Looking for brass ring/ferrule

[Terry Bigelow]

I figured some of the nice folks here could help me find something. My wife would like for me to make us a set of croquet mallets. And of course I can't just make a set that looks like the ones you find at Wal-Mart! I have an idea would I would like to use for the head and shaft, but I need to find some nice heavy brass rings/ferrules about 3" around to slide over the ends of the head to keep from splitting. Any ideas?

[Matt Meiser]

Do they have to be brass? If you are willing to use copper, you could make them from copper pipe or copper pipe fittings. You won't find them that big at the Borg, but a plumbing supply shop would have them or maybe a local plumber could help you out with a short section of pipe.

[Andrew Williams]

mcmaster-carr has lots of brass stuff, maybe you can find the right size tubing. 3" sounds rather large for brass tubing, though. Perhaps you can just use sheet stock and solder the ends to make rings. Brass is pretty easy to work with and polishes very well so you can hide solder seams pretty easily with the right touch.

Here is a video of brass instrument making. It's not exactly what you are looking for, but shows you how brass is worked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5LqrMcq1QE

Another idea would be to acquire some old mallets and salvage the brass rings.

[Lee Schierer]

McMaster Carr has brass pipe in sizes of at least 3"

You could also cut strips from brass sheet stock and roll them to size and silver braze the seam. A butt weld when polished would look like a seamless tube.

[Terry Bigelow]

Another idea would be to acquire some old mallets and salvage the brass rings.
I wish such a thing existed!! I came up with the idea after looking at chisels with ferrules at the top for striking and thought that would be applicable for croquet mallets as well. I've never actually seen croquet mallets with big brass ferrules. As far as the McMaster Carr thing, I thought about that too but I'm a wood guy not metal! Looks like I might have to become one though. I'll keep searching. Thanks again guys.

[joe greiner]

I think Nawm (Abrams, NYW) made some like that several years ago.

A shrink fit would probably be best. Use dry wood for the head, and turn slightly oversize. Heat the rings to expand, and then drive onto the ends and allow to shrink. A clearance fit would also work, with epoxy to bond to the head.

When/if you polish the brass, mask the wood (electrical tape likely best) to avoid staining it. Apply lacquer to preserve the brass finish, or allow to oxidize for a patina finish (could take a few years, depending on your environment).

Joe