Froe Whackers

[Jim Koepke]

In a thread about wedges there was some mention of what kinds of clubs are used to drive a froe or wedges.

So, why not a thread on what folks use to drive their froe or wedge.

Here is my current line up:

Froe Whackers.jpg

The large one in the back was one of my grandson's early turnings. It was a bit longer on the cylinder but was too heavy to swing so it was cut down a bit. The one on the left was made by putting a handle on a piece of firewood. Both of them are alder.

The one on the right is a piece of cherry. Mostly a handle was carved into it and it works very well. The local bog cherry or bitter cherry is a very hard wood.

Finally the middle mallet is made of some vine maple and is used to drive the mini froe above it. This is mostly for splitting out dowel stock.

jtk

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I am not a froe user, but that flat one looks like a Greenland Kayaker's throwing stick which was used to launch harpoons. It would be stowed under deck lashings and if he rolled and lost his paddle he would also be able to grab it and use it to roll up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YKxGAuUKTqQ

My largest mallet is called "The Persuader." It persuades things to fit that don't want to fit.

[paul cottingham]

I plan to make a club from a hickory mattock handle. I think it will be the easiest option available to me. When i get it finished, ill post a pic. My froe is quite big, so i need a nice heavy club. Thankfully, I'm a big boy.

[Bill White]

Dogwood froe club here. Cut from the base of the tree near the root ball. Super tough.
Bill

[Bob Glenn]

I used a piece of hickory from the fire wood pile until it split down the middle. Using another piece of hickory that I chopped down a handle on one end. They don't have to be pretty.

[Darrell LaRue]

twokilo.jpg

My froehammer is made from some copper pipe, rebar, a couple of nails, and two pewter beer mugs. It weighs in at 2 kilograms.


Melted the pewter in a coffee can on a camp stove. The rebar has two holes drilled thru with the nails in them, so the handle won't pull out. It ain't round anymore, but still does a great job.

Darrell

[robert dankert]

Here is mine, American Hornbeam.

[Richard Line]

Jim,
Can you give any more info on the mini froe. Is this the one you made from a planner blade. I'm thinking I may need a small froe and that could be the answer.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,
Can you give any more info on the mini froe. Is this the one you made from a planner blade. I'm thinking I may need a small froe and that could be the answer.

Yes, the blade is held in the handle by friction from the screw going though the handle past the blade.

jtk

[Jeremiah Chamberlin]

My largest mallet is called "The Persuader." It persuades things to fit that don't want to fit.

I have that written on my mallet. Non woodworkers seem to liken it to Thor's hammer.