My new purpleheart and curly maple mallet

[Matt Woodworth]

I posted this over at woodnet too so if you like to go to both sites you have my apoligies. Also, lot's of electrons were sacrificed to make the mallet because I really want to focus on the bed I'm making, not a this mallet.

However, it's a neander tool and it's going to facilitate lot's of future funiture making. Click on the picture to see how I made it.

http://www.employees.org/~vanguard/images/woodworking/mallet_v1/DCP_1813.jpg (http://www.employees.org/~vanguard/woodworking/articles/mallet_1.htm)

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

That is a really sharp looking Mallet Matt! And, it DOES match your workbench! ;) You ain't kiddin' me none.............that Mallet is WAY too nice to go beatin' on stuff with! :D I really liked the tutorial you took the time to put together on the construction process.........nice touch! As always, excellent work that is a pleasure to see. Thanks for sharing you work with us, I look forward to the next project. :)

[Marc Hills]

Hi Matt:

Nice job on the mallet. Nice website too; I appreciate the construction details. Now if I only had a bandsaw......

Hey, did you really contour the handle *after* attaching it to the head?

[Matt Woodworth]

Hi Matt:

Nice job on the mallet. Nice website too; I appreciate the construction details. Now if I only had a bandsaw......

Hey, did you really contour the handle *after* attaching it to the head?

I'm not sure I understand the question. The shape was cut before I attached the head but the chamfer was added afterwards. Does that answer the question?

[Marc Hills]

I'm not sure I understand the question. The shape was cut before I attached the head but the chamfer was added afterwards. Does that answer the question?


Hi Matt:

I think so. You indicate on your website that you cut the blank for the handle on a bandsaw. I'm picturing you with an rough handle with either a square or rectangular cross section. I'm assuming you rounded the sharp corners in some way to make the handle more comfortable. I guess that is what you mean by chamfer.

But it looks like you relieved those sharp corners only after you attached the mallet head. I'm picturing using a spoke shave or draw knife to do that and it struck me that it might be harder once the head is attached.

Perhaps a more direct question: how did you put the final shape on the mallet handle?

I ask this question because:

a) I'm always doing things out of order and making things harder for myself, and

b) I'm interested in making a mallet based on your design.

See what you get for posting pics of a beautiful project *and* just enough construction details to pique someone's interest? :)

Thanks

[Matt Woodworth]

Hi Matt:
But it looks like you relieved those sharp corners only after you attached the mallet head. I'm picturing using a spoke shave or draw knife to do that and it struck me that it might be harder once the head is attached.

Perhaps a more direct question: how did you put the final shape on the mallet handle?


Yeah, if I used a spokeshave the head of the mallet would have made it a PITA. Instead, picture me standing over a downdraft table with the mallet in one hand and a random orbital sander in the other. :)

I took out the bandsaw blade marks, relieved the edges on the handle and the mallet head all at the same time with my ROS.

I hope that helps,
Matt Woodworth

[Tyler Howell]

Beautiful work Matt,

Took a stroll around your shop too. Nice setup.

TJH

[Lloyd Robins]

Beautiful mallet! What is the thickness of the handle? It looks to be 3/4". Thanks for the link to your site also. Very interesting.

[Matt Woodworth]

Beautiful mallet! What is the thickness of the handle? It looks to be 3/4". Thanks for the link to your site also. Very interesting.

That's right, it's 3/4".

[Jim Becker]

Outstanding mallet, Matt! Utility with great beauty is always fine by me... :)

[Alan Turner]

I posted this over at woodnet too so if you like to go to both sites you have my apoligies. Also, lot's of electrons were sacrificed to make the mallet because I really want to focus on the bed I'm making, not a this mallet.

However, it's a neander tool and it's going to facilitate lot's of future funiture making. Click on the picture to see how I made it.

http://www.employees.org/~vanguard/images/woodworking/mallet_v1/DCP_1813.jpg (http://www.employees.org/~vanguard/woodworking/articles/mallet_1.htm)
Matt,
I love your mallet, and your website. Thanks for sharing. I think you have probqably inspired me to make a mallet, and was wondering how long your handle is. What a great use for off cuts. Did you orient the grain of the wood in any particular manner? Such as, on the handle, did you use the radial grain with th blow, or across it? Also, did you use maple and purpleheart becuase they have similar wood movement characteristics?
Nice work, esp. for such a young man. Keep it up!
Alan

[Matt Woodworth]

Matt,
I love your mallet, and your website. Thanks for sharing. I think you have probqably inspired me to make a mallet, and was wondering how long your handle is. What a great use for off cuts. Did you orient the grain of the wood in any particular manner? Such as, on the handle, did you use the radial grain with th blow, or across it? Also, did you use maple and purpleheart becuase they have similar wood movement characteristics?
Nice work, esp. for such a young man. Keep it up!
Alan

Thank you for the kind words.

The handle is about 11" long, that's how long my scrap wood was. I think 12" might be ideal. There isn't a law that says you have to grab it from the bottom anyway. :)

You should do your pounding with end grain and the grain should run up and down the handle. Not only is that nice and strong but it solves any wood movement issues where the handle meets the head.

I used maple because it's strong and good looking. I used purpleheart because it's good looking. Also, that's what I had laying around as scrap from the workbench. :)

[Alan Turner]

Matt,
Thanks for the great idea, as it is season where one needs a few gifts. This weekend I made 4 of these, although the details are a bit different. I used purpleheart for the heads, and yellowheart for the one handle (mine) and hard maple for the other 3 (gifts). They weighed in at about 16 oz. total, inc. the handle, but am not sure if this is how one weighs a mallet. I would have used the yellowheart for all 4 of the handles, but only had the one scrap. It will not get lost on the bench or wall.
I shaped the handle using a drawknife and spokeshave, then a bit of sanding, all before assembly. I did not take the handle through to the top, for ease of glueup, so used a "dovetail" type shape to lock in into the head. Used epoxy for the glueup as I think these will see heavy use, and didn't want any problems. Plus, where the fit between the top of the handle and the middle layer of the head was a bit loose, the epoxy is quite good at being gap filling. I used a bit less radius on the top of the head.
I find that on a mallet, my thumb is most comfortable about 3.75" down from the center line of the head for normal chiseling, so shaped my handle to be held in two places, one there, and one further down for when I get angry and need to take it out with a hammer :) .
Again, thanks for the great idea, and I love your web site. Keep it up.
Alan

[Gilbert Vega]

Here's my attempt at making a mallet. Used walnut and maple.

http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/25061mal-med.jpg
http://www.autopia.org/gallery/data/500/25063mal-med.jpg

[Alan Turner]

Nice job. Were you inspired by Matt's post also? I assume your's is a mortiser.
Alan

[Gilbert Vega]

Nice job. Were you inspired by Matt's post also? I assume your's is a mortiser.
Alan
Thanks. I'd been toying with the idea of building one. His post provided thr spark. And yes, it's for mortizing.

[Alan Turner]

Finally got the camera home from the office, and here is what I made from your idea and inspiration. I made 3 more also, since that was the amount of purpleheart that I had, but the ohter 3, gifts for frineds, have hard maple handles. All have ebony pins. I am not that fond of the yellowheart handle color, but SWMBO liked it, so the choice was made for me.
This is neander only in part. The handle was shaped with a spokeshave, rasp, file, and sandpaper (not much), and the ebony pins were made with a dowel plate. I do love that simple tool.
Thanks for getting me going.
Alan

[Lloyd Robins]

Finally got the camera home from the office, and here is what I made from your idea and inspiration. I made 3 more also, since that was the amount of purpleheart that I had, but the ohter 3, gifts for frineds, have hard maple handles. All have ebony pins. I am not that fond of the yellowheart handle color, but SWMBO liked it, so the choice was made for me.
This is neander only in part. The handle was shaped with a spokeshave, rasp, file, and sandpaper (not much), and the ebony pins were made with a dowel plate. I do love that simple tool.
Thanks for getting me going.
Alan


Cool! I am going to try one if I can get some appropriate wood this weekend. Matt really has started something.

[Matt Woodworth]

I think it's really great that you guys are building mallets and that in some way I've helped you to get started. I can't help but notice that all the mallets that follow mine are improvements on the original. Sometimes I think this forum exists just to keep me humble. :)

Nicely done guys.