# Wooden Mallet 101



## acowboy

Starting this thread, not to teach, but to be taught.

Should be simple, made them it shop class years ago, when they had it in school. Wood handle attached to a wooden head. A little more complex than that.

To me anything done with wood is art, so the mallet should look good as well as being functional, and durable.

So seeing a few that people have made, and I needed one, started off to make one. Scrap wood..Red Oak I had left over from another project, should work out fine.

Started off gluing some 1x6 together and cutting dado for the handle.

Enlisted the help of Dave Paine on this one...is this how you would do this, after the fact...

Dave sent me a link for one kind of mallet design..
http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-projects/wooden-mallet-plan.html

Decisions..go with a straight handle or taper handle design..?

Here are some pics.
The head is shaped now..


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## Brian T.

The accuracy of each strike is fairly important with an elbow adze. A fairly common wood carving tool in the Pacific Northwest coastal region. I can see the same accuracy being an important point with a flat-faced mallet.

For your mallet handle, I suggest that the size will allow just the tips of your second and third fingers to touch the ball of your thumb (same as the adze handles).


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## tc65

You've got a good start on that mallet. 

RV is right, you need to have a good feeling handle or you'll end up flinging across your shop when it starts giving you blisters or just isn't comfortable to grip.

For the mallets I've made, I've made more of an oval shaped handle that is skinniest in the middle (of the length) and flares toward the end. You can grip it right at the end for the big hits and the flare helps you hold it. Conversely, for lighter taps you grip it closer to the business end with a much lighter grip. 

I also think a mallet looks much more attractive if you spend a little time shaping the head. You can use a block or smoother plane, or even a spoke shave to round over the corners and maybe even give a little slope on the top of the head to match the face angle. Simply a matter of aesthetics. It's your mallet, make it look how you want it to.

Another thing I did on the mallets I made for the last swap is to give the striking faces a very slight dome (~1/16"). I read that suggestion somewhere, and decided to incorporate that into mine. Easiest to do with a ROS if you decide to.

Here is a picture of the mallets I made during the last swap. The two on the right where the ones I traded. The one third from the left is a dead blow mallet and so is shaped a little different and the faces are covered with leather. Maybe the picture will give you an idea on shaping the handle and/or head. The handles started as a rectangle like yours and were shaped with a spokeshave. 

One tip if you are going to freehand shape your handles - draw a center line on all four sides of the handle to give you a little guide as you shape. It helps you from getting a lopsided/off center handle or one that starts getting too thin as you try to adjust the shape.









Just found a second picture showing an other angle. The one on the left is my everyday mallet that really fits well in my hand.










In spite of everything posted above, it is your mallet and you can make it look and feel how you want. Or, do like I did, make one to use, play with it for a while and decide what changes to make for your second, and third, and........ You can never have too many mallets nor different sized mallets.:yes:


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## Brian T.

My carving mallets are a 12oz ShopFox and a 30oz WoodIsGood. Polyurethane faces, oval, and why I don't get hit in a day amazes me. Yeah, some days, it's all day.

Do you see that trc makes mallets with such similar handles? It's all in the grip that makes you comfortable and confident with every strike. It's all in the grip.

I wrap my handles with #18 tarred seine nylon twine. 
It's just sticky enough for a grip without crud coming off on my hands.
I can do a bunch of different whippings/wraps but I keep going back to what I use for whipping guides on custom fishing rods.


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## acowboy

Talk about some great tips and photos..thanks

trc65..love those mallets, like the dome style, may incorporate a slight dome to the head.

Going to work on the handle tomorrow and incorporate some of the ideas and tips.

I put a 3 degree cut on the striking faces, the pdf plan calls for a 5 degree, cut a piece of scrap at 5 degrees but it did not look just right. 

Here is what the head looks like now.


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## tc65

As you work on the handle, don't try to take it to final shape all at once. Stop periodically, put the head on it, and swing it a few times. Carry it around for a few minutes and grip it in different places for small taps and big bangs. Your hand will tell you when you have a shape that feels good.

Also, if you have a favorite hammer, hatchet or other tool, get it out and keep it close to compare shape/size. It will at least give you a starting point.


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## Gilgaron

For the face angles, on my mallet I made for chiseling I made one face for heavy swings using my elbow as the pivot and the other face for lighter swings with my wrist as the pivot.


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## acowboy

Handle is in rough form and I did attach it to the head.

Still pondering putting a dowel through the side if the head and cut it flush before the final sanding. plan on making another one or two..lol.

Been 48 years ago since I made one...way to long..

Here are some more pics, not even close but it does feel pretty good..


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## acowboy

It is almost done now,
And off to another project, have a few going.


Leaving out the dowel and, final sanding with 1500 grit gave it a nice sheen.
Decided to use Watco Teak Oil, believe its is just BLO and some dryers added along with a fancy name.
Have plenty on hand trying to use it up.
Figured using an oil based finish would be easier for any kind of repair work..

pics


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## Gilgaron

That came out looking very nice! I didn't realize it was a dental mallet, must be a lot of tartar to be dealt with?


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## Brian T.

That is just yummy. Good for you.
I have BIG hands and long skinny fingers.
A squared handle blank 7/8" wide x 1"front-to-back is best for me.
I'm not too concerned about cutting it down (spokeshaves) a little too skinny
as I always intend to wrap the handles with some sort of #18 cord, anyway.


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## tc65

That's a great looking mallet! Nicely done. 

Now that you've got the first one (in recent times) done, you can whip them out quickly as the need arises for a longer, shorter, heavier, lighter or just one with different wood(s).


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## acowboy

Robson Valley, I will probably do the same a far as the wrapping of the handle.

Having sanded with a super fine grit...it is a tad slick..
Hate to loose another tooth removing tartar...lol

trc65, I am afraid your right, another one is already in the works.. 
Am getting the pleasure again working with a fellow woodworking friend here on the Forum.

Thanks again for the nice comments, and great advice...hope it helps others as it did for me.


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## acowboy

Got a little surprise package from Dave Paine yesterday.

We have collaborated on a few projects together now, thanks Dave..:thumbsup:

Dave knows I do not have the ability to turn wood as of yet. So a turned handle was made for me.

The big surprise was the head, Jatoba with Maple, quite a nice piece to work with.

I do like the mallets that trc65 posted, so maybe a domed style head would be in order..?


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## Brian T.

Now, I am really curious. Assumng that the round handle is the right size, the head has flat faces. How do you make a flat strike to seat a joint without marring the wood of the project?
In and of itself, the new mallet is a pleasure to look at,
What's the all up weight of the new one when compared with the other one in the pic?

My froe mallets are just pieces of alder log. As bash-worthy as I thought them to be, they are shattering. Oh well. There's another alder log chunk where that one came from.


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## Gilgaron

Might not ash or hickory stay together better than alder? Or do those not grow up in BC?


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## acowboy

A little up date on the progress of Jatoba mallet.

Trying to go with the flow of the round handle, domed the top a little.
also the striking face was cut at 5 degrees.

Weight before the mods of the mallet was just shy of 2 lbs 6 oz.
Trying to keep it over 32 oz for my main chisel mallet.

Last two pics are a comparison of the mallets.

Smaller mallet is about 20-22 oz.


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## Brian T.

Now, I'm really curious.
How easy will it be to get consistent strike accuracy, trying to aim
a flat-faced head from a round handle?

My large carving mallet is a 30oz, lead-core WoodIsGood with a polyU facing.
It has a cylindrical handle but so is the head.


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## Fastback

I am really starting to like these mallets. Very nice job. Why not add a little class to your chisel work.

Paul


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## Brian T.

These mallet builders are a real class act.
I'd like to have one, just to have one. Works of art, they are. 
Don't think I'd ever have the heart to employ it.

For the log splitting and carving work that I do, I need:
a) bashworthy for all day on a 9/15 or a 5/35,
b) disposable mallets for froe work, such as Alley Oop alder log chunks.


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## acowboy

Robson Valley, I can see you are into wood carving.
The question you posted..


> How easy will it be to get consistent strike accuracy, trying to aim
> a flat-faced head from a round handle?


These mallets are really not for carving, but for mortise and tenon work.
Here is what I found that best describes it, mostly really for the newcomers to woodworking.

http://shenandoahtoolworks.com/history/history.htm

As far as a round handle on a square headed mallet, I don't it will have any bearing on accuracy...a field test is in order when it is finished.

If anyone could add to this. feel free..please.

Thanks for such complimentary comments, my thanks is to Dave Paine who started me on this project.:thumbsup:


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## Brian T.

I asked just as your own mallet handles appear to have a somewhat squarish cross section.
Not many months ago, I bought a blade from Kestrel Tool and built up a PacNW style elbow adze (Baby Sitka). A trimming/finishing tool. In the grip area, the handle is sort of rectangular. Perhaps it's just my beginner status but the shape certainly helps my aim!


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## acowboy

Robson Valley said:


> I asked just as your own mallet handles appear to have a somewhat squarish cross section.
> Not many months ago, I bought a blade from Kestrel Tool and built up a PacNW style elbow adze (Baby Sitka). A trimming/finishing tool. In the grip area, the handle is sort of rectangular. Perhaps it's just my beginner status but the shape certainly helps my aim!


Very good point..Threw a sledge for my Uncle in his construction co.,
handle was not round neither are axe handle's for that fact.

The handle is being epoxied in the head as I write, tomorrow after it cures will test it out.
If I find it is not easy to use or cumbersome, can always flatten the side of the handle a little. As of now though it does feel good in the hand.

Beginner status..? really..lol.
Comment and link was not directed to you...just a heads up to people starting out, 101..

Glued and final form...


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## Brian T.

That mallet should be a real beauty when it's up and running.

With an elbow adze, I know for a fact that I'm very much in the novice category! For example, my LH and RH strikes are very different. Plus, I should get chips and half the time I get stuck/jammed. As one carver described them, " a bandsaw on a stick." I use the big Stubai carver's adze with more skill as it has a lot more weight.

I changed adze handles, the new one is thicker in the elbow which added 1+oz to the weight. I think it's an improvement but have not been able to spend more than a coupe of hours swinging it. In terms of fit (Holm Constant) it seems very good.

Maybe I'd do better with a 'D' adze but blade prices have scared me off, so far.
Summer sales of new grape vines will have to bankroll that idea.


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## acowboy

Using a adze looks kind of scary...pass on that.
Seen the post on making a handle for one, like how you did your wrap of a handle...we did something similar on are knifes at work with butchers twine. Health Dept, put an end to that though.

Here is a couple of pics of the mallet with two coats of Watco Teak Oil 

First pic is just with one.


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## tc65

acowboy said:


> Using a adze looks kind of scary...pass on that.
> 
> Here is a couple of pics of the mallet with two coats of Watco Teak Oil



That is one nice looking mallet - the Watco really brings out the beauty!

On the round handle, square/flat mallet - don't have one with a round handle, so this is just speculation. I think the center of gravity is a big factor in making square hits and probably helps a lot in keeping head/face square to chisel/target. 

Having said that as I work, I do find myself from time to time adjusting my grip and am usually doing that blind, using the handle shape as a reference. With the round handle, I think that I might tend to take a glance at the mallet when adjusting - at least when starting to use it. However, the center of gravity is always there to telegraph to the hand how to hold/aim the mallet. After using it a little while, I doubt it would be noticeable. 

In fact, it may not be a factor at all - unless discussing it like we have gives you a complex and you find yourself focusing on it while you're working:smile:

BTW - The adze may look a little scary, but it is great fun using it! I've yet to produce anything with it, but have enjoyed practicing.


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## Brian T.

I _really_ like the satin appearance of the Watco Teak Oil. I've used MinWax Tung Oil Protective Finish on several wood carvings (eg Frog Pie) where 4 coats is very glossy. That's fine but I'd like to have a satin finish available. I've used Varathane satin. Adequate, but it just doesn't fog my goggles. Thanks for showing me the detail of something different.

The Baby Sitka is a mean tool for shaping, far faster than a crooked knife and easier to employ than the 2-handed business of mallet and gouge. But, it's nice to have the choice.


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## acowboy

You can tone down the glossy by using a light rub of 0000 steel wool, to achieve what look you want.

Still not finished, but getting close. 
Have some Hope 100% Tung Oil, but even mixed with an accelerator, take a long time to dry between coats, so I went with the Watco.

Teak oil is just a fancy name, but it does leave a nice finish.
Was surprised on how the Jatoba grain popped out, when I applied the finish, pictures are not doing the wood justice.


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## acowboy

This a final on the mallet Dave Paine sent me...Thank You Dave for another fine collaboration.

This will be a user tool, have to sharpen some chisels now..


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