The word “mallet,” despite its ornate sound, denotes the name of a special carpenter’s wooden hammer. The name of this instrument is derived from the word “cue”. So, the Slavs have long called a large stick or club. Nowadays, mallets are made not only from wood, but they also come in various shapes and sizes.

This necessary tool in anyone's arsenal home handyman in situations where strong and at the same time soft blows are needed when processing material.

How does the instrument work?

The mallet consists of a striking part (the striker) and a handle (handle). The firing pin comes in various shapes and is made from various materials depending on the scope of application. The handle is attached to the through hole of the head, which has the shape of a cone, so that the striking part does not fall out during operation. Most often, the mallet handle is made from the following elements:

• hardwood trees, for example, rowan, birch, ash, maple, elm;
• strikers are made of dense viscous wood, for example, elm, hornbeam;
• durable rubber or fluoroplastic (highly resistant polymer).

Characteristic

Wooden mallets are the so-called classic version of this tool. They are used to give shape various designs in assembly and dismantling works. Mallets with a wooden striker have a clearer and more accurate blow, unlike a striker made of rubber. It is easy to make such a wooden hammer yourself at home.

To protect against mold, rot, and drying out, the strikers and handles of mallets are covered with drying oil.

Form

The striking part of a wooden mallet, depending on the functions performed, can have several forms.

• Round striker. It is used for installation and straightening processes. For example, this hammer can be used to straighten dents in metal. In addition, these mallets are often required for laying paving slabs and paving stones.
• Rectangular striking surface. It is used when chiseling material together with a chisel and chisel. It is also suitable for roofing and seaming, making permanent connections using seams.
• Square shape. The purpose of such a striker is roofing and folding.

Types and scope of their application

Most often, wooden hammers are used by those who engage in carpentry along with a chisel and chisel, since their handles contain a crimp ring. Wooden mallets come in several types.

• Carpentry. They have flat, voluminous sides. The striker of these hammers is flat on one side with a smooth striking surface, and rounded on the other. The ends are cut at an angle of 6–7 degrees to the axis of the handle and are not parallel to it. The handle is attached in front of the striker, where the rounded edge is located. These tools are used for chisel or chisel work to knock out cutters.
• Metalworking or tinsmithing. These hammers have a rectangular head. The rounded handle has a slight taper on one side. In this part, a cut is made and a wedge is inserted. These mallets are used for processing metal sheets, for straightening and folding.
• Lathes. All parts of such a wooden hammer are made using lathe. It is recommended for the same work as a plumber's mallet.

Dimensions and weight

The standard size of these hammers is considered to be a molding mallet with rubber strikers (GOST 19645 - 74). The classic instrument is 30 centimeters long and weighs about 300 grams. If we systematize a wide range of tasks where the impact of a wooden hammer is necessary, then for delicate work it is customary to choose mallets small sizes, for rough ones - they should be larger. Thus, hammers made of wood weighing up to 300 grams are used for various processing of wooden products, and for straightening (straightening unevenness) of metal you will need a tool weighing more than 1 kilogram.

The length of the handle can also be very different, but you need to take into account the fact that the longer it is, the stronger the blow.

Secrets of proper use

The principle of working with a mallet is not much different from using a regular hammer. But this business has its own secrets correct use, namely:

• if you have little experience with this tool, then start with simple tapping and carefully evaluate the result;
• an important condition quality use mallet is the contact of the tool’s striker along its entire length with the material being processed; if this rule is not followed, dents will remain on the metal;
• if you have to level sheet metal with a slight thickness, then be sure to use a wooden backing, because it will equalize the excess effort;
• when using a mallet with a chisel and a chisel together, strike with precisely calculated force, otherwise a lot of excess material will be cut off;
• do not apply when laying tiles strong blows corners, use only light taps to level the surface.

To choose the right quality wooden hammer, should be read carefully following tips experienced craftsmen:

• if you have a large amount of carpentry work to do, then choose a tool with a wooden striker;
• pay attention to what kind of wood the head is made of, since the striking surface must be made of dense viscous wood (birch, oak, beech, maple, pear);
• Ideally, the hammer and handle of the mallet should be made of different breeds trees, which will significantly reduce the impact impact during operation;
• inspect carefully appearance hammer, don't buy wooden instrument with a poorly processed surface;
• give preference to mallets with linseed oil coating.

A mallet is a simple, inexpensive and very multifunctional tool. If, when purchasing, you carefully examine not only the appearance, but also specifications wooden hammer, then such a product will last a very long time. A mallet will always help you out where you need to forcefully influence an object without damaging its surface.

To learn how to make a mallet with your own hands, watch the video below.

I made this hammer a couple of years ago. It was necessary because I had to tap each paving slabs. It softens blows, something like a rubber hammer. Only a hammer made of rubber does not last long. Since it is not made from rubber, as it should be, at least with the addition of it.

Of course, you can’t boast about the design, but nevertheless, the quality of this hammer is good.

The old mallet (pictured) has become unusable! The wood has already cracked and dried out from long use. It was urgently necessary to replace it with a new one. I drew a model of the future mallet on the computer, printed the picture on paper and got to work.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

For this project we will need several pieces of wood. This is a great opportunity to use up unwanted wood scraps. Many of my friends don't give waste a chance to be useful, it just ends up either in the trash or burned like firewood.

I am not a master carpenter, but I think anyone can do this with a hammer.

You will need:

1. Saw;
2. Wood glue;
3. Some clamps

I used a circular saw. I think that it is the fastest way to cut pieces of wood. After cutting, take sandpaper and clean the sides.

Step 2: Cut it out

Everyone chooses the size of the mallet at their own discretion. This is not critical. Everyone can also design a hammer independently and to suit their own tastes.

I made my handle length 350mm. Handle width 40 mm. at one end and at the other 30 mm. This size can be achieved easily if you have a table saw. It will be a little difficult with a hand saw, but everything is possible.

Step 3: Assembling

We place the handle exactly in the middle of one of the 120x90 mm pieces, so that 25 mm is from the thickest side of the end of the handle. It should protrude slightly from the overall head of the hammer. Now we glue all the cut pieces together (Visible in the photo). Don't forget to take out the hammer handle, it should not stick with the hammer.

Use clamps to secure the hammer for better gluing of all parts of the hammer. In places where glue has leaked, remove it. We also clean the glue in the hole where the hammer handle goes in. Before complete drying, you must leave our structure for at least 30 minutes. Somewhat reminiscent of the layers of a sandwich and the condiments oozing out of it. It will, of course, look terrible, but in the next stages magic will happen.

Step 4: Processing the Hammer

Now that you have the hammer (head) and everything is firmly glued together, it's time to make it even more beautiful. I made cuts on the hammer handle in order to cut out small indentations later. This will make it easier for the handle to lie in your hand, and then pleasant work with the mallet.

Let's take a pen and cut out the recesses mentioned above. We process the corners of the handle, making them more sloping (rounded). If your handle is too long, cut it off.

After the work has been done, insert the handle into the hammer.

Step 5: Trimming and Refinishing

We sand all the irregularities on the handle for a smoother surface and to avoid splinters in the hand in the future. I drilled a hole at the end of the handle so that I could store it hanging in the future.

Step 6: Finished mallet hammer

If you want to glue the handle to your head, you can do so, but I didn’t do this, it’s not going anywhere for me anyway.

I look forward to your comments, dear friends!

Mallet. "Clapper." It would seem that it could be simpler. Handle with a blank, stab. But no, there are many types of mallets. The most successful form is the “grenade”. Knock with any end, not like a hammer. And people came up with mallets not just anyhow, but with goals:

Make the carver's work convenient and enjoyable

Eliminate, if possible, occupational diseases of carvers associated with shock loads on the hands and wrists

Increase the service life of both mallets and chisels

For example, a mallet can be wooden and beautiful:

But after a few months of work, all this beauty turns into something like this:

There are also mallets dressed in bronze - so that the blow is more powerful:

Nice mallet! Wonderful! But is it necessary to show what the handles of chisels turn into? Only chisels reinforced with metal rings can withstand the blows of such a sledgehammer...

Or, it would also seem like a good solution - a rubber head.

But.. it bounces off the chisel handle too much when hit...

Mikhail Ilyaev works with Stepan Erzya's mallet, made from Quebracho, the heaviest wood in Argentina:

Mikhail told a funny story. One mischievous neighbor, an old lady, began to complain about him “to the right places” for the constant knocking on the balcony. Mikhail got upset and began to look for compromises. Here's one of them. The rubber pads from the crutches came into play, I put them on the handle with a stretch and the chiselling became more subdued:

What happened next was even more detective! As Ilyaev says, it was as if God heard him: that evil neighbor soon left his house, and in her place settled a DEAF INTELLIGENT OLD WOMAN, with whom Mikhail became friends. Such miracles...

The perfect solution

Forum discussion was used in preparing this article:
http://forum.woodtools.ru/index.php/topic,317.0.html

In general, now there is a large selection of mallets; purchased white rubber mallets are excellent for the job. White because it does not leave black spots from use. I have one like this. I also have another homemade one, made from a pillow from a truck. In general, I have a total of more than 25 hammers, sledgehammers and mallets.

But I am of the opinion that it is more pleasant to work with a beautiful instrument. And I decided to make myself a beautiful mahogany mallet. Well, why not? Some will say that this is foppishness, but I enjoy working in the workshop. If lace on a mallet brought me pleasure, I would attach it :)

Some people will be outraged by this, guys, you won’t be nice to everyone. Yes, I use hand tools.

I decided to make the handle from a stick from an oak pallet, and decorate the headband with sapele. A drawing was downloaded from the Internet

It's not that I don't have anything to make a handle out of, but first I need to look at the grain of the wood. Someone told me it was like Japanese oak. I haven’t been to Japan, I won’t say.

I cut oak and sapele into rough cuts.

I cut it and forward, with a plane. I have both a surface planer and a jointer (it’s dangerous to approach it with such wood chips), but I do it for my own pleasure, right?

I will have sapele around the edges, and the same oak inside. We assemble the block with glue. The handle is made on a reverse wedge, i.e. When working it will only shrink more tightly. The handle doesn't stick.

Now, using a chisel and a plane, we form the bevels, and also knock down the chamfers.

I decided to glue strips of veneer onto the handle, otherwise it looks a little rustic + there is a mark from a nail. The stick is from a pallet. Then I chamfered the handle so that it would fit in my hand.

And here is our result after coating with oil.

I use a mallet. It fits well in the hand, you take it right away, your hands feel the orientation of the striking part due to the rectangular handle.

If you need a wooden mallet, but you only have a basic set of tools, this article is just for you. All you need is a saw, a clamp, some wood glue and sandpaper. If you have a miter saw, drill, and router, that's great because they can come in handy for finishing, but they're not absolutely necessary. Ready? Then go ahead!

Wooden mallet: necessary materials

Mallets are usually made from hardwood, but you can use whatever you like. Wood of contrasting colors will look beautiful. We will use meranti and white oak.

Since our mallet will be made according to the “sandwich” principle, everything wooden elements must be the same thickness. In our case it is 20 mm, but 25 or 30 mm will do if you prefer.

• handle: 320×35 mm (and 20 mm thick) made of oak;
• firing pin: 500×70×20 mm;
• dowels (optional): 2 elements with a diameter of 9 mm and a length of 70 mm.

Wooden mallet: necessary tools

Necessarily:

• saw;
• pencil;
• ruler;
• clamps.

Optional:

• a template in the shape of a square or just a right angle;
• Miter saw;
• milling cutter;
• drill.

Cutting out the elements of the future mallet

We cut out the elements from wood to the required size. Choose the width of the handle so that the future mallet is as comfortable as possible for you (we will have 35 mm). The same applies to the length (we will have 320 mm). For the striker, we cut out two elements 140 mm wide and two elements 60 mm wide.

We connect the elements of the mallet together

Make sure that all elements have a smooth and even surface at the junction points. Place one of the wide pieces for the striker on a small piece of wood (this is necessary so that the clamp does not leave marks on the face of the striker). All other parts of the mallet will be attached to this element.

Place the handle on it strictly in the center and at a right angle using a ruler. Once you find the desired position, secure it with a clamp. Make notes with a pencil in case the clip comes off (but try not to let that happen).

Apply a thick layer of wood glue to the inner surface of the element on one side of the handle. Glue a short striker element to it, remembering to ensure that all corners are right. The edge will stick out, but that's okay - we'll cut it off later. Secure this part securely with a clamp. Remove excess glue with a rag.

Now detach the handle, apply glue to it and glue it in place. You can make the handle stick out from the firing pin. We'll make sure it's flush. Make sure that all angles are right and the handle is exactly in the middle.

Take the second short element of the striker and do the same with it as with the first. Make sure that all elements are at the same level at the top and bottom, and that the handle fits snugly against them.

Let the glue dry, leaving the product for 24 hours. Check that the inner surface is smooth and level. Use sandpaper if necessary. Glue the second long element of the striker and secure it with a clamp. Be sure to reuse a piece of scrap wood to avoid damaging the front surface.

Intermediate result

And so, we should end up with an unsightly mallet with protruding edges. We need to fix this!

Step you can skip

We will also cut the dowels into the head of our mallet. They do not perform any function other than decorative. When it comes to wood, glue provides a stronger connection than dowels, so they won’t make a difference. But they look beautiful! Drill holes through the striker, apply glue to the dowels and cut them into the striker. After the glue has dried, cut them flush.

And one more step that you can skip

Often, mallets have a handle that sticks out, but we make it flush. Therefore, cut off the end of the handle that protrudes from the other side of the firing pin.

We give the mallet striker the required angle

The angle of the striker should be such that its surface is approximately parallel to your hand when you hold the mallet in it. You can choose the angle that is convenient for you or simply make 4 degrees, as in our article. Can be used miter saw, but manual will also do. The main thing is to make marks in advance and cut carefully. If you don't have a protractor, just find and print out any protractor online, then use it as a stencil.

Bringing the surface of the mallet to perfection

Sand the mallet with sandpaper. Admire the work done. If you have a router, you can create smooth curves on the handle at the grip area. If you don't have a router, you can simply sand the edges. You can also make a curve at the end of the handle. Overall, give your piece the look you want.

Treating the surface

Mix beeswax and mineral oil and treat the item. Our homemade mallet is ready! Now you have a convenient and beautiful handmade tool. Try it out at work!

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