Paul Sellers, Mallets and Laminating

[lewisc]

If you skip to the 3 min mark, you'll hear Paul mention that he doesn't like laminating timber together for mallets and that nothing laminated will hold for a long time. 

What do you think of that statement? If it wasn;t for laminating, I wouldn't be able to do much of my work because of the price/availability of thicker timber. Maybe he means it won't hold together for impacting tools. I'm making a carvers mallet tomorrow from maple that I was planning on gluing with Titebond II to get the thickness and drilling and gluing a different timber for the handle. It's got me wondering.

 

[TerryMcK]

Glue manufacturers often state that a glue joint is stronger than the wood itself. I would have no hesitation to make a glued up mallet. If it fell to bits then make another or get bigger stock to make it from solid next time. 

I make a lot of laminated items like guitar necks. They aren't being used to impact anything with (unless the user is somebody like Townshend) and never had them fall apart. Paul may be referring to impacting tools and he has over 50 years of experience.

[4square]

All of my mallet's are made from laminated stock. I figure if one breaks just glue up some more scrap pieces and make another one. Although I have yet to have one break!

[lewisc]

I've made a few from solid timber but this will be the first that I've glued. Mainly so I can get the thickness I need from the smaller pieces that I've got. 

[Chestnut]

I made this mallet. It's not very old maybe a few months but I've whacked things with it as hard as i could swing it and nothing happened. Used it to drive wooden stakes in the ground with excellent results. It's far more beat up now then this picture which makes it look good.

I had another laminated mallet that lasted me 2 years with no issues. That one broke because i was juggling hammers and it dropped from about 9 feet up handle first on to the floor.

[..Kev]

Laminate, build, enjoy!

[Gilgaron]

All of mine are laminated... it they were to fail it wouldn't take much to reglue them. 

[drzaius]

I find Paul Sellars interesting to watch, & he is undoubtedly talented, but I think he partly exists in a different universe of his own making. There are just too many comments he makes that just don't ring true.

[Tpt life]

He's 1000 miles closer to salt spray than I am. He's twice as old as I am. He often says "for me" and admits to strong preferences. Right or wrong I do not know. I just make observations. 

[SawDustB]

4 hours ago, Chestnut said:

I had another laminated mallet that lasted me 2 years with no issues. That one broke because i was juggling hammers and it dropped from about 9 feet up handle first on to the floor.

Am I the only one that read this and needed to ask, why were you juggling hammers?