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With about a foot of a very old hickory sledge hammer handle I went to the wood pile and found a small elm log. I cut off 8" of it and stripped the bark off. I then worked it on the belt sander until it was just about round. Using a 7/8" forester bit I bored the handle hole about ¾ of the way through it. With the old hickory handle it was back to the belt sander to remove the surface splinters and to shape the end to fit the hole in the elm log that would be the hammer head, (a lot of sanding and fitting). The handle was glued in with two part epoxy. After drying the 12 degree angles were cut for the impact surfaces then some finish sanding. Two coats of wipe on varnish were applied. When all was dry a test whacking of a wood chisel showed that the center of the elm hammer face, the pith, was too soft and dented quick. So with a ¾" forester bit I bored out the pith on both ends to about 2 1/2 " and epoxy glued red oak dowels in the holes. Dang nice little mallet now!

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Comments

· In Loving Memory
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2,704 Posts
Nice michigan screwdriver. thats what we call them here in Michigan. We use them to give things a nudge.
 

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looks like that one should last a while
 

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195 Posts
with the red oak dowels in this mallet, you've taught me something new to me, thanks! And nice mallet!
 

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If at first you do not succeed. Do not force it just get a bigger hammer.
 

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At first I thought It was a rubber mallet .Nicely done
 

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401 Posts
nice i think i am seeing my daughter's next project here
the head looks like it is made out of the elm tree that grows up here in the desert
i have more of that than i know what to do with.
 

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9,145 Posts
Nice job and a great addition to the head.
 

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eddy, It is the high desert elm. I have about a hundred of them growing here. I planted them from seeds a couple of decades ago and most of them are near 50' tall. The elm has been a good wood to work with for me for small projects and to learn cutting, slabbing and resawing. Some of the wood is outstanding in grain pattern and color. I look forward to trimming the trees or when our high winds break a branch so I have more woord to play with. ; )
 

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401 Posts
wow and i thought i had a lot of them(16)
i just cut 1 down 2 weeks ago but was disapointed when i found the center was all gone
looks like termits had been having fun for a long time it is only a round tube about 2 inches thick
still got a lot of 4 to 6 inch branches to work
 

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295 Posts
The mallet is very good but your idea of putting a hard wood in the center of the head is ingenious.
Sharad
 
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