Best Size of Wooden Mallet

[Randy Heinemann]

I'm either going to buy or make a new wooden mallet.

What is the best weight for all-around use, but mostly for assembly and chisel work? I've seen both 16 oz. and 24 oz. models.

Second, is there an optimum handle length that works best for the above uses?

For many years I've used a cheap mallet; both light in weight and with a short handle. Just wondering if heavy and a longer handle would be more useful. I don't do hand dovetails, but do some chisel work where I need to.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Randy, the type of work you will be doing will determine the mallet you will want to use. For tapping together a few pieces of wood or tapping a chisel, a light mallet will work fine.

If you are trying to chop a deep mortise, you will appreciate the 24 oz. model.

Remember it is less tiring and easier on the user to strike a light blow with a heavy mallet than it is to deliver a heavy blow with a light mallet.

For light tapping something like this is easy to make:

435803

The one on the left was made with hand tools out of oak from a pallet. The one on the right came from a piece of oak with the handle turned on a lathe.

Here is my first 'home made' mallet:

435804

This one weighs in at about 24 oz. It has been in use for nine years and still going strong.

This one was made a few months ago:

435805

It also weighs in at around 24 oz.

Both serve well when chopping a mortise or offering some light persuasion.

jtk

[Matthew Hills]

Get some white oak and make something that looks reasonable...
I laminated mine from 4/4 stock (had this on-hand and easier than doing a through mortise).
Made this way, it is a very quick project that will get you going and you'll learn what you like or dislike.
Do chamfer the edges of the mallet; and shape the handle to something that feels comfortable.
You can choke up on the handle to get better control, or hold further back for more power.

Oak isn't particularly dense, so this won't be a super heavy mallet.
If you try this out and feel you want some more oomf, you can build another with denser wood.
(purple heart would be the shop wood I'd try -- just make sure no splinters!)

Matt

[Osvaldo Cristo]

I have used a 450 grams (16 oz) ball pein hammer "since always" as all my chisels are prepared to support metal hammer. With 300 mm (12 inches) handle I can place my hand along the handle and adjust the effect the hammer will have on the chisels. If you combine both, the intensity I can drive the hammer plus the placing of handling, I found a great range of stroke adjustment for all applications I had found up today.

Bottom line: I recommend 16 oz and 12 in handle.

[Derek Cohen]

I'm either going to buy or make a new wooden mallet.

What is the best weight for all-around use, but mostly for assembly and chisel work? I've seen both 16 oz. and 24 oz. models.

Second, is there an optimum handle length that works best for the above uses?

For many years I've used a cheap mallet; both light in weight and with a short handle. Just wondering if heavy and a longer handle would be more useful. I don't do hand dovetails, but do some chisel work where I need to.

Randy, my advice is to purchase the Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/mallets/50229-veritas-cabinetmakers-mallet

This has an 18 oz bronze head, and is compact rather than bulky. It is a great size for all chisels, bench, dovetail, and mortice.

Of course I ended up modifying mine, which is an illness of mine :) It works very well in original form, but I added a shaped handle and UHMW pads on the wooden faces ...

https://i.postimg.cc/j2VDnG6Q/Mallet-zpsawalgxow.jpg

Really great allround mallet.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Andrew Seemann]

As a prototype/test project, I took a piece off red oak firewood, bandsawed it into a head, morticed a handle in, and started using it. I ended up liking it as is, so I never ended up making an "final" version. I'm not sure of the weight, probably somewhere between 12 and 16 ounces. I don't generally drive pigstickers with it, usually just my 750s and Two Cherries chisels.

435837

[James Pallas]

Hi Randy This subject came up a while back. I didn’t have an answer so I went and weighed my most often used hammers and mallets. To my surprise all were about the same weight and handle length. That goes for the mallets I made, store bought mallets like a Wood is Good, trim hammer, dead blow and even my favorite ball peen. They all weighed in close to 20oz. And handle about the same length. I have lots of hammers 95% is done with the 20oz ones. Pick your favorite and start there.

[Michail Kyriazanos]

I also believe that size on both weight and length depends on the work to be done.

I have a shop made full size beech mallet (580grams total weight and 26cm long) for holdfasts pounding, mortise chisels and fast cutting with less detail.

But my fine work is done with shop made 400grams and 18cm long bronze head mallet with lighter and short strokes.

I used to grab my big one near the head and try lighter strokes for fine work but the wear on hand and wrist was bigger than an easy to swing mallet.

[Randy Heinemann]

Randy, my advice is to purchase the Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet: https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/hand-tools/mallets/50229-veritas-cabinetmakers-mallet

This has an 18 oz bronze head, and is compact rather than bulky. It is a great size for all chisels, bench, dovetail, and mortice.

Of course I ended up modifying mine, which is an illness of mine :) It works very well in original form, but I added a shaped handle and UHMW pads on the wooden faces ...

https://i.postimg.cc/j2VDnG6Q/Mallet-zpsawalgxow.jpg

Really great allround mallet.

Regards from Perth

Derek

This does seem to be a good option. Maybe I could mount leather on one face for assembly. Certainly a good price.

[glenn bradley]

The Veritas Cabinetmaker’s mallet is also my go-to. I have a 16oz wooden one, I added a pair of 2oz fishing weights to it and used it for many years. the smaller but weighty heads of my brass mallets get used but, for general mallet work, the Veritas gets the lion's share of the work.

[Ron Bontz]

Whether wood or metal or a combination. Head density is the key. Best of luck.

[Will Blick]

Impressive handmade mallets jtk!!

[Randy Heinemann]

I decided to go with Derek's suggestion above; the Lee Valley metal mallet with wooden faces. It seems to be a good compromise and relatively inexpensive. I may glue some leather to one face for assembly. I guess I'll see whether it works for me and then go from there if not. I could have made one, I'm sure, but I'm into a couple of other projects right now and didn't want to take the time.

[Jim Koepke]

Impressive handmade mallets jtk!!

Thanks for the compliment Will.

jtk

[Tom Bender]

Making mallets is fun and easy. I use a wide range of sizes and weights.
436493

[Jerome Andrieux]

For me, assembly means long, soft and heavy, as to not leave marks.
Chisel work means short, hard and heavy. I like metal and small taps.

Unless you aim for some kind of minimalism, I would recommend having many hammers and mallets. They are easy to make and / or cheap, unlike planes, saws and chisels. If you can build them, make it so you can replace / cut down the handle.

[Phil Gaudio]

I use the rectangular mallet for M/T work and for assembly. The round mallet is great for DT's. Blue Spruce.

[Dave Seng]

I'm working on making a mallet (ala Paul Sellers). If you haven't made one, I'd say it's a worthwhile learning experience. Total weight of the head and handle - 27 ounces. The mortise is almost complete, I'm just doing the last bit of fitting to the handle. Started with a 4"x6"x 3" piece of ash for the head. The total handle length is 14". Cutting a four inch mortise in ash has been interesting. End grain is tough cutting - even with sharp chisels. Fun project.

[Dave Seng]

I'm working on making a mallet (ala Paul Sellers). If you haven't made one, I'd say it's a worthwhile learning experience. Total weight of the head and handle - 27 ounces. The mortise is almost complete, I'm just doing the last bit of fitting to the handle. Started with a 4"x6"x 3" piece of ash for the head. The total handle length is 14". Cutting a four inch mortise in ash has been interesting. End grain is tough cutting - even with sharp chisels. Fun project.

And here's the finished product - first completed project of the New Year. I pegged the head to the handle because I don't forsee a need to separate the two. Will have to see if that was a mistake over time or not.
448388

[Jim Koepke]

Over time my mallet handles appear to tighten into the head by drifting deeper into the mortise.

If the handle gets loose a drop or two of wood glue helps to hold it in.

One my latest mallet > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?288317-Mallet-Mania < experience helped to get the mortise in the head and the handle taper fit much better than any of my other mallets including a manufactured mallet, Footprint, bought ~30 years ago.

The taper for this one is 8º, or 4º on each side. The edges cut off of the handle were used to support the head when boring the mortise on a drill press. This allowed drilling close to the corners while staying inside the layout top and bottom. A pad saw was also used to clear some of the waste:

448432

Another tool that helped at removing bumps on the end grain in the mortise was an old chisel ground to a 90º bevel. It works like a one tooth float.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

Or you can buy one,

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/mallets/30004-carpenters-beech-mallets?item=35E0103&utm_source=free_google_shopping&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&gclid=CjwKCAiArbv_BRA8EiwAYGs23N57kGf5Ma1l4ey3TeUs kpoC6VhzsNm9SZWjyx9d31AHJ_pDmGcuxhoCBLoQAvD_BwE

[Phil Gaudio]

Nice! Happy you built it instead of buying it.