Carving Mallet wood choice

[evoman76]

Hi

I am getting some wood carving chisels for Christmas and thought it would be nice to make a mallet to use with them, question is what is the best wood to make it from ?

David

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Get yourself some lignum bowls from an antique shop.Sorry about the original spelling I hate typing on these computers.

 

[El Barto]

Some useful tips here, which also covers wood choice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31Ixu6mSHY

 

[monkeybiter]

Get yourself some lignin bowls from an antique shop.

Or from a car boot or similar. Can be pricey but can also be cheap, look around.
In the meantime Beech would be a decent choice and a lot cheaper/easier to find than Lignum Vitae.

 

[Dalboy]

I made one from a bowling ball the old ones which were made from Lignum Vitae.

Applewood is meant to be good as is beech.

Get yourself some lignum bowls from an antique shop.Sorry about the original spelling I hate typing on these computers.

Even better have a family member who belongs to a club this is how I got 8 of them in my store

 

[Lons]

Hi David

Lig Vi would be my first choice every time but you need access to a lathe to make one that suits your style as a full bowling ball is far too heavy for most work.

I have 7 or 8 carving mallets, all home made of various sizes, weights and shapes, from memory, 4 being lignum vitae, 1 mahogany, 1 oak with beech handle and my favourite a small oak with lead inserted in the head. It's my favourite because on most precision carving the mallet head is held in the palm of your hand and controlled taps applied to the chisel handle. Very rarely would you need to knock seven bells out of your chisel unless you're carving a tree trunk or more likely your chisels are blunt.

A standard woodworking mallet is hopeless for carving and once you've used a decent round one you won't go back.

Here's an idea of types I mean but I can take a photo of some of mine if you want. My mate has a little brass head one similar to the one in the pic and I lust after it every time I see it. :lol:

cheers
Bob

BTW. Very few of my carving attempts ever require the use of a mallet ( so why do I have so many? #-o ) and this example of one of my unfinished "aroundtuit" projects out of a large lump of hard walnut is typical.
Must finish that (hammer) (hammer)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Not a good picture, but the carver's mallet is made from slices of recycled beech kitchen worktop with the layers rotated (and a piece of yew branchwood). It's been very well beaten and has shown no signs of splitting.

 

[woodfarmer]

Probably the best wood would be Hornbeam. (use an ash handle)

 

[evoman76]

Thanks for all the advice, I will have a look in the workshop and see what I can find, then get turning !

David

 

[lurker]

Whatever wood you use , drown the finished mallet in linseed oil for a few days,

 

[monkeybiter]

Whatever wood you use , drown the finished mallet in linseed oil for a few days,

That's the second time I've heard that in as many days, but never heard it before. It sounds like a bad idea to me.

 

[Lons]

Whatever wood you use , drown the finished mallet in linseed oil for a few days,

That's the second time I've heard that in as many days, but never heard it before. It sounds like a bad idea to me.

I never did that although it should harden up the wood, not sure I'd use it on the handle as you need a dry grip.
Of course using lignum vitae means no treatment whatsoever required.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I was always told to do it many moons ago. I usually pick a time of year that my tools are unlikely to be used and chuck my mallets and wooden handled chisels etc. in a bucket of linseed or a week or so. An old chippie I used to work with told me they learned to stuff the mouths of wooden planes with putty then fill them with linseed when they went on holiday.

 

[monkeybiter]

I'd be concerned about contaminating the carving before you're ready to put a finish on.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

You might be wise to be careful for a week or two but it just dries out.

 

[Racers]

End grain Hawthorn Apple or my favourite lignum vitae bowl.

Mallets by Racers, on Flickr

Pete

 

[JimB]

Is there any reason elm isn't used? I know it was fairly common in woodworking mallets when I was younger - sixty years ago.
I've turned some over here out of red gum which is easy to get. It's used for stumps, fence posts etc so off-cuts are easy to come by.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

It's not particularly heavy, but it wouldn't split easily.

 

[SteveF]

or come a grab a ball from me

Steve

 

[gregmcateer]

or come a grab a ball from me

Steve

Ouch!