With Mallets Toward None

[Jim Koepke]

Or maybe for the Mallet Adjusted...

At the local farmers market one of my mallets is often nothing more than a prop. As folks walk by I show them my mallet and say, "My wife calls this a hubby club... And I know just the hubby she is talking about."

This is the second one of these I have made in this style. The recipient of the first one mentioned it was cool.

Tapping Mallet.jpg

This one has been sanded to about a 600 grit and then waxed to look pretty for the market.

The wood was given to me by a neighbor. He is a grounds keeper at the local golf course. When a large oak tree came down in a storm he was able to get it sawn up into planks.

Last week one of the folks at the market mentioned they would like a mallet for carving after seeing one of my prop mallets. So this week one of my projects is to make a few mallets to sell.

The inspiration for this type of mallet comes from one a friend made from what looks to be a piece of oak from a pallet. He left it to me in his estate.

Mallets Compared.jpg

Mallet Faces.jpg

SWMBO also wants wants one. So it looks like I will have to be making a few more.

[Stew Denton]

Hi Jim,

I love the grain in the one on the right, very cool, great job! Those mallets look like they mean business. I have been thinking about making one some of these times, but have other projects that I need more and sooner.

At any rate, very nice work.

Stew

[Kent A Bathurst]

You have a lot of mallets, Jim. Probably more than you need. Yet, you keep increasing the bunch without thinking it through - that is adding mallets aforethought.

Your wife, though, has figured out what to use them for. She is mallet adapted.

Someone help......this is like when you hear some stupid tune from the 70's that you can't get out of your head all day.........

[Jarad Medbery]

Welcome to the winter of mallet content

[Christian Thompson]

That is really pretty. At first glance it looked to me like african mahogany.

[Howard Skillington]

Shouldn't you make a chair for all to go with your mallets?

[george wilson]

That is really dark oak. Do you know what species it is?

[Stewie Simpson]

Hi Jim. Nice work. I think the grain direction on the 1st mallet is a better choice.

regards Stewie;

[Karl Wicklund]

I like your work, Jim. I also like the title of this thread.

[Bill Houghton]

Of course she wants one - you've announced to the world that it's a hubby club; surely, she needs one to keep you in line.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Stewie and everyone else for your comments. I may steal some of the lines for use at the farmers market.

You have a lot of mallets, Jim. Probably more than you need.

My extras go up for sale at the farmers market. I keep thinking of making a big one incase someone wants to copy Gallagher's fruit smashing acts.

That is really dark oak. Do you know what species it is?

I have no idea what species it is. The neighbor who gave it to me didn't have it stickered so it has some spalted areas.

Wow, I thought this was posted earlier. But couldn't find it. When I clicked on "reply to thread" it had the option of restoring the auto-saved. Ain't technology amazing?

Made a couple more today:

Week of Mallet-Content.jpg

The one on the far right is spalted birch. Next to it is one made of alder. The little thing was just some fun with a piece of the scrap oak. Maybe it can be a pocket fish whacker.

jtk

[Robert McNaull]

My grandfather had a degree in "percussion" engineering, but his preference was a club with a metal head. Pretty sure he also had a Phd in thermal application as well, not so much wood working in his farming I suppose.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Maybe it can be a pocket fish whacker.

Why do you have fish in your pocket? Is that a "thing" in Washington?

[Jim Koepke]

Why do you have fish in your pocket? Is that a "thing" in Washington?

LOL!

There is a lot of fishing here along the Columbia River. The little club could be easily carried in a pocket and be at hand when it is time to be used.

Otherwise it is just a pretty piece of wood.

Maybe some could be glued up and turned into a bowl so it could be a mortar and pestle. Though the wood is spalted and I would not feel comfortable using it for food items. Maybe it could be a nut cracker.

jtk

[Karl Andersson]

Jim,
If you can carve or turn a bowl, the "little thing" could be a pestle, either for grinding seeds or bruising/ mixing herbs. Sounds fancy enough to be expensive, doesn't it?
Nice work!
Karl