When buying chisels, do not forget to pay attention to the issue of purchasing a product such as a rubber mallet. This tool causes the least damage to the chisels themselves, although it has certain disadvantages. Let's figure out which ones exactly, and whether there is an ideal mallet option.
Rubber mallet – both convenient and safe!
Even such a simple tool as a mallet has many different incarnations, of which the most popular are wooden and rubber products of the most different forms. The main purpose of the mallet is to be the “engine” of chisels in the process of cutting parts. This happens as follows: in one hand the master holds a chisel, applying it to the point of the desired cut, and in the other hand he holds a mallet, with which he hits the end of the chisel handle, giving it the force necessary for cutting. The lightness of the material allows you to avoid severe hand injuries and is gentle on the instrument itself.
There are two types of mallet in shape - a lathe mallet, which is turned from a single piece of wood, resembling a pin or a small bat, and a hammer mallet, which is shaped like a sledgehammer, but is made entirely of wood. The advantage of the first is its convenience, because whatever point of the mallet you hit will be correct, which significantly reduces the load on the hand. A mallet-hammer allows you to deliver stronger, more concentrated blows, although you should be very confident in holding the tool in your hands and monitoring the position of the head in relation to the chisel.
Therefore, the former are still more popular, although it will not be possible to make such a tool without a special workbench.
Disadvantages of materials - imperfect mallets!
Mallets have a significant drawback - since they are made from a blank with longitudinal fibers, with intensive use, the working part of such a mallet after some time resembles a real washcloth, no matter what type of wood it is made from! The hammer sledgehammer has fewer such problems, however, as already noted, its shape is far from ideal. Taking these two forms as a basis, manufacturers offer us what they consider to be improved tools. For example, a bronze “casing” is put on a turned mallet.
To some extent it actually turns out durable tool, however, the chisels themselves cease to be so! After several visits, they will look exhausted, not the mallet.. For such a tool you need to buy special, reinforced chisels, which is not always affordable. In this case, it would seem that a rubber mallet would be the ideal option! Of course, it is not all made of rubber - most often, it is a fairly thick layer of material or rubber inserts on the edges of the hammer. Indeed, the impacts are very gentle on the tools, but it is still inconvenient to work - rubber tends to spring back when impacted.
It turns out that there is no ideal mallet? After all, we need to combine qualities that are incompatible in our case:
- convenience;
- durability;
- lack of shock absorption;
- optimal weight.
Manufacturers have not yet offered ideal option, but the masters themselves learned how to make it!
The ideal do-it-yourself mallet is not wood, not rubber...
Leather! We forgot about her! On the one hand, the material is quite heavy, on the other hand, it does not spring, and on the third, it is very durable. What options are there for creating a mallet? If you have previously purchased a turning tool, then at a minimum you can wrap several layers work area to protect the mallet from further damage. To prevent the skin from flying off, you need to securely fasten it - glue one edge to the wood with wood glue at the beginning of the winding, and lubricate the skin itself during the winding process.
In addition, if the size of the material allows, intercept the protruding edges at the base of the bit with a worm clamp or, as a last resort, make a winding of strong twine. You can nail the protruding edges on top to the end of the mallet with small nails or simply cut them off - if you glued the layers well, this option will last quite a long time. However, it is much better to make the mallet entirely out of leather, with the possible exception of the handle. This option will last almost forever! To do this, you will need a lot of leather; in the market you can look for scraps from sellers, which they will be happy to give, if not for free, then cheaply. You also need glue, a large washer, a drill and a fairly large bolt.
How to make a mallet with your own hands - step by step diagram
Step 1: Prepare the handle
It is best to use hard wood for the handle, such as oak or beech. Birch or walnut will also work. If it is possible to sharpen it lathe, then do this to obtain a round shape that is comfortable for the hand. In addition, this way you can make a protrusion in the middle of the handle so that there is a stop for the layers of skin. If you don’t have a lathe, you can wind several layers of rope for support.
Step 2: Preparing the Skin
You need to cut many round pieces of the leather of the same size. To begin, make one layout and mark it on a piece of material. required quantity– depending on the size of the working part itself, you will need from 50 to 70 of these circles. In addition, the thickness of the skin plays a role - the thicker it is, the fewer layers will be needed.
Step 3: String the Layers
Make a hole in each layer so you can thread the leather onto the handle. We connect each layer with subsequent PVA wood glue, trying to press the layers together as tightly as possible. When all layers are strung and coated with glue, clamp the tool in a vice or clamps until the glue dries completely.
Step 4: Attach the washer
To prevent the leather layers from falling off in the future, you need to attach a large washer - metal or wood - to the upper end of the handle. To do this, drill a hole in the handle itself, apply a washer and screw the bolt tightly. Of course, try to choose optimal size for your pen to prevent it from cracking. That's all! The leather will not shatter into small splinters during operation; impacts actually get stuck in this material and do not create as much noise as when working normally. wooden instrument. Of course, it makes sense to tinker with such a tool when you constantly work with chisels and have already changed more than a dozen mallets, but for infrequent use, an ordinary wooden hammer mallet is quite suitable!
How to make a mallet out of wood - as easy as shelling pears!
To do this, you don’t even need a drawing of a mallet - it’s very simple! Find three fairly large pieces of maple or birch that are the same thickness. More hard rocks It is not recommended to take wood, except perhaps for a handle, since they split from constant blows. Adjust all the scraps to the same thickness - 2-3 cm. Take one of the bars, attach a pen to it and trace its outline. Then saw the block using a band saw or bow saw so that the resulting two pieces fit tightly to the handle. It is important that the handle and these two trims have the same thickness, equal to the thickness of the two wide bars of the striker.
We glue all the bars and the handle with wood glue, clamp it with clamps and leave it for at least 12 hours. When everything is glued, mark the rounded profile of the striker and the bevels of the sidewalls and trim off the excess. Take a good walk sandpaper and cover the wood with drying oil. It will take you a total of two days to make such a tool, of which only a few hours will be devoted to direct labor.
- Look, the handle bracket is chrome.
DIY mallet aslan wrote in March 9th, 2018
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.
When buying chisels, do not forget to pay attention to the issue of purchasing a product such as a rubber mallet. This tool causes the least damage to the chisels themselves, although it also has certain disadvantages. Let's figure out which ones exactly, and whether there is an ideal mallet option.
Rubber mallet – both convenient and safe!
Even such a simple tool as a mallet has many different incarnations, of which the most popular are wooden and rubber products of various shapes. The main purpose of the mallet is to be the “engine” of chisels in the process of cutting parts. This happens as follows: in one hand the master holds a chisel, applying it to the point of the desired cut, and in the other hand he holds a mallet, with which he hits the end of the chisel handle, giving it the force necessary for cutting. The lightness of the material allows you to avoid severe hand injuries and is gentle on the instrument itself.
There are two types of mallet in shape - a lathe mallet, which is turned from a single piece of wood, resembling a pin or a small bat, and a hammer mallet, which is shaped like a sledgehammer, but is made entirely of wood. The advantage of the first is its convenience, because whatever point of the mallet you hit will be correct, which significantly reduces the load on the hand. A mallet-hammer allows you to deliver stronger, more concentrated blows, although you should be very confident in holding the tool in your hands and monitoring the position of the head in relation to the chisel.
Therefore, the former are still more popular, although it will not be possible to make such a tool without a special workbench.
Disadvantages of materials - imperfect mallets!
Mallets have a significant drawback - since they are made from a blank with longitudinal fibers, with intensive use, the working part of such a mallet after some time resembles a real washcloth, no matter what type of wood it is made from! The hammer sledgehammer has fewer such problems, however, as already noted, its shape is far from ideal. Taking these two forms as a basis, manufacturers offer us what they consider to be improved tools. For example, a bronze “casing” is put on a turned mallet.
To some extent, the result is a truly durable tool, but the chisels themselves cease to be so! After several visits, they will look exhausted, not the mallet.. For such a tool you need to buy special, reinforced chisels, which is not always affordable. In this case, it would seem that a rubber mallet would be the ideal option! Of course, it is not all made of rubber - most often, it is a fairly thick layer of material or rubber inserts on the edges of the hammer. Indeed, the impacts are very gentle on the tools, but it is still inconvenient to work - rubber tends to spring back when impacted.
It turns out that there is no ideal mallet? After all, we need to combine qualities that are incompatible in our case:
- convenience;
- durability;
- lack of shock absorption;
- optimal weight.
Manufacturers have not yet proposed an ideal option, but the craftsmen themselves have learned how to make it!
The ideal do-it-yourself mallet is not wood, not rubber...
Leather! We forgot about her! On the one hand, the material is quite heavy, on the other hand, it does not spring, and on the third, it is very durable. What options are there for creating a mallet? If you have previously purchased a turning tool, then at a minimum you can wrap several layers of tape around the work area to protect the mallet from further damage. To prevent the skin from flying off, you need to securely fasten it - glue one edge to the wood with wood glue at the beginning of the winding, and lubricate the skin itself during the winding process.
In addition, if the size of the material allows, intercept the protruding edges at the base of the bit with a worm clamp or, as a last resort, make a winding of strong twine. You can nail the protruding edges on top to the end of the mallet with small nails or simply cut them off - if you glued the layers well, this option will last quite a long time. However, it is much better to make the mallet entirely out of leather, with the possible exception of the handle. This option will last almost forever! To do this, you will need a lot of leather; in the market you can look for scraps from sellers, which they will be happy to give, if not for free, then cheaply. You also need glue, a large washer, a drill and a fairly large bolt.
How to make a mallet with your own hands - step by step diagram
Step 1: Prepare the handle
It is best to use hard wood for the handle, such as oak or beech. Birch or walnut will also work. If it is possible to turn it on a lathe, then do this to obtain a round shape that is comfortable for the hand. In addition, this way you can make a protrusion in the middle of the handle so that there is a stop for the layers of skin. If you don’t have a lathe, you can wind several layers of rope for support.
Step 2: Preparing the Skin
You need to cut many round pieces of the leather of the same size. To begin, make one layout and mark the required amount on a piece of material for it - depending on the size of the working part itself, you will need from 50 to 70 of these circles. In addition, the thickness of the skin plays a role - the thicker it is, the fewer layers will be needed.
Step 3: String the Layers
Make a hole in each layer so you can thread the leather onto the handle. We connect each layer to the next one, trying to press the layers together as tightly as possible. When all layers are strung and coated with glue, clamp the tool in a vice or clamps until the glue dries completely.
Step 4: Attach the washer
To prevent the leather layers from falling off in the future, you need to attach a large washer - metal or wood - to the upper end of the handle. To do this, drill a hole in the handle itself, apply a washer and screw the bolt tightly. Of course, try to choose the optimal size for your handle so that it does not crack.
That's all! The leather will not shatter into small chips during operation; impacts actually stick to this material and do not create as much noise as when working with a conventional wooden tool. Of course, it makes sense to tinker with such a tool when you constantly work with chisels and have already changed more than a dozen mallets, but for infrequent use, an ordinary wooden hammer mallet is quite suitable!
How to make a mallet out of wood - as easy as shelling pears!
To do this, you don’t even need a drawing of a mallet - it’s very simple! Find three fairly large pieces of maple or birch that are the same thickness. It is not recommended to take harder types of wood, except for handles, since they split from constant impacts. Adjust all the scraps to the same thickness - 2-3 cm. Take one of the bars, attach a pen to it and trace its outline. Then cut the block with a band saw or so that the resulting two pieces fit tightly to the handle. It is important that the handle and these two trims have the same thickness, equal to the thickness of the two wide bars of the striker.
We glue all the bars and the handle with wood glue, clamp it with clamps and leave it for at least 12 hours. When everything is glued, mark the rounded profile of the striker and the bevels of the sidewalls and trim off the excess. Sand it thoroughly with sandpaper and coat the wood with drying oil. It will take you a total of two days to make such a tool, of which only a few hours will be devoted to direct labor.
A hammer is a necessary tool on the farm. But in addition to the usual metal knob, you may need a hammer with a rubber head. It is used for a variety of purposes, but to be honest, it is quite heavy. An alternative to it could be wooden hammer.– a necessary tool on the farm. But in addition to the usual metal knob, you may need a hammer with a rubber head
Necessary materials:
1) Wooden log
2) Grinding machine
3) Band saw
4) Lathe
5) Metal pin
6) Varnish, wood impregnation
Manufacturing instructions
Step #1: Choosing the right wood
When choosing a wooden log that will later become a hammer, pay attention to the hardness of the selected species. The wood should not be too soft and pliable, otherwise the hammer will very quickly become unusable, but wood that is too hard will also not work, because it will be difficult to saw even with a woodworking machine.
Step #2: Wooden Knob
The blank for the knob will have a cubic shape. The dimensions are determined arbitrarily: as soon as you think that the workpiece meets your expectations, round off sharp corners on the machine, grind the head of the hammer and stop working on it, proceed to sawing out the handle.
Step No. 3: Cutting out the handle
Maple wood works well for the handle. Process it with band saw, and then finish it on a lathe. Since all sizes are arbitrary, be guided only by your own feelings. Once you feel that the handle fits comfortably in your hand, set it aside and drill a hole of the appropriate diameter.
Step #4: Final Touch
Place your head on the handle so that the handle goes right through the knob and sticks out a little. To secure the structure, use a small metal pin.
The hammer can be coated with wood stain, varnish or wax to give it a beautiful finish.
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:
- Saw;
- Wood glue;
- 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. You can easily achieve such sizes when you have table saw. WITH hand saw It will be a little difficult, 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 to better bonding 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!