adla Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 I had some pear tree branches from one of my dad's trees littering the yard and decided to make a couple of magic wands today!!! (not guaranteed to have magic in them) now maybe i can get some things done around here!!! a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave R1 Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Nice work there Adla. Turn a few more of them and open up a store to sell them. I'm sure you would have a corner on the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted January 8, 2006 Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 Nice work. Pear is a great wood- I make mallets to use in my shop from pear wood. My mother lost 2 big pear trees during Hurricane Rita and I brought a big chunk of trunk back to turn. Very very hard wood once it dries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2006 YES - it is a very hard wood...I was amazed when I went to round it how resistant is was ... I would really like a weighted mallet...thanks for giving me the idea Charlie ! Maybe I can glue some of it up and make a mallet - Dave - are you suggesting that magic wands would sell i don't know what got into me...to much harry potter or something. a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave R1 Posted January 9, 2006 Report Share Posted January 9, 2006 Adla, I wouldn't doubt that you could sell your magic wands. Of course you'd be able to charge if you made some that were really magic. I bet you could get some shop to sell them for you if you made a bunch of them and took them in. I did that a number of years ago with letter openers I had designed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 i decided to turn a mallet.... a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave R1 Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted January 28, 2006 Report Share Posted January 28, 2006 Very nice work Adla. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Thank you Dave and Charlie - yesterday I drilled a hole in the bottom and melted all the fishing weights that were in my tackle box into the mallet :shock: and then plugged it with a mahogany plug and today I oiled it with a little orange pigment and then varnished it: now it is ready to....um - do whatever mallets do. a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt jake Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 now it is ready to....um - do whatever mallets do. Please, whatever you do, do NOT show that to my wife! :shock: Nice job by the way! And I spoke with Oyster the other day, your name came up. He spoke very highly of you talents! Seems there isn't anything that you can't do, and do well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 i happen to really Like OyStER ---- and in his honor i plan to get out on the water and SAIL this spring - repainted morgaine's blue with a high gloss today...varnished the boom and the gaff and the main hatch with a highgloss varnish and did the prep on the main door and front hatch for varnish... I have a sewing machine now and made 2 bags this weekend and hemmed some curtains (it makes me laugh just saying it)....i plan to put reef points into my sails because the desert lakes are unpredictable and can get windy without warning...i think reef points would make me happy. HAHAHAhaaaa I sew now!!! So - what do mallets do? are they for carving??? I don't mind saying that I made it without a clue as to what I would do with it..... :oops: a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt jake Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 So - what do mallets do? are they for carving??? I don't mind saying that I made it without a clue as to what I would do with it.. Well, you can send it to me. As long as I get it into the shop 'before' I get knocked on the head with it, all should be well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Well, you can send it to me No way man! i have a matching blond guitar....i'll figure out what people do with mallets....basides wacke each other in the head.... a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt jake Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Usually used in conjunction with a chisel, gouge, etc. Yes, carving is one place you could use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Until I read this I had no idea pear wood was good for anything but burning. Now I wish I had hauled some back from Texas when I was down that way. When I lived in Fort Worth those trees grew like weeds along the back of buildings and alley ways. Next trip down I will make room to bring some of it back with me. I have been wanting to make some round mallets for chisel work. Thanks for the tips and pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Adla - I use a turned mallet like that for ALL the chisel work I do that requires a mallet. With the round one you don't have to pay attention to how the head is oriented. It's ALWAYS right. So you can concentrate on the blade of the chisel and not even look at the mallet. I also use one to set the drive center into a turning blank for spindle work. I have several sizes, but none are weighted. I usually turn them a tad large, then when they get beat up I can just slap 'em back in the lathe and dress 'em down a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adla Posted January 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Greg - just the magic wands in that pic are the pear wood and is that stuff ever hard!!! The mallet is maple and mahogany. I saw some maple at a big box and bought a piece - decided to make the mallet out of it because I thought it would be pretty. When my dad cut the old pear tree down he saved the branches for me to practice on my lathe...I don't think either of us realized how hard that wood is. Charlie - I see now - chisel work. I need to turn handles for some of the chisels and files that I have....It makes sense that a round mallet is always right. I didn't put too much weight in it. It is just over 2lbs which is about right for me - any heavier would be awkward. a. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Hmmm, now there is an idea. I have a log laying on the ravine slope which was maple i think.....it was cut for the power lines last spring. Might even be oak. The log is good still. I am going to cut some of it and also the mulberry logs. Look out lathe, here I come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 Do I need to square the logs or just put them on the lathe....provide they are not too big? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted January 30, 2006 Report Share Posted January 30, 2006 If they aren't too large just chuck 'em up and grab your gouge If they ARE too large you'll need to split them, of course. A hint- might as well make two while you are at it- you can turn them head to head, then cut them apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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