what type of mallet for bench chisels

[dan sherman]

I have a bunch of 4/4 hard maple at home, so tonight i will see if i can't knock out a design.

[george wilson]

I suppose a burl these days is too precious to use for a mallet head,but if anyone has a chunk they don't want to turn into a bowl,it is the best material.

[harry strasil]

Beaters in my basement shop.

L to R, 9 volt battery for size.

Small Osage Orange Mallet.

Small club, actually an Antique Potato Masher from a flea mkt.

My new Hickory Mallet.

Hickory Club turned by a friend with the masher as a model.

Large Hickory Timber framing Mallet.



In my demo tools, I have a hickory club half way between the two shown that was made by riving, then a Drawknife and finally a spokeshave, and a much larger one that I use with a large Froe.
2 Hickory Mallets similar to the two smaller ones, but with tapered ends in the heads so the handles can be removed easily,to store in a tool chest.

[george wilson]

Harry,that battery you are counterweighting the mallet with is going to pop loose at the first good whack!!!!

[harry strasil]

good one George, I guess I forgot the wiring, oh well if it falls off, it will still be a CORDLESS tool.

[Thomas Crawford]

My store-bought mallet is "loose", i.e. I the head comes loose from the handle and I have to push it back on. For the homemade ones do you wedge the handle in (like a wedged M&T or a regular hammer) or do you just use the friction?

[george wilson]

Wedge it. Saw a slot,and wedge it. If you don't want to bother tapering the mortise,let the end you wedges protrude about 3/4". Or,is this handle going into a blind hole?

[matt braun]

Hopeful in a couple of days I will have a box of Narex bench chisels setting on my porch when I get home from work. These will be my first chisel, and will be used primarily for making/cleaning up mortises.

Ok now for the question...

Where do you live and what time do you get home from work?

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I was of the mind that you needed a square head hammer.
But one day I snagged some apple from my wood pile and turned a couple sizes of round mallets and I ain't neer been happier.

[george wilson]

I don't see why square or round would make a difference. The flat face is what counts the most,isn't it? you could make a flat mallet without a lathe,just from thick sawn lumber. It might have been faster to make them that way.

[phil harold]

I use a dead blow hammer with my chisels

Just my 2¢

[dan sherman]

I finished up my mallet last night, It's hard maple finished with BLO.