Turn a Dead-blow Mallet

Woodturning: Turn a dead-blow mallet - a hollow mallet filled with lead shot, which strikes with no rebound, and is excellent for hitting metal tools, such as drive centers

[@shaunfelton2046]

I didn’t need to look far for this, Rick. I’ve been needing a dead blow mallet and now I know how to make one. Thank you!

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Thanks for watching and for your comments, Shaun.

[@jackmaravola2496]

Very nice project Rick. Well done. Thank you for sharing.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

+Jack Maravola Thanks for commenting, Jack.

[@Mauroiltornitore]

Beautiful work, Rick!!! Cheers. Mauro

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Thanks, Mauro!

[@robertschvey5861]

I’ve watched 100’s of wood videos to learn the craft, and this is certainly one of the best. You give good descriptions of what you’re doing and WHY. Also, minimal useless by play (Gee, my Mom used to cook eggs while I ....). Finally, it is extremely well edited. Just enough time on each technique to see what you’re doing, but not showing the repetitive actions over and over and over. Obviously, I’ve subscribed to your channel.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Thank you, Robert. I appreciate your comments, and thank you for watching.

[@chrishapp4742]

Thanks for the video, Rick. I took special interest when you were hollowing out the inside. I heard your lathe making the same vibration noise mine makes when I'm working inside like that. Since I am a total turning noob, I thought something was very wrong. I can see it is typical. Great video and an excellent idea for Christmas presents!

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Sorry to be the one to deliver bad news, Chris...it took another month and two friends to discover that the irritating noise was caused by a bad bearing in the headstock speed adjustment mechanism. It's not difficult to replace (once you've disassembled the headstock 5-6 times) , but the replacement part was around $60, I believe. But once you do replace it, it runs quiet and smooth. This assumes you have the Jet 1441 lathe, from about 2008. If you're interested, I can find you the information on that part (I don't have that lathe any more, but I know the new owner, who actually did the repair.)

[@TheChrisPineWorkshop]

Must be mallet month! :) I made one on my channel today as well. A Little different from yours. I have honestly never seen this style made into a dead blow. Love these things! Making your own tools just feels so right! :) Great job and video! Chris

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Thanks, Chris. I'm going to find your mallet video and watch it now!

[@stevehoppe497]

Thanks Rick, just thought it wood be easier than hollowing with all the vibration. BTW, I just made a carving mallet out of red oak firewood.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Steve Hoppe Oak is a good choice. What did you use for weight?

[@1369Lizard]

recommend a forstner bit for the hollowing. A lot less trouble.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

I'm using a Forsner bit on my vases, which need pretty deep hollowing. For this project, I decided to just use my turning tool. Thanks for watching, Conri.

[@milanradak269]

Next project needs to be a steady rest. Good video, Thanks

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Thanks for watching, Milan.

[@Rolingmetal]

Could one use a huge spade bit in the tailstock to hollow it out?

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

That would be a very large spade bit! I'm sure that would work, but it's probably faster to drill a small hole then hollow it with turning tools.

[@stevehoppe497]

Hi Rick love the video. Like to ask why when hollowing the head, wood it be easier to just drill a bigger hole?

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Steve Hoppe You're absolutely right. On the first two mallets I made (the ones in this video), I thought I needed more volume hollowed out than what I could get with my largest drill bit (1 1/2 inch). On the next mallet that I made, I used the 1 1/2 inch bit anyway; although it didn't hold as much lead shot, it was still plenty heavy enough.

[@monophoto1]

Very nice project. I've made a couple of regular mallets, but I may try a dead blow for variety. I'm curious about your tool rest. Is it shop made or commercial? My lathe came with two tool rests, but after using it for a year, I think I need a shorter rest, and I'm thinking of trying to make something since I haven't found a commercial rest that I really like.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Hi, Louie. I know what you mean about needing a different length tool rest. Yes, the one in my dead-blow mallet video is homemade. I've made 8 or 9 different tool rests now, trying different things and different metal stock. It's a lot of fun. I've started making a video on how I make the angle-iron tool rest (as shown in the mallet video), but haven't actually gotten very far with it yet. It's really a simple process, and it doesn't require welding, just silver brazing, which you can do with a MAPP torch and some silver braze wire. Keep an eye on my channel, I'll get that tool rest video finished and posted in a month or two!

[@toonybrain]

I wonder if a variation on this mallet would be the ticket to use with a froe?

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Sounds like a good idea - probably want to make the walls extra thick.

[@boazjoe1]

Rick, is that green wood and if so does it need to be processed in any way to keep it from splitting?

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Hi, Joe. No, that wood was quite dry. If it had been green, I wouldn't have done anything different, I think. It might have warped some but that probably wouldn't hurt it.

[@frankfitzpatrick882]

Love the project Rick. I made one of those 8 months ago and it my number one go to tool now, just a question about polishing the boiled linseed oil, there is some danger about linseed and it being highly flammable could the friction of the polishing cause it to combust? (genuine question if anyone can reply). Cheers Frank

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Wow, that never occurred to me (you can tell how safety-minded I am)! I tried to friction polish with the boiled linseed oil, but couldn't get it close to as hot as I get with my shellac-based polish. The BLO got warm, but never hot - maybe I just didn't put enough effort into it. But it did apparently get warm enough to dry or set the finish, because it wasn't damp or sticky when I finished, which is pretty much what I was after.

[@frankfitzpatrick882]

Thanks Rick

[@Texasman992]

Can u make a vid on making a bowl

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Hey, thanks for the request! I intend to make a video on the bowls that I make and decorate with wood (and sometimes) brass) pegs, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll get there sometime!

[@billy19461]

Nice mallet but I wish that the weight was centered.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

I’m not quite sure what you mean...the lead shot is in a hole that is cut into the mallet. So it is centered in the head.

[@ldwithrow08]

Actually, the flat is to keep it from rolling off the bench when you set it down.

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

Sounds like a good idea! I put mine down on the head with the handle pointing up, so it won't roll off.

[@ldwithrow08]

My bench is never neat or clear enough for anything to roll anywhere.

[@Dean5073]

You should have finished the handle first

[@RickTurnsWoodturning]

I don't think I finished either the handle or the head...I can't even remember now!