Turning a carving mallet

[bob pringle]

I was "given" a small lathe - consideration a slab of Crownies......I would like to have a go at turning a carving mallet...I assume hardwood is the go....any suggestions?
I have a backyard full of of fallen Turpentine Syncarpia glomuliera would (wood) this be suitable?

Look forward to your help and suggestions
thanks....Bob

[ubeaut]

G'day Bob

Welcome to the Bulletin Board. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

I'm not too sure about the suitability of the Turpentine for a mallet. Most dense, heavy hardwoods (that aren't proned to splintering) work pretty well for the head. Lignum vitae is great, as are many of the harder Aussie natives, redgum works well and is pretty readily available.

Make the handle out of a contrasting timber to give it a great look and a bit of indivituality. Most non splintering timbers are fine for the handle.

Below is a pretty basic image of a carvers mallet design.

Note the grain direction for the head is not the same as the handle. The handle is turned as a seperate piece with a 25mm spigot or round tennon on the end the same length as the heads height, it is then inserted into the head through a 25mm hole and a wedge is driven into the end to keep it in place.

Turning the head with the grain going across the timber will make for a much stronger mallet that will last 20 timed longer than one turned between centres from 1 piece of timber.

Use a bit more immagination with the handle than what is in the graphic. The uprights on the side of the head may be done with the shape shown or may have a slight convex curve.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif
http://www.ubeaut.com.au/malet.gif

[Marshall Gorrow]

Bob,

I have always turned the carving mallets spindle-wise from one piece of wood. Since a carving mallet is only used to tap a sharp tool, I can't imagine actually wearing one out, ever! It is used to keep your hand from being sore at the end of the day. Lignum Vitae would be an excelent choice of wood that would never wear out. For a look at some that I have turned check out http://mgorrow.tripod.com/023.jpg (sorry about the shaddows from the flash!)

Neil,

What do you really use the indestuctible mallets for? I'll bet that they get heavier use than tapping a very sharp carving tool!

------------------

Marshall Gorrow
May your next turning be your best!

[ubeaut]

G'day Marshall

A top woodcarver working in Australian timbers http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/eek.gif would have the head of a spindle turned mallet like those splintered and concaved in a matter of a few months. Especially if working on big jobs where a lot of timber needs to be remove quickly. When I was doing a lot of carving I used to go through one of those type mallets every few months even Lignim Vitae would only last around 8 months. I changed to the seperate head with the opposed grain and still have the same one I first made over 12 years ago.

My carving tools are the sharpest you will ever find and the mallets are only ever used for carving. They are not used for tapping the tools. Only girls do that. Real men lay into the job with gusto. No pussy-footing around, get the job done and on with the next.

With more than 600 students coming through my classes over a 15 year period I went through literally dozens of malletts until the design change.

This style of mallet head with the grain going across the head, presents endgrain to the tool handle when striking the tool, rather than long-grain, thus eleviating the splintering effect.

It also makes for a great woodturning exercise, allowing you to have 2 contrasting timbers and even replace the head if needed to fit on your favorite handle. It also saves on the expense of timber. You could have a Lignum Vitae mallet this way for less than half the cost of a fully spindle turned one.

You could possibly make 3 heads from the same piece of timber you would need to make 1 spindle mallet.

Below is a pretty ordinary photo of our State Coat of Arms (size approx 5ft x 4ft). Three of these were carved by me for the Supreme Courts in Melbourne. I had 100 hours to do them in. That is what a mallet is for. A good carver with sharp tools and a great mallet can remove the bulk of the waste from a job like that quicker than you can with a router. Then it's, down with the mallet and into it with with the tools alone. No tap, tap, girly mallet stuff.
http://www.ubeaut.com.au/cofarms.jpg
Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

P.S. A word to the wise. Most woodcarvers have mallets turned between centres. Only a wise few, have them made the otherway. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif

[RFNK]

How about you blokes have this argument on the Woodcarving board; it needs livening up!

[Marshall Gorrow]

OK, Neil, you have convinced me! 4' X 5'
carving are huge! I guess you do
everything in a "BIG" way in Oz!

My puny little spindle turned mallets
will do for the little detail work that
I'll do!

I'll try one your way if I ever deside to
do a big job!

------------------

Marshall Gorrow
May your next turning be your best!

[Iain]

You're all full of it, what you really need is one of those chinese plastic things from Bunnings, real quality all the way. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif

[ubeaut]

Actually an absolitely fantastic plastic mallet head can be made from a Composite Bowl, as in Bias Bowl, the things they use for playing Lawn Bowls.

The stuff turns beautifully and talk about indestructable; strewth, if this stuff was any toughter it would rust. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

[Iain]

There is another material I used to make some small wheels for the platform on my ride on mower, it is a high density white plastic, it feels slippery and it turns well. It is also used for bearings and is almost unbreakable. Could this be the same stuff?

[Iain]

Who?

[ubeaut]

Jeez Stopper........

What a complete and utter load of horse sh@#!!!

[RETIRED]

I thought Stoppers hit the nail on the head. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

[RETIRED]

Neil, IT WORKS.

[RFNK]

I think `Stoppers' hit himself on the head!

[JackoH]

This is beginning to look like it belongs in the joke section!

What about a rubber mallet so you do it more quietly! http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/rolleyes.gif

John H.

[Iain]

And on the sixth day it was decreed there would be peace on Earth, except between the turners and the carvers, or was that the McCoys and the .........

[ubeaut]

Strewth Iain! Never finish a post with:- and the......

Otherwise it will have to go into the Woodies Yarn Forum.

[ubeaut]

Hey Doorstop - if it weren't for woodcarvers there would be no Mik International, no U-Beaut Enterprises, no Bulletin Board and no beauty in this world. Just flat furniture with a lot of boring round bits, and that other BB. No that's also run by a carver (bad example).

"Oh look, what a beautiful statue of David, it's so lovely and round, just like a big pawn from a chess game. What! There are no chess games because the knights and the bishops look the same. Buggar!"

"Waddiyamean the woodcarvers are on strike? Who will make the patterns for the castings for lathe bed, tailstock, cross slide and headstock? http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/confused.gif I know we'll turn them out of wood and have all round ones." http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/eek.gif

Woodcarvers. Huh! You can't live without'em!! http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/tongue.gif

[bob pringle]

Thanks for all the replies gentlemen....
I didn't intend to rekindle an old feud 'tween the Carvers and the Turners .......the Cambell's v MacDonald's have nothing going between them compared to carvers v turners.
I'm almost hesitant to ask another question but.....here goes.......
Sharpening turning cutting tools.....what is the best type of stone?

Oilstone / waterstone OR diamond "stone " such as ezilap?
...this is sure to put the cat amonst the pigeons again.....but you all seem to enjoy it
thanks
Bob

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[JackoH]

Talking about Christmas (and who isn't) I seem to remember from my early Sunday School training,(a long time ago!)that there is a carpenter mixed up in the story somewhere! http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/confused.gif
John H.

[Iain]

Neil thinks it was him, walks on water and performs miracles.

[ubeaut]

John - Think you'll find he was actually a carver not a carpenter and there are photo's to prove it. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/confused.gif

He certainly was not a turner. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/tongue.gif

He was above all else, one of the chosen ones, a woodworker. He later went into his dads line of work and became a do gooder, which he did do good.

Now back to Bob

Bob - I prefer to use the tools straight off the grinder. If I do hone I use an oil stone (slipstone for gouges, benchstone for shews etc. both fine - never course)

On the grinder I use white wheels, 40-60 grit for course and 80 for fine. If you use a lot of scrapers, I would recommend you use 100-120 grit for the fine. You should also have a good wheel dresser to keep the wheels sharp. This is as important as sharpening the tools thenselves.

Most pro's will work straight from the grinder with out honing. Speed is the essence and honing in most instances is a time wasting exercise. A turner only gets paid for the work he turns out, not for sharpening.

These are my preferences and thoughts on the matter. I am sure that some will disagree or have different preferences for grit or honing suggestions.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

PS I only hone for the finest of work, usually when I need to finish a piece straight off the tools without sanding. Especially if the piece is to be carved later. Sanding will leave minute particles of abrasive in the timber http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/eek.gif which can stuff up a carving tool pretty quickly.

[RFNK]

Bob, The production turners that I know, who turn thousands of newell posts, ballisters and the like, all hone. They use aluminium oxide oilstones and slipstones. They hone because i. a ground edge just doesn't last long, ii. honed edges give a much cleaner cut so there is a greatly reduced need for sanding, and iii. they can hone a tool four or five times between grinds so tools last much longer. These guys don't hone for fun!

I've had trouble buying al. oxide slipstones but you can get them. Norton makes two sizes but you may have to order them in. If you do, order medium grade. Don't use silicon carbide stones or slipstones. They're just too soft for HSS turning tools.

[tonks]

Upon browsing thru this forum two marvelous things occured to me.

The first was that I roared with laughter at the humour coming out at me, and the other was that I picked up some handy tips regarding mallets and mallet construction.

Thanks folks, you have livened up my day http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

have a good one over christmas


Allen

[Iain]

Glad you appreciate the forum and with Neils reference to Horse sh@#!!! (should that read fertilizer) I think he should be contributing to Gardening Australia with his expertise on compost. I am now going to try and beat the system and type in horse**** as one word. Merry Christmas Neil.
Bugger, it works.
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http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif HAHA: If the board don't get ya I will.

[This message has been edited by Iain (edited 23 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Iain (edited 23 December 2000).]

[This message has been edited by (edited 23 December 2000).]