Thread: Australian Hardwood for Joiners mallet

Wow, you guys are great! I didn't expect so much information. Thanks heaps!

Pfffft, all part of the standard service maaaaate.

We all love bashing things, even each other . Ayyyeeee, FF

You know, it only took me about 50 years to think outside the square (literally), but a mallet handle doesn't have to go into a square (or oblong) mortise, though that is the time-honoured way. The taper to lock the handle in doesn't have to be huge, either, 1.5mm is enough, & it takes me about two hits with a chisel to cut each taper. As long as the handle wood is properly dry to start with, the head should never come off.

A while ago, I decided it should work just as well (& be about 50 times quicker!) if I just drilled a hole through the head & fitted the handle. The essential thing is to rasp a slope into two sides of the hole at the top of the head, so that you can wedge the handle in properly - like making legs in stools. It works fine....

And Brett, I can't believe anyone could be prevented from making a mallet by not having a mallet. I think you are just avoiding it. A few minutes with a hatchet and a lump of firewood, will get you a very serviceable basher. You might even end up preferring that to your beautifully crafted model..

Mallets are definitely 'consumables' - they take so little time to make, from any old lump of firewood, so if your first couple of tries bust on you, you've lost nothing and maybe learnt something. I find a finished weight of 550-600g (including handle) good for general bench work. Bigger ones for heavy work are useful, but too hefty for fine dovetailing..

Cheers,

Cheers,

Hi Brett,
The question I have been avoiding has been addressed quite well by a few others. Just bash away with anything that comes to hand. After all hand tools are for the neanderthal. I used to reach for a rubber head mallet sometimes and that worked quite well. I turned a couple of one piece mallets on the lathe but as the striking face was on long grain they did not last long. Looked good however. Last suggestion is (dare I say) plastic handled chisels and use a hammer like all the tradies do.
Regards
John

Originally Posted by orraloon

(dare I say) plastic handled chisels and use a hammer
Regards
John

I made one from silky oak. The same as Paul Sellers, but actually based off the mallet my dad made in the fifties from redgum at tech in Echuca. I can say size for size dads redgum mallet feels twice as heavy as mine but mine has a nicer balance but I'm yet to use it so no idea how it'll work in practice.

Originally Posted by code4pay

I made one from silky oak. The same as Paul Sellers, but actually based off the mallet my dad made in the fifties from redgum at tech in Echuca. I can say size for size dads redgum mallet feels twice as heavy as mine but mine has a nicer balance but I'm yet to use it so no idea how it'll work in practice.

I made my heavy mallet in 1962 at Asquith boys High - Redgum?? with a handle which might be Spotty

Heavy as

Both faces have a worn in depression in the upper left quadrant so I probably didnt get the handle length exactly right (or my stance or my sight lines - but I am consistent)

Cut the faces so your knuckles don't hit the benchtop when hitting flat and rasp or file the edges as you've used up all the elaspolast (bandaids)

Drill a hole for the loop to hang it up and use that as your point to guage the curve on the head - knock out the handle and bandsaw the curve - "don't muck about this is for use - not pretty" Learnt a lot from that bloke in the brown dustcoat

Its still known in the family as the persuader

Neil

A rather timely thread. I have been thinking for a while ablut making a couple more "specialized" striking implements.

I have made a couple years ago. One being nine pieces of 50mm square hardwood with 8 pieces 150mm and the ninth (handle) being about 300mm all glued together in 3 x 3 formation and turned on the lathe. It is a monster but it was built for a purpose when I was young, fit and strong enough to wield it. Now if it is in the way it takes me half the day to walk around it.

The other was turned out of a hardwood chock I used to use for my trailer. About 300mm long and 50mm thick by 80mm wide. I turned half of it down to a handle and just rounded the corners on one side of the head and tapered the other side a bit. I think sheet metal workers would call it a dresser rather than a mallet. Quick to make and you could easily use this as the mallet to make your mallet, Brett.

Both are over 20 years old and both showing severe signs of wear and both still in regular use. The striking faces on both are long grain but I made them both with the intention of them being sacrificial/disposable. But as dented as they are they are still useful.

As many contributors to this thread have mentioned, you need a few of different sizes and weights. Add in dead blow mallets and other specialties and you could be busy making them for a long time.

Over the past few months I have been thinking about making a few. Ideas that have occurred to me for attaching heads to handles are probably a bit off of mainstream.

I am thinking of having a go at making the Windsor perch stool designed by Peter Galbert, having seen the concept including instructional videos online. I have been thinking of practising the round tapered mortise and tenon joint you use to attach the legs to the seat by using that joint to attach a handle to a mallet.

Just thinking I would need to make a 6 degree reaming tool and I will need to test it on something before starting an a large piece of timber for a seat base, practise on a mallet head first. Why not make something practical from a test piece? I could then practise turning the tapered tenon for the handle too.

Quite a few projects in the concept stage that i will not get to until I get back from my holiday starting thursday and ending after anzac day. Looking forward to the break.

Cheers

Doug