Mallets are commonly used in woodworking, yet many woodworkers overlook their significance. However, it is vital to recognize that various mallets serve specific purposes. Understanding which one to choose enhances productivity and safeguards both projects and tools from potential harm.
Wood Carving Mallet
The wood carving mallet is suitable for striking chisels and can be crafted from a single piece of wood or by attaching a handle to a wooden block.
You have the option to create a wood carving mallet, but it may be necessary to modify the head using a wood lathe. Wood carving entails utilizing various chisels with different shapes and sizes. Consequently, you can obtain wood carving mallets of varying sizes to match the chisel that will be used for striking.
A wood carving mallet can be made entirely of wood or it can have mallet heads made of various materials such as brass or urethane. Sculptors often choose urethane mallets for two main reasons. Firstly, these mallets are silent. Secondly, they absorb the impact of the blow, thus minimizing the strain on the sculptor’s wrist while working.
1. Joiner’s Mallets
This woodworking mallet is a traditional design that features a large rectangular(ish) head. The head is heavy and provides a substantial amount of force with each swing. The mallet is constructed entirely out of wood, making it an excellent project. The orientation of the grain is crucial for joiner’s mallets. The striking faces, which consist of end grain, are more resistant to denting and surface damage. This durability is beneficial for both your tools and projects.
To improve ergonomics, the striking faces are commonly angled and may have leather or cork padding on one side to avoid damaging projects during joinery. The choice of wood species for the head depends on the intended use, with softwoods being preferred for dent-free assembly and dense hardwoods being more suitable for chisel work.
Carving mallets typically have long grain wood, brass, urethane, or another dense material for their cylindrical heads. They are traditionally employed along with gouges in carving tasks, thus earning their name. By gripping the mallet on the head, precise and gentle taps can be easily executed. Additionally, the cylindrical shape ensures alignment problems are eliminated.
You can also employ the handle to swing them vigorously and strike something.
The froe mallet is the less attractive and enhanced version of a carving mallet. It is called by various names (maul, club, beetle), but its primary function remains the same: to forcefully strike metal froes and wedges into logs and split off boards. Typically, they are crudely crafted from a single piece of green (unseasoned) wood. You can create your own froe mallet with just a hatchet — and if desired, enhance its quality further by incorporating a drawknife.
The cylindrical head of the long grain won’t cause any damage to metal froes and wedges, and it is also resistant to splitting. If it were to hit the end grain striking faces of a froe, they would split very quickly.
These mallets, specifically designed for chisel work, are considered the most suitable (although this is subjective). Due to their compact size, they can be effortlessly controlled and operated with a single hand. The concentrated weight in the head enables you to exert considerable force with each swing.
These types of mallets are best suited for brass heads because brass is heavier than steel yet softer, which reduces recoil and minimizes the risk of chisel handle damage. The KM-18 Chisel Mallet is particularly suitable for chisel tasks and assembling joinery without leaving dents on boards due to its interchangeable brass and nylon heads.
These mallets are commonly found in hardware stores. They are ideal for general banging tasks in a workshop or for realigning a table saw table top.
6. Dead-Blow Hammers
Although dead-blow hammers are commonly employed in automotive tasks, they can also prove beneficial in woodworking. Typically designed with a hollow head, usually made of plastic, they are filled with steel shot or sand. This feature allows for powerful impact without causing any dents and ensures there is no recoil.
7. Metal-Headed Hammers
If you’re interested in metalworking, the numerous types of metal-headed hammers, such as claw hammers, ball-peen hammers, and lump hammers, hold significant variations. However, fundamentally, a hammer is essential when you require either smashing something or driving nails.
8. Dead Blow Mallet
A mallet is sometimes needed that does not bounce back when it hits, unlike wooden or rubber mallets. Rubber mallets, in particular, have a tendency to rebound, which is the downside of trying to protect your workpiece. However, a dead blow mallet, with its large head, delivers a powerful blow without bouncing back, thanks to the concentrated energy it carries.
The purpose of utilizing a dead blow mallet is to generate a strong force when it is necessary to exert maximum effort during a swing. Certain dead blow hammers include sand or ball bearings as fillings to offer extra motion.
When using a dead blow hammer, it is important to take some precautions. One precaution is to ensure that nobody is in the path of your swing. Additionally, it is advisable to place a piece of wood at the point where you hit to prevent any marks on the workpiece.
9. Log Riving Mallet
This type of mallet is also known as a froe mallet. It is used to split lumber from green logs, which is called riving. A riving mallet is created from a solid log of wood and can be purchased or made. However, riving mallets are relatively expensive. The purpose of using a riving mallet is to extract wood from the lumber during the processing.
You begin by taking a large log and using splitting tools and a log riving mallet to divide it into halves and then into quarters. This method of working with wood allows you to ensure the quality of the wood you are working on. It also enables you to accurately identify the species of wood you have selected for your project. As a result, you can use the precise type and grade of wood needed for a specific application.
10. Nylon Mallet
If you require a small yet precise mallet to strike small parts effectively, a suitable choice would be a nylon mallet. Typically consisting of three components, a nylon mallet generally possesses a metallic head with two threaded ends, into which nylon knobs are securely screwed.
A mallet head made of metal is attached to a wooden handle. This type of mallet is handy for gently hammering small objects into position, such as when adjusting the blades of a hand plane. In addition, certain mallets have a dual-ended head with one side made of nylon and the other made of brass, making it more versatile.
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After gaining knowledge about the various types of woodworking mallets that can be used during work, we have also briefly discussed the ways in which each type can be utilized.
These tools are essential for your woodworking setup and will serve as its foundation. Although there are some who find woodworking mallets to be awkward and difficult to handle, these individuals also acknowledge that these tools have a specific purpose and are necessary for certain woodworking tasks.
The diversity of woodworking operations extends beyond the shop floor, resulting in a wide range of mallets. To excel in woodworking, it is crucial to be familiar with the various types of woodworking mallets available and how to utilize them effectively.
