In my experience, these types of mallets used to be made with a tapered handle to fit the tapered head slot. The head would just slip over the grip and up to near the top of the handle where the taper held it fast. No wedges required. Also, the head was a single block of wood and the slot was simply chiselled out, no glue required. The head never ever came off, unless it split apart or the handle broke, but in either event abuse would be to blame,
Finding a nice, big hardwood post to make the head from is perhaps the challenge, when you can make the whole thing from a single board and laminate the head. Laminating the head means you can "cheat" by cutting the angles on the mortice before gluing the head together.
@@dj1NM3 I agree there are advantage to the laminated head. One of the main issues with a solid head, is finding a curly twisty bit of grain to resist splitting. Laminating can help with that by reversing the grain runout. between each layer & reversing the growth rings reduces cupping over time which in turn reduces the tendency for shrinkage splitting. There are pros and cons to both, my main point was cutting a tapered handle & slot, rather than relying on wedges.
@@CorgiCorner Well for a bushcraft mallet, I'd just I'd cut a foot or so length of some random fallen branch that hadn't rotted yet & chuck it back in the bush when the jobs done. But then I wouldn't be making fine furniture with mortise & tenon joints, stopped halving shelves or dovetail draws would I.
Nice job! I made a mallet a couple years ago and find it's one of the tools I use most frequently. I've decided to make a few from your design with various types of hardwood I have laying around. Thanks for putting the plans out there!
It's amazing for watching all of this is made by hand tools only while most of wood workers using electrical or battery operated tools and equipments. So satisfying watching this.
Thank you for the video. Nice workmanship but my biggest take-away is an appreciation for the care and condition of your tools. (as a machinist that is wonderful to see)
Oh you geniuses with your hand tools. Maybe when my kids grow up I’ll have time to try to lessen my machine use. I’m in awe of some of you guys how good you are with just hand tools! Mallet looks great! I think I prefer the straight head over an angled one. The leather is a nice touch as well. Good job brother!
Nice video Gallagher lol Just kiddin. I’m subscribed because I could watch this stuff all day. Super precise and everything neat. Plus ridiculous no-look skills
My axe/maul handle used to loosen regularly. I got so tired of removing the handle & adding fresh wedges. Finally I fixed it PERMANENTLY. I took off the handle for THE LAST TIME and added gorilla glue. That was over 15 years ago & it hasnt loosened a lick after MUCH use. !
Love the design! I made one just like it, using ipe, about 5 years ago. No glue on wedges, and with weather changes, heavy use it does come loose from time to time, but tap tap, and good to go.
Love it... I would suggest for the handle BLO only. My dad who was born in 1915, said the old guys of his day would strip any finish off a wooden handle and use BLO. Gives a good finish... but even better, helped decrease blisters. I found this to be accurate.
@@theuglidog Before dryers were added... they actually boiled the linseed oil. Not quite the same... but close enough... and the new way does save time and money.
Alternatve trick is angling the grp iece insde the head wth the widest part on the topside of the head. If the head gets a little loose, just tap it n the head andit's ight again.
I made Paul Sellers' joiners mallet using cedar elm for the body (RIDICULOUSLY dense) and a tapered through mortise used without glue. Squaring a 3.5 inch mortise in that cedar elm was difficult but it has held up admirably so far.
Yeah, but don't use the bottled stuff. Use it hot, that's the way it's strongest and will last the longest. The bottled, room temperature stuff has additives in it that keep it liquid but they also ruin it's ability to hold wood together for long periods of time. Hot is a pain in the butt, but for some things, especially instrument building (violin and lute, primarily), it's very usable. From what I've seen, it is available in different strengths, and you can also thin it with water or let some evaporate for a thicker glue. I've used it on a few instruments and will no doubt use it on some more, but for most things, like furniture, there is no need to waste the time or energy on hide glue. Titebond beats the pants off of it for most applications anymore.
This might be a good project for a big arm of mesquite I trimmed up earlier in the year. Not sure how long it will have to dry though. Nice looking mallet. Didn't you have sharpening video? Tried to find it to no avail.
Добрый день. Я собирался сделать похожий инструмент. Но у меня сомнения что головка киянки может развалится и думал поставить шканты как у Вас держится?
Excellent carpentry skills. Just how I was taught many years ago. All going now with power tools. My own son wasn't taught this way either and you've guessed it. He uses power tools now.
I just like it, not recommending it for use on a mallet but I am trying to test it's best/use and limits as I would prefer to only use it. Old brown glue is good or any dry granules 192gram strength is good
I enjoyed your video. As a thank you let me gift you with a little knowledge: You're not using your drill chuck right. After you finish tightening the chuck, twist it back open slightly. Most chucks are designed to lock into place permanently with a little 'click'
Burnish the edges of that leather for a more sleek finish and it will also protect the leather from blow out on those ends. Give it some oil or conditioner love as well.
Looks good Frank. I'm close to completing my current project and want to apply Tried and True finish to it (the one with lindseed oil and pine resin). Looks like you have some experience with their products. How long does it take for a coat to cure before you should apply a second coat? Thanks.
I wait about an hour. To get a good finish be sure to first burnish the wood with shavings or a very fine sandpaper like 320 grit otherwise you could get dull/dry spots
Showin them sawing skills again lad :) whenever I plane chamfers, I always remember David Charlesworth sayin "sometimes ya just gotta suck it and see" when it comes to figuring out what way the grain goes :P Question..... I find weight and mass trumps a lower angle on the shooting board, but you always seem to use a block plane...... do you not find a heavier plane does the work better??
🤣 haha love it! I like a bigger plane too and I think I mentioned this in one of the early vids but I just use the block plane to preserve the blade on my #5. I pretty much always have to sharpen the jack plane after using it on the shooting board and would rather keep it sharp to use for other stuff
@@FranksWorkbench Aye, that makes loads of sense lad 😁 the end grain really does a number on the iron, and on the shooting board its the same part of the iron that does all the work...... so it dont cut right when ya go back to normal planing. People who enjoy sharpening must be serial killers 😂 Thanks for the reply Frank 😁 and for the cool trick shots 😂
The only problem is that the antique mallets of old used one solid block for the head and one for the handle without a wedge! And even with x-rays they haven't been able to figure out how they were made, and no one has a memory of how they were made!
[EDIT: Thumbnail and title are much better now!] What magical "forgotten trick" sets this apart from most mallets that "will loosen?" It's a handsome, well-made mallet, but your thumbnail and title are misleading
That's an interesting idea.. the main downside is that the striking face of the hammer will not be end grain which is less compressible than face or edge grain
The very first thing you did was to set the plane down with the blade to the bench , no no no one should place them down on their side to protect the blade .
A great video, However, my woodwork teacher would have given me a hard clout if I used the wood plane then left it upright resting on its blade instead of resting it on its side, thus avoiding damage to the blade that is still extended below the sole (bottom)
My personal method making a mallet is just to get a lump of wood, cut out a mortise and then put a shaped handle with a tenon on the end put it through the mallet and then secure with a dowel through it. I have never in many decades had a mallet that failed. The key is to try and not have the striking surface of the mallet as end grain.
why not end grain? Surely thats the toughest grain in wood? I made my first couple mallets out of Garry Oak recently and the end grain is holding up fine, and I have been using it heavily.
Love your content! Watched every single one of your videos, some more than once. I have a request. If you could make your videos a little longer showing more of the process in a tutorial way. I’ve learned a lot from watching your videos so far. Another request. Please make a video about your different planes. How do you sharpen your blades? How do you adjust and set up to produce such beautiful thin shavings? It’s completely mesmerizing to watch! Thank you for your content. Awesome work!
I hope this inspires more people to work with handtools. That's when you really get to know the grain and toughness and scent of the wood you are using. The soundtrack here is just as great as the filming. Good work. My only concern is whether the cherry handle will stand up to hard long-term use. I think ash or hickory would be preferable.
Thanks Thor, excellent video. Shattered to learn in your comments that you can actually miss the bin. Interesting to see how you use the different tools. I wonder the financial investment in your workshop. Good editing. The closest I get to woodwork is striking a match, (ex smoker though).
Nice work, but.. I'm sorry to be old-school because I am but when you put a plane down, you lay it on the side. This protects the blade. Also, chap here used the hand chisel upside-down. Other way up, the right way, gives greater control. Small points I know but start right, fly right.
Any tips on how to stop the wedge from disintegrating when hammering it into the handle? I am repairing a mallet and every time I try use a piece of black walnut as the wedge (yes, in a wedge shape), it just crumbles on me. Guidance?
Awesome , modern and to the meat of things skills and video , thank you and God Bless you for sharing ! Don’t ever change . Greetings from California “the beautiful “
In my experience, these types of mallets used to be made with a tapered handle to fit the tapered head slot. The head would just slip over the grip and up to near the top of the handle where the taper held it fast. No wedges required. Also, the head was a single block of wood and the slot was simply chiselled out, no glue required. The head never ever came off, unless it split apart or the handle broke, but in either event abuse would be to blame,
Finding a nice, big hardwood post to make the head from is perhaps the challenge, when you can make the whole thing from a single board and laminate the head.
Laminating the head means you can "cheat" by cutting the angles on the mortice before gluing the head together.
@@dj1NM3 I agree there are advantage to the laminated head. One of the main issues with a solid head, is finding a curly twisty bit of grain to resist splitting. Laminating can help with that by reversing the grain runout. between each layer & reversing the growth rings reduces cupping over time which in turn reduces the tendency for shrinkage splitting. There are pros and cons to both, my main point was cutting a tapered handle & slot, rather than relying on wedges.
@@kenwebster5053 something to do with a couple of roads and an old italian city. I don't remember the details t.b.h.
And im here taking barely 5 min of my time to make a bushcraft mallet out of a single piece of wood…yall are so sophisticated 😅❤
@@CorgiCorner Well for a bushcraft mallet, I'd just I'd cut a foot or so length of some random fallen branch that hadn't rotted yet & chuck it back in the bush when the jobs done. But then I wouldn't be making fine furniture with mortise & tenon joints, stopped halving shelves or dovetail draws would I.
I really like that you share your knowledge without feeling the need to talk All. The. Time. Great watching experience. Thank you!
😄Thank you!
Really nice to see you using traditional tools and achieving a beautiful result! Thanx for posting x.
thanks, glad you liked it!
So glad to see you drill the hole at bottom of wedge slot
Beautiful mallet that will last a lifetime…or two. As always, great video Frank. Thanks for making and sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Like it. It’s given me an idea for my next mallet
Nice job! I made a mallet a couple years ago and find it's one of the tools I use most frequently. I've decided to make a few from your design with various types of hardwood I have laying around. Thanks for putting the plans out there!
absolutely!
It's amazing for watching all of this is made by hand tools only while most of wood workers using electrical or battery operated tools and equipments.
So satisfying watching this.
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Great video. Your skill with the western style saws is a pleasure to watch.
thank you!
Thank you for the video. Nice workmanship but my biggest take-away is an appreciation for the care and condition of your tools. (as a machinist that is wonderful to see)
glad you recognize and appreciate it, another poster said looks like I got em all for Christmas LOL... just takes a little care and maintenance
I love to hear those sharp tools cut!
Great video man. Refreshing to see a woodworker not reliant on power-tools. Lovely mallet too 👌
Glad you enjoyed it
Just made one with the free plans! Thank you Frank, keep up the good work.
Love the never miss the basket shots
🤣
Great mallet! The form is not ordinary. I really like it. 😃👍
😁Thank you!
Nice project
Great use of hand tools and method, I was taught as an apprentice to always lay your plane on it's side as not to dull the blade but thats just me
yep, one of those woodworking things, two schools of thought and both are right and neither is really wrong IMO
Yeah, Tried and True that bonk! I have a gallon of that stuff in the basement.
😃👍
Oh you geniuses with your hand tools. Maybe when my kids grow up I’ll have time to try to lessen my machine use. I’m in awe of some of you guys how good you are with just hand tools!
Mallet looks great! I think I prefer the straight head over an angled one. The leather is a nice touch as well.
Good job brother!
😁 thanks man!
That is one mighty saw to make the mighty thors hammer
Nice video Gallagher lol
Just kiddin. I’m subscribed because I could watch this stuff all day. Super precise and everything neat. Plus ridiculous no-look skills
Well built mallet, adding that to my list. Thanks
Good work, Frank. Quality stuff!
Many thanks!
My axe/maul handle used to loosen regularly. I got so
tired of removing the handle & adding fresh wedges.
Finally I fixed it PERMANENTLY. I took off the handle
for THE LAST TIME and added gorilla glue. That was
over 15 years ago & it hasnt loosened a lick after
MUCH use.
!
Great back hand into the bin :-)
:D
Nice. Really like your use of hand tools
Thanks!
Beautiful bench!
Nice job! +1 sub. Cheers from Ontario!
Awesome, thank you!
just discovered your channel. great content!
😁
Good for you.
Great to see a real tradesman using tools and not relying on $10 000 worth of machinery
thank you
What a trick. I never would have thought glue stops things from moving.
Beautiful. Nice build.
Love the design! I made one just like it, using ipe, about 5 years ago. No glue on wedges, and with weather changes, heavy use it does come loose from time to time, but tap tap, and good to go.
Nice! And great wood for a mallet!
I found this video entertaining so I hit that like button 👍
haha thank you!
Man your Tools look really Shiny and Brand New ..🌟 , like they come from Heaven..😄
haha :)
Best ever Thx Frank 5 ⭐️
Love it... I would suggest for the handle BLO only. My dad who was born in 1915, said the old guys of his day would strip any finish off a wooden handle and use BLO. Gives a good finish... but even better, helped decrease blisters. I found this to be accurate.
great video thanks what is BLO please
boiled linseed oil, its linseed oil with dryers to help it cure quicker
@@theuglidog Before dryers were added... they actually boiled the linseed oil. Not quite the same... but close enough... and the new way does save time and money.
Love your projects, videos and teaching style.
Appreciate it!
Lovely job and I'd give you a like just for the no look bin shots lol
😁
I'm heading to Lee Valley.
Bravo
Really beautiful work, Frank! 😃
Fantastic looking mallet!!!
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
BTW, I just subscribed!
Thanks man!!
Very cool video! Glad I came across your channel. Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks!
The most impressive bit is that he NEVER misses the shot on the scrap bin!! Nice work on the mallet too. That thing is never going to come apart.
Haha thanks brotha but I gotta say I miss WAYYY more than I make in those trash can shots, just edit out all the misses. 😆
@@FranksWorkbench Oh man! Now I don't believe in nothing no more.
@@FranksWorkbench I was gonna say you walk over and pick it up and throw it again and edit it down 😂
Alternatve trick is angling the grp iece insde the head wth the widest part on the topside of the head. If the head gets a little loose, just tap it n the head andit's ight again.
very nice
I made Paul Sellers' joiners mallet using cedar elm for the body (RIDICULOUSLY dense) and a tapered through mortise used without glue. Squaring a 3.5 inch mortise in that cedar elm was difficult but it has held up admirably so far.
Nice! That would be a great wood to use!
@@FranksWorkbench A bit hard to find, though :(
Sweet
hide glue is great, and its removable, and if it looses its adhesion all you need to do is heat it up and it becomes sticky again!
Yeah, but don't use the bottled stuff. Use it hot, that's the way it's strongest and will last the longest. The bottled, room temperature stuff has additives in it that keep it liquid but they also ruin it's ability to hold wood together for long periods of time. Hot is a pain in the butt, but for some things, especially instrument building (violin and lute, primarily), it's very usable. From what I've seen, it is available in different strengths, and you can also thin it with water or let some evaporate for a thicker glue. I've used it on a few instruments and will no doubt use it on some more, but for most things, like furniture, there is no need to waste the time or energy on hide glue. Titebond beats the pants off of it for most applications anymore.
I have that Stanley tape but I took an old clip off of my fatmax and put on it
good idea
You have a beautiful workbench! Did you make it yourself?
Very similar to how I made my mallet, only you are far more skilled
Thanks!
This might be a good project for a big arm of mesquite I trimmed up earlier in the year. Not sure how long it will have to dry though. Nice looking mallet. Didn't you have sharpening video? Tried to find it to no avail.
Perfect for it! I did but took it down, want to make a better and more thorough video
@@FranksWorkbench Thanks, thought I was going crazy
this was great thanks im gonna make me a KLUBBA! coz that what we call it in sweden
love it!
Добрый день. Я собирался сделать похожий инструмент. Но у меня сомнения что головка киянки может развалится и думал поставить шканты как у Вас держится?
Excellent carpentry skills. Just how I was taught many years ago. All going now with power tools. My own son wasn't taught this way either and you've guessed it. He uses power tools now.
So where did you get those kool aus spokeshave's? Love the vids.
Those are veritas ones, a splurge but sure are nice!
Хорошая работа, 👍. Подписка.
Why do you use hide glue so much? If I want to try it can you recommend a brand? Thanks.
I just like it, not recommending it for use on a mallet but I am trying to test it's best/use and limits as I would prefer to only use it. Old brown glue is good or any dry granules 192gram strength is good
What kind of handsaw did you use?
i think it was a thomas flinn saw used in this one
I enjoyed your video.
As a thank you let me gift you with a little knowledge:
You're not using your drill chuck right. After you finish tightening the chuck, twist it back open slightly. Most chucks are designed to lock into place permanently with a little 'click'
i read this and had absolutely no idea what you were talking about, went and tried it... Sure enough!! Been doing this wrong for many years! thanks
I reckon I could use those tools to shave.
I cannot find the plans for this even though I followed the link.
www.franksworkbench.net/product-page/mallet
Burnish the edges of that leather for a more sleek finish and it will also protect the leather from blow out on those ends. Give it some oil or conditioner love as well.
I appreciate the tip! I will definitely look into how to do that (this is my first try using leather!)
I used to get berated by my Father ... "Never put a Plane down onto its face ... always onto its side!", he would shout.
mine used to holler at me to quit sticking my fingers in the light socket
Looks good Frank. I'm close to completing my current project and want to apply Tried and True finish to it (the one with lindseed oil and pine resin). Looks like you have some experience with their products. How long does it take for a coat to cure before you should apply a second coat? Thanks.
I wait about an hour. To get a good finish be sure to first burnish the wood with shavings or a very fine sandpaper like 320 grit otherwise you could get dull/dry spots
Showin them sawing skills again lad :) whenever I plane chamfers, I always remember David Charlesworth sayin "sometimes ya just gotta suck it and see" when it comes to figuring out what way the grain goes :P
Question..... I find weight and mass trumps a lower angle on the shooting board, but you always seem to use a block plane...... do you not find a heavier plane does the work better??
🤣 haha love it!
I like a bigger plane too and I think I mentioned this in one of the early vids but I just use the block plane to preserve the blade on my #5. I pretty much always have to sharpen the jack plane after using it on the shooting board and would rather keep it sharp to use for other stuff
@@FranksWorkbench Aye, that makes loads of sense lad 😁 the end grain really does a number on the iron, and on the shooting board its the same part of the iron that does all the work...... so it dont cut right when ya go back to normal planing. People who enjoy sharpening must be serial killers 😂
Thanks for the reply Frank 😁 and for the cool trick shots 😂
The only problem is that the antique mallets of old used one solid block for the head and one for the handle without a wedge! And even with x-rays they haven't been able to figure out how they were made, and no one has a memory of how they were made!
Geez. Never seen that technique before on literally every axe, sledge or mallet. Ever never
Anyone else wondering why he puts the planers blade down and not on their sides...
same reason i keep my sword in a sheath :)
[EDIT: Thumbnail and title are much better now!]
What magical "forgotten trick" sets this apart from most mallets that "will loosen?" It's a handsome, well-made mallet, but your thumbnail and title are misleading
His chisels could cut God.
The handle will never loosen, but laminated mallets always de laminate. I guess it’s just a matter of what will fail first.
the no look classy pass or score ! …. it takes lots of practice , ask steph curry 👍
:D
You think it won't come apart!
Next time put a cross pin in the middle and you can then guaranty it
really? How many hours to make this? Be honest
Hours?? try DAYS! lol
But carpenters mallets are meant to come apart ! The two I have had for more than forty years have never come loose.
why not just leave the handle on the center piece and build the block around it
That's an interesting idea.. the main downside is that the striking face of the hammer will not be end grain which is less compressible than face or edge grain
SUPERBE
hide glue? I am thinking it might be too brittle for use in a hammer/mallet?...let us know how it performs after you give some abuse.....lol
haha I will for sure! Im definitely not putting my money on it, but I gotta learn things the hard way sometimes LOL
The very first thing you did was to set the plane down with the blade to the bench , no no no one should place them down on their side to protect the blade .
It will loose
A great video, However, my woodwork teacher would have given me a hard clout if I used the wood plane then left it upright resting on its blade instead of resting it on its side, thus avoiding damage to the blade that is still extended below the sole (bottom)
My personal method making a mallet is just to get a lump of wood, cut out a mortise and then put a shaped handle with a tenon on the end put it through the mallet and then secure with a dowel through it. I have never in many decades had a mallet that failed. The key is to try and not have the striking surface of the mallet as end grain.
why not end grain? Surely thats the toughest grain in wood? I made my first couple mallets out of Garry Oak recently and the end grain is holding up fine, and I have been using it heavily.
Love your content! Watched every single one of your videos, some more than once. I have a request. If you could make your videos a little longer showing more of the process in a tutorial way. I’ve learned a lot from watching your videos so far. Another request. Please make a video about your different planes. How do you sharpen your blades? How do you adjust and set up to produce such beautiful thin shavings? It’s completely mesmerizing to watch! Thank you for your content. Awesome work!
I hope this inspires more people to work with handtools. That's when you really get to know the grain and toughness and scent of the wood you are using. The soundtrack here is just as great as the filming. Good work. My only concern is whether the cherry handle will stand up to hard long-term use. I think ash or hickory would be preferable.
Thank you for the kind words! Agree with you, hickory would be much more durable
But cherry is so pretty. :)
Love all the hand tools! What about that powered drill……….🧐, isn’t that cheating?
:D
Thanks Thor, excellent video. Shattered to learn in your comments that you can actually miss the bin. Interesting to see how you use the different tools. I wonder the financial investment in your workshop. Good editing. The closest I get to woodwork is striking a match, (ex smoker though).
хорошая киянка получилась, отличная работа
I really liked this, almost made entirely with hand tools, (just a drill motor). Good job and seems simple.
Nice work, but..
I'm sorry to be old-school because I am but when you put a plane down, you lay it on the side. This protects the blade. Also, chap here used the hand chisel upside-down. Other way up, the right way, gives greater control.
Small points I know but start right, fly right.
Any tips on how to stop the wedge from disintegrating when hammering it into the handle? I am repairing a mallet and every time I try use a piece of black walnut as the wedge (yes, in a wedge shape), it just crumbles on me. Guidance?
Awesome , modern and to the meat of things skills and video , thank you and God Bless you for sharing ! Don’t ever change . Greetings from California “the beautiful “
Nice work, I started 45 years ago with mostly hand tools (cost) and now have mostly power tools, I think it’s time to migrate back.
Maybe just me but I think we need banking trick shots and throws!!! Nice work as always!!
having grown up watching New Yankee Workshop, every time he uses a chisel I hear Norm Abram in my head saying, "A good shahp chisel"
Ну ты брат даёшь! Молодец ! Класс!👍
WHY would you ever sit a plane down on the blade???
that's simply NOT DONE