Thread: a day of getting a handle on things.

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

Hi Ian,

Thanks for your description. I noticed your chisels taper in slightly near the top [EDIT: looking at the photo again, it might just be camera angle/lense distortion], Tea LAdy's are basically parallel and other designs taper out near the top. Is there much difference in operation?

I'm not a carver but when I have a spare moment I'm going to make a few of these for carving friends.

Cheers,
Dave

Hi Dave - actually that one is almost parallel, so it's camera distortion that makes it appear a bit tapered. I have seen quite a few mallets that are flared out (i.e. wider at the far end than the end closer to the handle) & have made them this way, as well as parallel. Can't say I notice any difference in use. What makes most difference is the length of the handle. A short handle is best for accurate tapping, where you never look at the mallet, but watch the sharp end of the chisel, or whatever you're thumping. For a heavy-duty mallet used to bludgeon a froe or similar, a long handle gives more acceleration of the tip, & therefore more whomp when it lands...

F&I - no debate, mate! I agree with what you said - you just specified it more precisely.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by IanW

Hi Dave - actually that one is almost parallel, so it's camera distortion that makes it appear a bit tapered. I have seen quite a few mallets that are flared out (i.e. wider at the far end than the end closer to the handle) & have made them this way, as well as parallel. Can't say I notice any difference in use. What makes most difference is the length of the handle. A short handle is best for accurate tapping, where you never look at the mallet, but watch the sharp end of the chisel, or whatever you're thumping. For a heavy-duty mallet used to bludgeon a froe or similar, a long handle gives more acceleration of the tip, & therefore more whomp when it lands...

Cool, thanks for that. 1 of each required then!

Cheers,
Dave

Well, test thumping has revealed that these mallets are a little light. The little one felt better I think cos the weight was more concentrated. But cos the diameter is narrow the aim had to be a little too accurate. I think I'll make another one about 400gms with the same diameter as my first big one, so just a bit shorter. (BTW the sides flare out to the end. )

Originally Posted by tea lady

Well, test thumping has revealed that these mallets are a little light. The little one felt better I think cos the weight was more concentrated. But cos the diameter is narrow the aim had to be a little too accurate. I think I'll make another one about 400gms with the same diameter as my first big one, so just a bit shorter. (BTW the sides flare out to the end. )

'S funny, TL, I've been making these things for at least 25 years, & have never thought about the actual weight of a single one other than 'big mutha' or 'handy size'. I just turn up what I think is 'about right' for the purpose & thump away. I suppose the woods I use are all of a similar density, so any two mallets of a given size & shape would be pretty much the same weight. As I said above, handle length & 'holdability' are the things that make the most difference for me. Certainly more difference than diameter when it comes to hitting the target accurately. After all, you want to hit dead centre with any round mallet or it will tend to roll, which gets tedious rather quickly.

As to flared vs. parallel sides - I have always assumed that's just so's when you put it down it rolls in an arc & is therefore less likely to roll off the bench. I can see no other practical purpose, but would be very happy to be enlightened if anyone has a plausible alternative explanation However, even a flared shape rolls a bit if dropped on its side, & for precisely that reason, I make mine with a flat to slightly concave end, so when it's put down on the end (as in the pic), it stays put & ready to be grabbed easily when next needed.

Anyway, we all develop our own preferences with tools - that's one of the chief joys of making our own - we can fiddle about & find what we like best. So keep rolling them out, TL, until you've got a couple that feel like an extension of your arm. The rejects can be easily given away, & what doesn't suit you, someone else finds is the bees' knees.

And I'm going to weigh a couple of mallets tonight & see how heavy they actually are!

Cheers

Originally Posted by IanW

And I'm going to weigh a couple of mallets tonight & see how heavy they actually are!

Cheers

I await the results of your research.

On the topic of flared end, I saw an artical somewhere about the angle of your arm and hand with the angle of flat or angled mallets. (If you get my angle. ) I think the angled ones made for a more natural comfortable use? That's if hitting something with a mallet is a natural activity.

Originally Posted by tea lady

I await the results of your research.

On the topic of flared end, I saw an artical somewhere about the angle of your arm and hand with the angle of flat or angled mallets. (If you get my angle. ) I think the angled ones made for a more natural comfortable use? That's if hitting something with a mallet is a natural activity.

You hit the nail on the head.

Originally Posted by tea lady

......On the topic of flared end, I saw an artical somewhere about the angle of your arm and hand with the angle of flat or angled mallets. (If you get my angle. ) I think the angled ones made for a more natural comfortable use? That's if hitting something with a mallet is a natural activity.

Hmm, TL - I always take those sorts of explanations with a rather large grain (or two!) of salt. It's undoubtedly true that if you were swinging your arm down in an arc, to hit a surface that is parallel with the bench top, you would need an angle of x to have the body of the mallet meet it dead square. If you are going for maximum thump, it pays to hit like that, and we simply adjust our arm & body to achieve it. However, in practice, we are constanly changing our bodies & swings because we aren't always hoding the object to be struck just-so, & depending on whether we intend to give something a few sharp raps or a bl**dy great wallop. That would mean the flare angle is 'correct' only for a target that is at a single, precise point - for all other swings, you would still need to make those little adjustments.

You have probably noticed that some of the 'hammer' style of wooden mallets have sloped faces, presumably on the same principle. However, I much prefer square faces - my neurons seem to be able to calculate where things are in a variety of situations better for square faces than for sloped faces, & on average, I get a cleaner hit. If I had started with a sloped-face mallet to begin with, I would be singing the entirely opposite song, most likely, but I started out (in grade 7) with square-faced ones.

If you find the flared shape suits you better, it does, though whether it's for reasons of geometry or just because that's what you're used to is a moot point. It doesn't really matter, 'cos I always find I just work better with a tool that 'feels' right - 'specially when I made it myself!

Cheers,
(Edit: There you go, F&I - a debatable topic at last.... ??)

Originally Posted by tea lady

Well, test thumping has revealed that these mallets are a little light. The little one felt better I think cos the weight was more concentrated. But cos the diameter is narrow the aim had to be a little too accurate. I think I'll make another one about 400gms with the same diameter as my first big one, so just a bit shorter. (BTW the sides flare out to the end. )

So 's taken a beating then???

Originally Posted by jefferson

So 's taken a beating then???

Didn't want to damage mallet. Tested on something a bit softer than 's head! :run:

Hi TL,

You could always drill a large deep hole in the business end, fill it with lead shot and plug it up. That would let you adjust the weight. Seen this used in a few metalworking and engineering tools.

f

Originally Posted by Farnk

Hi TL,

You could always drill a large deep hole in the business end, fill it with lead shot and plug it up. That would let you adjust the weight. Seen this used in a few metalworking and engineering tools.

f

Was thinking of that, but the diameter is too small too. Won't take long to make another one.

Originally Posted by tea lady

I await the results of your research.

Well, TL - here are the results:

My everyday (Olivewood) basher weighs in at a neat 450g. The big thumper beside it (Ironbark, I think, but not certain) is 650g.

Out of curiosity, I weighed a couple of other mallets I had lying around & found a surprising consistency - the ones I think are about right for tapping dovetail chisels & general benchwork are all about the same weight. They are also of a very similar shape & size, except one that is the same weight, but has a longer handle & I don't like it. So it's good to muck about with them until you figure out the weight & shape that suits you best...

Cheers,

Thanks Ian! So I will try and make a 400gmish one during the week.

Meanwhile I found the artical about mallets. Its in The Australian Woodsmith Issue #67, page 18. They don't actually mention weights,( but a perusal of the Carbatec catalogue reveals weights of 350 gms Upwards. Tending more to heavier. ) But they explain the angled head on mallets as allowing a more natural wrist angle at the striking point. Round mallets are supposed to be for carving. Knobs on the end of the handly help it stay in the hand rather than get flung across the workshop.

I finally managed to make one of these things on the weekend, but I gave it away without taking a photo .

It weighed about 420g, which seemed heavy-ish to me. I made it tapered (for the scientific reason of 'I felt like it' ) and a slight concave top so it can be stood up without wobbling (advice from this thread - thanks Ian!). It's made out of Woodus Kerbsidus, otherwise known as damifino. It's probably some eucalypt - dark brown and bloody heavy. Was an offcut from a old house restoration.

Took it to my friends house to try it out and it worked quite well. We compared it to the brass topped mallet purchased from McJing. Felt much lighter and far more blalanced - the McJing one had a light handle and a very heavy head, so it was tiring to use after a while for tap-tap stuff. Mind you, if something wanted to be hit properly, the McJing one would do the job nicely

I've asked my friend for feedback once he's had a chance to have a good go with it and will then have fun making another as it's all good practice

Cheers,
Dave