Mallets?

[jmuscel]

Hi everyone!
I'm sure there is a post somewhere about this already but I couldn't find it. I'm wondering about using a mallet, how many of you use one and what are the advantages? Other than quick removal of material. Is it similar to power carving where grain direction isn't an issue? Do you use a store bought mallet or do most of you make one? What type of wood do you use?
I've never used one nor do I own one but I was hoping to figure out if it's more of a preference or a neccessity?
Thanks in advance!
Joe

[Claude]

Hi, Joe!
I do most of my carving as small caricatures so I have limited need for a mallet on those. However, on some larger carvings (greater than 8 inches tall), I use mallet and chisel. For me, there are two advantages to the mallet: 1) much greater control of the depth of cut - much more precise than my shoulder muscle; 2) not as tiring on the hands as trying to push a palm chisel.

Here's a photo showing my first "mallet" that was used to carve the bear out of some recycled redwood. Since then, I have one of the standard maple mallets, and it's much easier to use.
Claude

[doris]

hi joe, since a year or so, i do use a mallet ... yes, quick removal is one thing, but to me more important is, that a mallet allows you to do very precise cuts. when i used it first time, i was so amazed about the delicacy of this tool, i did carve on my first tryout a tiny spider completely with mallet...without breaking away anything :-) , its not banging, but when you just tap a very little, you have a lot of control over your gouge. for example, when you want cut circular holes, it is so much easier to do so with mallet, since you concentrate with one hand on the gouge, to rotate it slowly, and hold it in correct angle , with the otherhand you provide the force which drives the gouge, you do light rhythmic tap,tap,tap with the mallet. while when you carve such with just hands, both hands need control strength and direction of gouge. to me, this is more difficult...on the otherhand, i rarely carve only with mallet, i mean, for example, when i want cut something as smooth as i can, i do it without mallet, by slicing cuts., or when i need magnifier to see where a cut of a tiny detail has to go, i dont use mallet ... now, that i have a mallet, i not want do a carving without. ... i carve mainly linden, but have done some harder woods too. cannot help with compare to powertools, i never used them...oh, and the old masters used a mallet...;-) :-)

[Dan S]

I also use one. I purchased one of those pollyurethane types some time back. It works well and is a bit quieter than the old wood one I turned on my lathe. I also have a couple of brass chisel hammers that I use for delecate work.

Dan

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have a couple of homemade mallets, don't do many carvings of size that I need one, but sure would use it if I tackled another big carving....would like to have one of the new mallets with the poly on the striking face...easier on the tools and less vibration I would think...but can't justify the price for the seldom use it would get....

[oldbearx2]

I also use a home made mallet, whenever I do the masks or larger carvings. I like the control that comes with mallet use. I use glued up hard maple for the mallets and turn them on my lathe. I like to be able to fit the handle to my hand and by making my own have that option. I have three sizes small medium and large. They go by the head size not weight. Have fun carve

Harold

[mark yundt]

I use a mallet regularly. I don't like the commercial ones so I designed my own. Covered them on a post not too long ago. I did some quick calculations as I was carving the molding I'm working on. A conservative calculation to do this molding was an estimated 12,000 hits with the mallet to make the stop cuts. If I had used a regular mallet I'd be spent.

I couldn't live without a mallet. And it's not just for pounding out massive amounts of wood or doing big carvings as many seem to think. As Doris pointed out,,you can do quite delicate things with them. A quick rap with the mallet can set a chisel better than pushing it into the wood. Somehow the speed and quickness severs very cleanly.

[TreeWizard]

I use a mallet when I carve larger creatures and when I'm working in very hard wood. I made Mine out of Oak with a cherry knob in the end of the handle.

[JimSawyer]

I got a nice Lignum Vitea mallet When I bought my intermeadiate set of Swiss made carving gouges about 15 years ago. You can't get lignum vitea very easily these days. When I first started, I thought the mallet was only good for removing large amounts of wood. I kind of fell out of carving after a couple of years. I've started caving again since December of 07. And since I got the DVD, 'Traditional Woodcarving Basics', by Ivan Whillock, I've gained a new respect for the mallet. He describes it as a control tool. I've had a lot of great results since looking at it this way. (Great DVD by the way).

[Jim-Iowa]

I have a factory made mallet, "Wood is Good" that I picked up at the Woodsmith Store. It is a hardwood core and a hard plastic striking surface.
All my woodcarving chisels are palm tools so I don't use it fir that.
But when I'm handcutting joints with my carpenters chisels it gets a workout!
I learned long ago that one can do finer more precise work with a big hammer! When the mass of the hammer is doing the work you have more control and are not working so hard. I'm just saying that a lighttap with a 3lb hammer is more precise than swinging a 16oz hammer(at least for me it is).
When I get larger chisels I'm sure I will use it more.