Tony Wilkins]

JKJ I was thinking of making a slight tapered hole in the head and then make a kerf for a wedge at the top of the handle.

I've always seen mallets like this with a tapered mortise like that, however most of the time the handle is also tapered also so it slides in from the top and tightens itself with use. You could probably kerf and wedge it as well.

[Jim Koepke]

It looks like the grain might not be right for a jointers mallet. A turned carvers mallet might be good.

jtk

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

How should the grain be directed for a joiners mallet?

[Jim Koepke]

How should the grain be directed for a joiners mallet?

In line with the striking force.

jtk

[Christian Thompson]

Paul Sellars has some blog posts and free videos on building a nice mallet (search for "Paul Sellars mallet"). I used his plans and instructions when building mine and am really happy with the way it turned out.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Do you mean hit with the end grain ?

[Jim Koepke]

Do you mean hit with the end grain ?

Yes. Here are two of mine that have served well:

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The top one is of ash and the bottom one is a local type of cherry.

jtk

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Mine looks a lot like Jim's (his are nicer), but the head is laminated from 4/4 stock. It looks like his may be out of solid stock. The plan to have an angled mortise, with the wider opening at the top, kerf, and wedge, ought to hold well. I used maple scraps for the head, and another piece of scrap for the handle.

[Jim Koepke]

It looks like his may be out of solid stock.

Yes they are. That cherry one has been around for about five years now:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?161952-One-Thing-Leads-to-Another

It is still my favorite big whacker.

Sometimes I have a mallet at the Farmers Market. As people pass by I ask, "do you know anyone that is mallet adjusted?"

jtk

[Lenore Epstein]

Sometimes I have a mallet at the Farmers Market. As people pass by I ask, "do you know anyone that is mallet adjusted?"

jtk
Ouch! That's pretty bad, and I come from a family full of shameless punners!

That said, I have to ask--has anyone ever requested a mallet-based attitude adjustment?

[Jim Koepke]

Ouch! That's pretty bad, and I come from a family full of shameless punners!

That said, I have to ask--has anyone ever requested a mallet-based attitude adjustment?

Mostly they just smile. I also ask them to help me out, "my wife calls this a hubby club... and I know just which hubby she is talking about."

Sometimes I mention Lincoln and then say, "with mallets towards none."

I can't sit still for five hours so try to have fun.

jtk

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

If Im not going to use the lignum vitae which is "pokkenholt" in my language by the way, could I use some walnut even though its not completely dry? Will the hole for the handle shrink or expand as the walnut dry out?

[Matt Evans]

If the walnut is not dry it will shrink quite a bit. Not a terrible thing, as long as you plan for it. Make both the handle and the head out of the same stock and orient the grain the same way, and they both should shrink approximately the same amount over time. With the taper you plan on putting on the handle the head should creep up the handle rather than split if the head shrinks too much, or the reverse if the handle shrinks too much.

[Derek Cohen]

I have faced all my mallets with UHMW. This is gentler on wood handles than very hard wood or steel, yet strikes with a solid feel/good feedback.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Hammers1_zpspmltek43.jpg

At rear: 20 oz Thor hammer wacking furniture and chisels

At front: 36oz (heavy) morticing mallet for very hardwoods; 18oz Veritas Cabinetmakers hammer (re-handled) for general morticing and some chisels; small 7oz brass hammer for plane setting and dovetails with non-hooped chisels. (Gennous not included here)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Probably better just to find some dry wood for the head then. I already have an Ash handle from an old stretcher I plan to carve down to mallet handle size.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Derek
The mallet on the ledt has a square section on the bottom of the handle. Isn't that giving you blisters and feels uncomftable in your palm. ?

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Lasse

The handle is only square at the very end. There are, in fact, two gripping sections, both inside the curves. The forward grip is the chocked hold to reduce weight. The outer hold is for maximum force. The latter is centered in the hollow of the curves.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/4_zpse2b9f873.jpg

That photo was taken after I made the mallet. It was then faced with leather. Leather is soft (even though it is hard leather) and deforms. I recent;y replaced the leather with UHMW. It seems to be standing up far better. It is also quieter ..

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Matthew N. Masail]

I would also make one out of fruit wood, at least until you have used a certain mallet for several months of work and you know it is comfortable for you for extended use. then, if you want, make one out of the lignum. you can also get beautiful lignum mallets from a certain guy on the bay.

[Lasse Hilbrandt]

Hi Lasse

The handle is only square at the very end. There are, in fact, two gripping sections, both inside the curves. The forward grip is the chocked hold to reduce weight. The outer hold is for maximum force. The latter is centered in the hollow of the curves.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Mallets%20and%20hammers/Morticing%20mallet/4_zpse2b9f873.jpg

That photo was taken after I made the mallet. It was then faced with leather. Leather is soft (even though it is hard leather) and deforms. I recent;y replaced the leather with UHMW. It seems to be standing up far better. It is also quieter ..

Regards from Perth

Derek



Nice looking handle by the way :)