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01-29-2017, 07:26 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-30-2017, 03:56 AM by RonB1957.)
Looking for a dedicated wood carver to work with and test one or two of my mallets. I recently had a limited amount of resin infused plain sawn hard maple mallets CNCd, based on a hand turned mallet of the same hard maple. I still need to alter them slightly by hand. These are single piece mallets weighing between 19.5 and 20.5 ounces. Down the road a bit I will need some one to test a two piece version as well. They will look similar to the pic. This one was hand turned. Thank you.
Got one. Thank you.
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Really really nice mallets Ron. What is the % of the slope of the head? From what my friends who has been carving over 35 years says between 3* to 5* or when the mallet hits the tool it the mallet should face should be level.
Also why not someone who used chisels a lot since it is the same thing I think.
Arlin
As of this time I am now teaching vets again. If you have any lumber scraps we can use them to glue up to make some bowl from a board which we have not done yet.. Thank You Everyone.
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Hi Arlin,
My octagonal joinery mallets are at 5*. My round carving mallets are closer to 3* and slightly rounded since carvers are often swinging at odd angles. Also, I asked for a dedicated carver assuming they would have a broader reference of mallets to compare it to. I had a limited number of single piece carving mallets made and they were based on what felt right to my hand. But I am not a dedicated carver. So I sent out a couple to get opinions. Some wood carvers do not even like round mallets. Unfortunately, I just can not afford to send out a bunch of them. Expensive to make. Hence the selective process. Thanks for asking. Best wishes.
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(01-30-2017, 05:30 PM)RonB1957 Wrote: Hi Arlin,
My octagonal joinery mallets are at 5*. My round carving mallets are closer to 3* and slightly rounded since carvers are often swinging at odd angles. Also, I asked for a dedicated carver assuming they would have a broader reference of mallets to compare it to. I had a limited number of single piece carving mallets made and they were based on what felt right to my hand. But I am not a dedicated carver. So I sent out a couple to get opinions. Some wood carvers do not even like round mallets. Unfortunately, I just can not afford to send out a bunch of them. Expensive to make. Hence the selective process. Thanks for asking. Best wishes.
I carve, but I'm not what you're looking for. Did want to say the mallet looks gorgeous and looks effective. I like the shape much better than my current wooden mallet.
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Thank you. Trying to come up with something ergonomic, and attractive. It's that form vs function thing. :
" Always spinning the hamster wheel". Best wishes.
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The handle is way too long. So the balance is poor. I have carved white oak full time for months already, but just looking at that mallet makes my arm sore.
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(01-30-2017, 06:39 PM)wmickley Wrote: The handle is way too long. So the balance is poor. I have carved white oak full time for months already, but just looking at that mallet makes my arm sore.
That carved ball on the end of the handle--a mallet with a pommel, go figure--looks like it would serve as a counterweight in the way it does on a sword. I would actually love to try that mallet out.
If you're gonna be one, be a Big Red One.
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01-30-2017, 08:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-30-2017, 08:35 PM by RonB1957.
Edit Reason: Forgot something
)
(01-30-2017, 06:39 PM)wmickley Wrote: The handle is way too long. So the balance is poor. I have carved white oak full time for months already, but just looking at that mallet makes my arm sore.
Then you would want one of these 2 piece mallets. Shorter light weight handle. Infused head. Steel bolt passing all the way through. So even if the epoxied tenon ever came loose ( doubtful ) the rod and brass caps would prevent it from coming apart.
I am obviously not a full time carver, but I tend to hold the mallet up toward the head unless I really need to wack some thing. The over all length of the single piece mallet is approx. 10.5". The head portion is approx 3.75" long. The 2 piece is slightly shorter.
2 piece prototypes, of sorts. I settled on the one all maple in the middle. The one to the left, Walnut, is a slightly lighter mallet at 16oz. The brass ring really doesn't do anything. Just aesthetics. ala Blue Spruce. I won't be using those.
![[Image: IMG_3328_zpsevvhx368.jpg]](http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x395/ronb19571/IMG_3328_zpsevvhx368.jpg)
Something more representative of what I am doing, between every thing else. :
The one on the left, hand turned, the others are CNCd then re turned by me to add a little more detail.
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01-30-2017, 08:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-30-2017, 08:32 PM by RonB1957.)
By the way, wmickley,
As I recall, you did not care for my Ebony saw that I considered a more traditional saw. ( compared to what I usually make )

Soooo here is one just for you. It is a Spear ( no Jackson ) duplicate I made after refurbishing the original brought to me. The original had a 0.015" thick plate, 10" long filed 16 ppi rip. The handle I believe was beech and was a full 15/16" thick. There were no hint of "crisp" lines clearly being purposefully rounded.
![[Image: IMG_3314_zps2cf4nv0k.jpg]](http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x395/ronb19571/IMG_3314_zps2cf4nv0k.jpg)
My version: 9.5" tooth line. 16 ppi rip, beech handle approx. 15/16" thick
![[Image: IMG_3408_zps7rprkb1a.jpg]](http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x395/ronb19571/IMG_3408_zps7rprkb1a.jpg)
So what is really a "traditional saw design"? In my view, it is simply a matter of what our life experiences are, what we read in magazines and preference. Thanks for your thoughts and best wishes.
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(01-30-2017, 05:36 PM)MattP Wrote: I carve, but I'm not what you're looking for. Did want to say the mallet looks gorgeous and looks effective. I like the shape much better than my current wooden mallet.
Hi Matt, and thank you. I looked at a lot of mallets on line, in stores etc. The only thing that even came close to what I thought was a good design was Dave's ( Blue Spruce ) . He has a knack for simple elegance in design. I liked the "Wood is Good" mallet with the urethane head. Quieter and softer blows. Even then I wanted something with a more attractive form and I could shift my hand on depending on what I was hitting. Most if not al the mallets I found were either too light weight, requiring huge heads to get the weight, or the handles were lacking. Hence my expensive little quest to come up with something I think is better. Time will tell. Probably should have stuck with just the one for me and friends.
 Either way, a limited number were/ are being made. So back to my hamster cage.
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