Ash mallet

**Woodwould** · 26th March 2009, 06:34 PM

The purpose of this post is to showcase Common Ash rather than my endeavours at turning. Ash turns as nicely as any timber I have had experience of. It has tremendous shock absorbing properties and is an extremely elastic wood (traditionally used for tool handles and chair components).

If you've ever built twelve foot high hay ricks with a long, Ash-handled pitch fork, you'd appreciate its extraordinary properties when stacking the last few feet of the ricks (it bends and stores kinetic energy like a pole vaulter's pole).

On the lathe, I can only assimilate Ash to Swiss cheese (without the holes). Its figure belies its close grained nature and the ribbons that come off it are more akin to electrical tape than wood shavings.<o>

</o> I can understand why the early settlers gave some Australian timbers the same names as European timbers they were familiar with, but I could never understand why Vic Ash was so called; its properties couldn't be more distant from those of Common Ash. <o></o>

**mjmjm** · 26th March 2009, 06:44 PM

Looks nice.

Could someone tell me why mallets are round?
Seems to me they should be flat on the banging section.

Michael

**Woodwould** · 26th March 2009, 06:51 PM

Carpenters' mallets are flat-faced and their handles are traditionally rectangular so the user can more accurately orientate the striking face (you should try using a flat-faced mallet with a round handle sometime!).

Carvers' and bench mallets are normally round as they're use is more refined than the heavy bashing a carpenters' mallet is put to.

**gerryh** · 26th March 2009, 06:51 PM

Gerry back again. I wouldn't mind some of this ash if you got some reasonable pieces, but don't know how to get it to Kimba or Adelaide, if you got a way, by road transport maybe, then ,pretty please, Gerry Hofmann

**artme** · 26th March 2009, 07:04 PM

So that's what happened to one of our former test cricketers?

Love the handle!!

Nice job BTW.

**Woodwould** · 26th March 2009, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by gerryh

Gerry back again. I wouldn't mind some of this ash if you got some reasonable pieces, but don't know how to get it to Kimba or Adelaide, if you got a way, by road transport maybe, then ,pretty please, Gerry Hofmann

I've got some off-cuts which I'm offering as pen blanks on another thread, but I need all the big stuff I've got.

**springwater** · 26th March 2009, 08:20 PM

How many things have you got up that sleeve of yours Woodwould? All the things I've seen you make seem like you've done them many times before or else you have a good eye for replication.

It looks like it would be a pleasure to use compared to the eucalyptus flat wackers I came up with. Would the willow used to make cricket bats be good for mallets?

Nice nob on the handle

**tea lady** · 26th March 2009, 10:40 PM

Hmm! I think I've got a few bits of that in my stash I've inherited.

**Woodwould** · 26th March 2009, 10:48 PM

Originally Posted by springwater

How many things have you got up that sleeve of yours Woodwould? All the things I've seen you make seem like you've done them many times before or else you have a good eye for replication.

It looks like it would be a pleasure to use compared to the eucalyptus flat wackers I came up with. Would the willow used to make cricket bats be good for mallets?

Nice nob on the handle

These days my sleeves feel like those of a straight jacket; my health and eyesight prevent me doing a lot of what I used to. Actually that's the third mallet I've turned. The first was made when I was nineteen and was immediately followed by another, turned from Yew, that actually worked. This Ash mallet is a copy of the latter.

The stylised acorn on the end of the handle adds a little to the balance of the tool as well as satisfying my penchant for the nut.

I doubt if Willow would make a good mallet. That may seem contradictory in light of the hammering Willow regularly receives at the hands of a batsman, but the cricket bat is a very ingeniously engineered tool.

The wood is undoubtedly resilient, but the springiness and shock absorbency of a cricket bat comes mainly from the laminated cane and rubber handle. Willow is also very light weight which in itself would make it unsuitable for mallet making.

**tea lady** · 26th March 2009, 10:54 PM

Oh! An acorn! I knew i'd seen it somewhere before.

**Ed Reiss** · 27th March 2009, 03:47 AM

Nice turning WW

**Wood Borer** · 27th March 2009, 06:11 AM

Nice looking Mallet WW. Your work always seems to set a high standard for the rest of us.

Years ago I also thought a round mallet would be difficult to use. I used a square one until a mate made me a round one out of blackwood and redgum.

I have used the round one ever since. I can't recall the last time I used the square one (must be 12 years or more). I use the round mallet to do lots of cabinet type woodwork and they work beatifully.

**oldiephred** · 27th March 2009, 08:51 AM

Interesting, I have spent many hours on the end of an ash or hickory hay fork handle. Good memories now but not so much so then.
I believe carvers mallets are that shape to add weight, because the wood is not very heavy, and to eliminate the need to ensure that stiking surface is aligned with the chesil handle, otherwise it will twist when it strikes.
Ash is one of my favorites to turn for all the reasons you give and because it smells good.

**Woodwould** · 27th March 2009, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by oldiephred

Ash is one of my favorites to turn for all the reasons you give and because it smells good.

Ash does have a unique smell. Have you ever steamed it? The smell really intensifies.

**Ian Smith** · 27th March 2009, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by tea lady

Oh! An acorn! I knew i'd seen it somewhere before.

You're a wicked, wicked lady

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