Blade setting mallet
Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)
>Perhaps because it seems such a simple tool, there are not many designs posted for blade setting mallets. Chester Tool Works make very nice brass hammers and HNT Gordon offer their wooden mallets.
For the past few years I have made my own version of the HNT Gordon mallet. But I have been unhappy since these are square faced and inclined to chip at the corners.
Below is the mallet I built today which incorporates a few ideas of my own.
The head is turned from Jarrah and the handle from a few scraps of American Oak (in fact, I had to laminate three pieces together to have enough).
What is different?
Firstly, I wanted a round head since there are no corners to chip (as I mentioned, my previous few were testimony to the vulnerability of square faces). It also need to be wide enough to spread the load. The head diameter is 32mm (1-1/4").
Secondly, the rear of the mallet is squared to tap in wedges (since a round head lacks sufficient area at the edge). The rear rectangle is 12mm (1/2" high).
Thirdly, the handle is offset by 3 degrees (towards the rear), which makes it easier to tap flush (as your arm/hand arcs). Length of handle to head is 240mm (9-1/2").
The weight is a slightly light 6 oz (The HNT Gordon is 7 oz and CTW is 8 oz), but it has a nice balance.
A road test over the next few weeks with the HNT Gordon planes will say whether it is functional or not.
Any ideas on designs?
Regards from Perth
Derek