Making Mallets

[Gizmo3k]

I have decided I want a wooden mallet. What sort of woods do people use for these? It will generally be for hitting things like chisels, maybe knocking wood into place and stuff like that - just a general hitting implement.

I have some sycamore lying around which should be big enough, it is still in log form. Would this do the job?

I am thinking of starting with a round one-piece mallet, I am contemplating hollowing it and adding sand or lead shot to make a deadblow mallet. Is it worth covering the outside with some sort of leather, or should the wood be fine?

I could make it with a separate handle, but want to keep it fairly simple to begin with :smile:

Alan

 

[Twister]

good question

I made mine from Lv and a ash handle

i dont see why the sycamore wont work

Steve

 

[paulm]

If you want a decorative one that is going to last forever use something like Lignum Vitae otherwise I would go for whatever you've got maybe beech would but I am really just guessing

 

[Doug]

I quite like this mallet
A blog of wood: Mallet making

 

[Woody]

I made my mallet heads out of brass with a wooden handles they will last me out and you dont have to hit the chisel very hard

 

[Terry Q]

I made this one from Maple. http://www.penturners.co.uk/other-things-we-turn-make/8982-shop-mallet.html

 

[Kardav]

Mine's beech with an ash handle, 40 years old and still in use.

 

[Dalboy]

Many people have made them from apple. But like many on here I made one with an LV head and a chestnut handle. I use mine for letter carving

 

[Vic Perrin]

I quite like this mallet
A blog of wood: Mallet making

I like the look of that as well Doug. I have a couple of Bowls so I will put it on the ever increasing to do list.

Vic

 

[Dalboy]

Just found a picture of mine.

 

[Vic Perrin]

Just found a picture of mine.

That's nice as well Derek

Vic

 

[Penpal]

For the many suggestions and actual mallets overall any timber will do the job that it is required to do the traditional shape to the rounded ones using several different in various places in the workshop. The deadblow is a firm favourite for some things.

Peter.

 

[Indie Shed]

There's some lovely mallets here. These are my two, one is beech and oak the other is hickory. The beech feels nice in the hand but the oak head doesn't take any sort of punishment well. The hickory one I made out of curiousity, I wanted to see how the wood behaved and looked. I made it small and without a head so I could slip into my pocket without it falling out due to being top heavy, it has no weight to it but it is very hard and doesn't show any sign of impact after using it on my chisel.

 

[Twister]

i found a pic of mine


Steve

 

[wm460]

I must be the odd one I haven't made my self a mallet yet.

 

[Lons]

I have at least 5 I've made over the years. No idea why so many but I use most regularly. My favourite is a small one piece beech with a lead plug in the head.
I'll dig them out and post a pic.

 

[Gizmo3k]

I must be the odd one I haven't made my self a mallet yet.

Not yet!

Some lovely pictures there, lots of inspiration. I watched a youtube video recently where a guy made one from a single piece of timber. He hollowed out the head, filled it with shot then put a cap in it. Looked nice too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_2kIAOsvqU

Might give this a shot.

 

[Twister]

I have a lump of brass if u want a small one
not sure on postage

Steve

 

[Bill Mooney]

Mine's beech with an ash handle, 40 years old and still in use.

Made mine the same & is 58 year old has been used on daily basis.

 

[Buckeye]

I have a lump of brass if u want a small one
not sure on postage

Steve

I don't know who you were oferring it too, but if it was generic, I wouldn't mind it, but I doubt I would use it imminently.

Peter