| Project by Kindlingmaker | posted 222 days ago | 418 views | 1 time favorited | 10 comments |  |
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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!
-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings
10 comments so far
jockmike2
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7352 posts in 1144 days
posted 222 days ago
Nice michigan screwdriver. thats what we call them here in Michigan. We use them to give things a nudge.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
johnpoolesc
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250 posts in 258 days
posted 222 days ago
looks like that one should last a while
-- It's not a sickness, i can stop buying tools anytime.
Will Mego
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203 posts in 610 days
posted 221 days ago
with the red oak dowels in this mallet, you’ve taught me something new to me, thanks! And nice mallet!
-- "That which has in itself the greatest use, possesses the greatest beauty." - Unknown Shaker
Big_Bob
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97 posts in 607 days
posted 221 days ago
If at first you do not succeed. Do not force it just get a bigger hammer.
-- Bob Clark, Tool Collector and Sawdust Maker
a1Jim
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17020 posts in 475 days
posted 221 days ago
At first I thought It was a rubber mallet .Nicely done
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture, woodworking school, heirloomwoodshop.com
eddy
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294 posts in 262 days
posted 220 days ago
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.
Karson
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25806 posts in 1298 days
posted 220 days ago
Nice job and a great addition to the head.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Kindlingmaker
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1476 posts in 424 days
posted 220 days ago
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. ; )
-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings
eddy
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294 posts in 262 days
posted 219 days ago
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
sharad
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717 posts in 702 days
posted 214 days ago
The mallet is very good but your idea of putting a hard wood in the center of the head is ingenious.
Sharad
-- patanjali