Scott Bailey Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have some scrap wood around and need a mallet, so voila. only question I have is which wood. I have some hard maple that's 3/4" thick so I'd have to laminate it together to make it thick enough, and even then it'll only be about 1.5" thick, not sure that's enough. I "might" have enough to laminate 3 pieces to make it 2.25" which I know is thick enough, but is that strong enough? I also have some 4/4 walnut that would be thicker but I"m not so sure it'd be hard enough. I know the maple is hard enough just don't know if it'll be thick enough. as for the walnut, the opposite. silly Q i know but you guys know more than I do so, there it is. muchas gracias in advance of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Long grain to long grain glue joints are as strong as the wood itself, so I'd go with three layers of the hard maple. If you don't have enough maple, maybe cut the maple in two large pieces for the two sides, and two smaller pieces for the centers of the two faces. Then use the walnut for the handle and center of the head. Or, just use maple for one face, and walnut for the rest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 thanks, I think I have enough for three layers, I should also be able to cut the center pieces so I don't have to chop out a mortise, which I thought of after I posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chefmagnus@grics.net Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have some purpleheart 12/4, hard maple 12/4, and cherry 16/4 scrap chunks that I would like to make into a mallet or few. What glue would you use to put them together? And is it ok if I leave them square faced? Chef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 Regular Tite-bond works well. I can pound concrete with mine. Wouldn't, just could without de lamination. With regard to the face, just know your swing could get awkward but a saw will change the angle at will. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 14, 2014 Report Share Posted October 14, 2014 I have some purpleheart 12/4, hard maple 12/4, and cherry 16/4 scrap chunks that I would like to make into a mallet or few. What glue would you use to put them together? And is it ok if I leave them square faced? Chef I cut my faces to 4 or 5 * . It gives a good face to chisel connection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 one more Q... I've read that BLO is a nice finish for mallets but I thought I'd put some arm r seal on it, any thoughts? I could do either. maple head and walnut handle, so nice contrasting woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Any film finish will flake off the strike head and can irritate the sweaty hand. If you string wrap the handle and go easy on the strike face you could get away with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 hmm. that makes sense, will probably just do a few coats of oil then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Just realized I assumed a square faced rectangular mallet. "Strike face" takes on an interesting shape with a turned mallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChetlovesMer Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 I while back I made two mallets - Each out of mahogany and purpleheart. I used the 4-5 degree face angle rule of thumb. I just put two coats of dumb old wipe on poly on them. They have held up just fine over the years of beating on things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 walnut that would be thicker but I"m not so sure it'd be hard enough. My first mallets were SYP and lasted a long time. I just recently replaced them with ipe mallets. I still use the big SYP mallet if it's handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Just realized I assumed a square faced rectangular mallet. "Strike face" takes on an interesting shape with a turned mallet. oh I'm pretty far away from turning anything (especially with no lathe), this will be a flat faced mallet, faces cut at 5 degrees very similar to Chet's (no pegs in mine but those look pretty cool). waiting for glue to dry, I'll post pics in a couple days when done, pretty happy with the handle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryMcK Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Mine is beech with an ash handle. Just wiped over with some arbitrary finish I had in a can but none on the striking faces. Hard maple will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Wdo, works well on these! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Jimerfield Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 I made mine with walnut for the head and maple for the handle. Just the way the dimensions of the scrap worked. Used titebond iii. The head split once when I whacked a mole a bit too hard...not on a glue line. I just glued it back together and it's been fine. The walnut is a bit softer than I would have liked, but it works for all practical purposes, including swift hard smacks on my 1.5" Barr framing chisel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 Wdo, works well on these! forgive the noobosity here but what is WDO... I can't get 'wood destroying organism' out of my head. pretty sure you didn't mean that though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 15, 2014 Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 forgive the noobosity here but what is WDO... I can't get 'wood destroying organism' out of my head. pretty sure you didn't mean that though Watkins Danish Oil! But, wood destroying organism sound like my Table saw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2014 oh lol. thanks! might try that, haven't ever used it before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-Square Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Those thumbnail images must have come from the prop room of the next Thor movie… After all, who but Asgard’s Thunder God would need so many awesome mallets… I suspect WDO is actually short for some phrase in Old Norse… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Those thumbnail images must have come from the prop room of the next Thor movie… After all, who but Asgard’s Thunder God would need so many awesome mallets… I suspect WDO is actually short for some phrase in Old Norse… They are on ebay! Someone that doesn't know how to build one, will buy, or a lazy woodworker will. Been on one month and sold 12. That's why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 They are on ebay! Someone that doesn't know how to build one, will buy, or a lazy woodworker will. Been on one month and sold 12. That's why! And actually, I'm responsible for 11 of those 12. Bought them to resale on e-bay. Kind of like flipping mallets w/ no improvements necessary All kidding aside (for the most part), I do have one of Richards mallets and it's a fine hand tool! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 16, 2014 Report Share Posted October 16, 2014 Head bowed, hands behind the back and shuffling my feet and red faced! Thank's Ken! The check is in the mail! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Bailey Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 pretty happy with the mallet, now to find something to hit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Looking good.... Got an ex wife? No! I'll loan you one of mine! Did you try WDO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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