Thus far I’ve resisted most of Blue Spruce Toolworks offerings (couldn’t resist the Ultimate Coping Saw, since I missed the initial titanium Knew Concepts Saws (the ones before the current birdcage design)), but they finally got me with:
(since I’ve regretted every item and piece of lignum vitae I haven’t bought — I do have one small piece, but it’s not suited to make a very large mallet head)
Curious if anyone else is inclined to pick this up, or has bought anything else nifty.
I don’t know whether “Crown Green Bowls” is a thing in the States, but in the UK there are dozens of second hand Lignum Vitae bowls for sale on e-bay. I bought 4 about three years ago to turn down on the wood lathe and make a mallet head. They are still sat under my bench!
You are welcome to one if you have a lathe, or presumably a fourth axis, though I am sure a wood lathe would be much easier.
Thank you.
Yes, they are, in that such things show up from time-to-time in eBay auctions or estate sales.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a lathe — at some point I’m planning on making a “Studley” style mallet using one of the castings which Jim Bode has been selling:
but it would be kind of awful to cut something round down for that with the attendant waste of precious material.
I’d be afraid to use it! Looks like it belongs on the mantle for show. My mallet, also lignum vitae, was shipped with a crack about 4 mm wide (45 years ago). Still works but I have to keep it hidden in a drawer.
I made a basic maple mallet in high school, that I was so proud of, I’ve never used. If it’s on the counter next to an ugly rubber mallet, I take the rubber one every time, even though it’s heavy, has bad ergonomics, and the balance is weird. Don’t want to ruin the finish on my good mallet…
That would look good, cleaned and polished with a suitable engraving on the side.
The tapered handle must be inserted through the top I would think. A two pattern mould with an X shaped core.
Thanks for the idea.
Yes, it’s ironic that a mallet, which is one of the few woodworking tools which may be made of wood is so often something purchased.
Apparently since the book on Studley’s tool cabinet was printed:
there have been a number of folks casting these heads/making replicas — apparently it was a commercial product at one time, with at least one coming up for sale:
(and we see from it that like many of his tools, Studley had modified his personal tool)
I started with a wood shop before getting the CNC. So, the answer for me is yes. While I make some YouTube videos, I am not a YouTuber in that my shop is too busy to setup for video production. That said, many wood shop YT guys have gone from power tools to hand tools as a means of reducing noise and dust while gaining the feeling of connection one gets from having a sharp plane glide along a wood edge.
Mine is a one guy shop and tools are viewed as simply that – a way to get some process done so the project can be brought to completion. Some creativity comes into play when deciding which is the better approach and the occasional mallet whacking is most satisfying.
$375 That is one expensive mallet!
This could be an interesting project for me. Design and cut the patterns in C3D & my 3xxl, ditto the box for the core sand, I can even have raised lettering or a logo on the side instead of engraved, something to do with Thor is an obvious choice. AlI need is some time, I am really busy until at least September.
On the plus side, I have lots of gunmetal.
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