Project Information
This is my first complex woodworking project (albeit simple to most of you). The tool is made from a single piece of 1×4 oak.
I don't have a table saw and I didn't want to spend the whole time bent over with my foot on one end of a board running my circular saw. Not fun on the old back. Therefore, I mortised out the top popular board in the T-form you see in the last two photos. Once I mortised it out, I drilled two pilot holes and then drilled out a bit to countersink two screws. Placing this rig (is there a name for it?) in my vise, I was able to clamp my oak board to it and run my circular saw while standing upright. I'd also clamp my square to the board that was offset to the line I was cutting and could therefore make straight cuts every time.
T-form in place, it was a matter of cutting out the desired pieces and then laminating them together. I used a common design for the mallet with three layers. The center layer having two small pieces of oak and the handle through the middle. I bore out holes in the two smaller pieces and added fishing weights (lead). Then I laminated everything together with titebond and used three clamps to hold it all together.
Once it had sat for 24 hours, I sanded down the mallet, added the eyescrew for hanging, and hit it with boiled linseed oil.
The head has a 5 degree angle on it. Ok, it has a 5ish degree angle on it.
I don't have a table saw and I didn't want to spend the whole time bent over with my foot on one end of a board running my circular saw. Not fun on the old back. Therefore, I mortised out the top popular board in the T-form you see in the last two photos. Once I mortised it out, I drilled two pilot holes and then drilled out a bit to countersink two screws. Placing this rig (is there a name for it?) in my vise, I was able to clamp my oak board to it and run my circular saw while standing upright. I'd also clamp my square to the board that was offset to the line I was cutting and could therefore make straight cuts every time.
T-form in place, it was a matter of cutting out the desired pieces and then laminating them together. I used a common design for the mallet with three layers. The center layer having two small pieces of oak and the handle through the middle. I bore out holes in the two smaller pieces and added fishing weights (lead). Then I laminated everything together with titebond and used three clamps to hold it all together.
Once it had sat for 24 hours, I sanded down the mallet, added the eyescrew for hanging, and hit it with boiled linseed oil.
The head has a 5 degree angle on it. Ok, it has a 5ish degree angle on it.