Wood Turning Project: Spindle Turning: Mallet #1; page 2
Making and Fitting the Handle
| The head being centered in the chuck jaws or a jam chuck ensures a centered handle far easier than does a v-block in a drill press. Use a Forstner bit in the tail stock or (my preference) a small hollowing tool to make a 5/8" hole 2 1/4" deep according to the plan in MIlton and Wohlers. |
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| Mount the handle blank between centers and turn it round to 1 1/8". |
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| With the blank rounded, mark it for waste at either end and the length of tenon at the head end. Another mark 1/2" back denotes the spot from which the tenon and handle taper. |
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| Turn the tenon to size ensuring that it is straight. Make the handle comfortable for your hand. Measurements in this case are great for general use, but yours is the hand that will use the mallet. I burned a couple of lines in the handle for decoration but this is not necessary. |
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| Part off the ends and check the handle for fit. If it is too loose in the mortise it can be shimmed although I would prefer to turn another handle. If it is too tight, just make the hole a touch larger. Often all that is needed is a bit of sanding. |
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© 2015 copyright Darrell Feltmate, Around the Woods