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We needed two mallets for the wood lathes at the high school, so I turned them as demos while some of the other kids were making bowls. One of the mallets is at school being finished in the spray booth by a student. The heads are solid maple and were turned yesterday. The maple plywood handles were turned with oval hand grip areas and that was today's demo project. I had a little more to do on this one so I brought it home to finish it.
I finished this one with clear enamel.

Cheers, Jim

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Nice job, but pretty fancy for the shop.
 

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Looks good. And not a bad match with the maple ply.
 

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That looks just like a judges gavel .
Here come the judge .
 

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Very COOL…

At first, I thought they were Gavels… :)

That Maple plywood is a good Grade!
 

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Awesome work. Kids have a great teacher.
 

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Great mallet!
Would be a shame to actually use it….
Does the handle go all the way through the head, or just part?
Thanks!
 

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"turned with oval hand grip areas"
Off center turning? Gotta try that. Way to teach 'em to make their own tools, Jim! Thanks for sharing.
 

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Nice mallet. I bet they are very expendable in your school class and sure this is not the last one you will make.
 

· In Loving Memory
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Real nice Jim, like the plywood handles, the school kids are sure getting some great turning lessons.
 

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Nice work Jim! I wish someone would donate custom turned mallets for my high school shop (hint)... My lack of proficiency on the lathe should be noted. hey, isn't christmas right around the corner?

I'm sure the kids love it, too!
 

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Thank you all for the nice comments. I'm glad you like them.
I made them because I always had to take my mallet for demos and got tired of seeing them using a claw hammer on the lathe to tap out centers, etc. I also wanted them to see the patterns you get when turning plywood, when it is rounded the play patterns are beautiful. I gave 2 more blanks I laid up to 2 of the students and they will try their luck at them as well, but not until they have made a bowl and get used to what each lathe tool is used for.

Hi Yuval, the handle goes about 3/4 of the way through the head and it glued in. It was about a press fit to begin with so there is no wiggle to it without the glue. That is there the kids will need the most help- fitting a turned diameter to a bored hole. I think the shop teacher has a digital caliper. I always bring mine,too.

Hi Candy, off center turning is different. It is a feel in the cutting because you can't see what is being cut. Plywood is especially bad in that you can rip off a whole ply if the glue is not good and the cut is too heavy. Use solid wood when you try it.

Hi Tooch. I have my hands full here. We have 2 lathes that are down and I'm helping with them. I wish you were closer so I could visit your school shop and demo one of these.

Cheers, Jim
 

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Jim Nice looking mallets! Great idea for beginner's
 

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Thanks Bob!!

cheers, Jim
 

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Lucky Kids Jim, they are learning to be resourceful & not to run to the hardware store for something they can make themselves, gotta say though, these look pretty classy to be used around the shop :: ))))
cheers bud
pete
 

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Nice touch with the rings either end.
 

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Thanks Pete and Tony. I make them to pound with and I hope they use them for that. The one I took to school has a plywood head too with maple ends and they all liked that one. Maybe more will be made if I can hang around to get them going.
 

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Jim….Beautiful Mallets…..The Maple Plywood Handles blend nicely. Was the Plywood sandwiched and glued to make it thicker to work with, or was the Ply thick enough to work with already?.....there is something very attractive about ply. Great Project.

kind regards,

Cliff.
 

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Thanks Cliff.
The plywood is a very high grade of 3/4" maple plywood with no voids in it and very good glue. I glued 2 pieces of 1 1/2" wide stock together and then glued on a maple bock on the end where the offset centers were. The plywood would have ripped out the centers with that much run out while cutting it.

cheers, my friend!!...................Jim
 
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