Two rejects to make one mallet

[RonB1957]

So having a bad day with saws and decided to change my focus to get a fresh outlook. Of course I then continue with the bad day coming into cracks deep in the resin infused maple mallet I was turning for myself. Turning is quiet and tends to be a good stress reliever..... Most of the time. But not this time.
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So I was just going to throw away the little carving mallet in frustration. Then remembered a couple of gent saw handles I did not particularly care for and decided to try a 2 piece mallet.
So "OFF WITH IT'S HEAD!"
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I thought about using a red heart or blood wood handle, but I have plenty of black walnut handles at the moment. So walnut took one for the team.
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I wanted a small ferrule so off to the metal lathe I went and off came a brass ring. :
Then a quick redesign in CAD. Quick for me, anyway.

[Redman]

Yeah that would be disappointing. Another possible fix might be to fill the cracks with a colored, maybe black, epoxy then finish turn and clear coat. Interesting option you chose. Do you have pics of the finished mallet?

[RonB1957]

Yes, I could have. For small hair line cracks I will often do just that. Some thing I picked up from the turning folks . I was turning more those days. :

For large cracks going all the way through I decided to just put a handle on it. This one has a 1/4" stainless steel rod running through it with brass caps on both ends. I still need to make the medallion head. " Some day". Anyway here it is. I would certainly NOT put it up against a Blue Spruce mallet, but every bit as functional. "It's my mallet and I will whack if I want to. " 

[/img][/img]OK. So back to making apple butter paddles. It's that time of year.
Best wishes.

[Bibliophile 13]

Oh man, you just couldn't catch a break for a while, could you?


I, too, might have tried to fill the cracks with some kind of putty, glue, or decorative filler. I've seen some turners do some really pretty work with stuff like that. But that's extra work. And you know, sometimes you just want a solid pieces of wood in your hands--no filler, no patches, just solid wood.

The final result looks great.

[Redman]

That's a nice looking mallet Ron. Good save.