Features of wooden mallets

The word "mallet", despite its ornate sound, denotes the name of a special carpentry wooden hammer. The name of this instrument is derived from the word "cue". So, the Slavs have long called a big stick or club. Now mallets are made not only from wood, but they also come in various shapes and sizes.

The mallet consists of a striking part (striker) and a handle (handle). The striker comes in a variety of shapes and materials, depending on the application. The handle is attached to the cone-shaped through hole in the head so that the striking part does not fall out during operation. Most often, the handle of a mallet is made from the following elements:

• hardwood trees, for example, rowan, birch, ash, maple, ligature;
• strikers are made of dense viscous wood, for example, elm, hornbeam;
• durable rubber or fluoroplastic (highly resistant polymer).

Wooden mallets are the so-called classic version of this tool. They are used to shape various structures in assembly and dismantling works. Mallets with a wooden firing pin have a sharper and more accurate impact than a rubber firing pin. Such a wooden hammer is easy to make yourself at home.

The striking part of a wooden mallet, depending on the functions performed, can have several shapes.

• Round head. It is used for assembly and straightening processes. For example, with such a hammer, dents in the metal are straightened. In addition, these mallets are often required for laying paving slabs and paving stones.
• Rectangular impact surface. It is used when chiselling material together with a chisel and chisel. It is also suitable for roofing and seaming, making permanent joints using seam seams.
• Square shape. The purpose of such a striker is roofing and folding.

Most often, wood hammers are used by those who are engaged in carpentry, along with a chisel and a chisel, since their handles contain a crimp ring. Wooden mallets are of several types.

• Joiners. They have flat volumetric sides. The striker of these hammers is flat on one side with a flat striking surface, on the other - rounded. The ends are cut at an angle of 6-7 degrees to the handle axis and are not parallel to it. The handle is attached in front of the striker, where the rounded edge is located. These tools are used for slotting with a chisel or chisel to knock out cutters.
• Locksmiths or tinsmiths. These hammers have a striker in the shape of a rectangle. The rounded handle has a slight taper on one side. In this part, a cut is made and a wedge is inserted. These mallets are used for processing metal sheets, for straightening and folding.
• Turning. All parts of such a wooden hammer are made on a lathe. It is recommended for the same work as a locksmith mallet.

The standard for the size of these hammers is a molding mallet with rubber strikers (GOST 19645 - 74).The classic instrument is 30 centimeters long and weighs about 300 grams. If you systematize a wide range of tasks where the impact of a wooden hammer is necessary, then for fine work it is customary to choose small mallets, for coarse ones - they should be larger. So, hammers made of wood weighing up to 300 grams are used for various processing of wooden products, and for straightening (straightening irregularities) of metal, a tool weighing more than 1 kilogram is required.

The principle of working with a mallet is not much different from using a conventional hammer. But this business has its own secrets for its correct use, namely:

• if you have little experience with this instrument, then start with simple taps and carefully evaluate the result;
• an important condition for the high-quality use of a mallet is the contact of the striker of the tool along its entire length with the material being processed; if this rule is not followed, dents will remain on the metal;
• if you have to align sheet metal with an insignificant thickness, then be sure to use a wooden substrate, because it will equalize the excess of the applied effort;
• when using a mallet with a chisel and chisel, strike with an accurately calculated force, otherwise a lot of excess material will be cut off;
• when laying tiles, do not hit hard at the corners, use only light taps to level the surface.

To choose the right quality wooden hammer, you should carefully read the following tips from experienced craftsmen:

• if you have a large amount of carpentry work, then choose a tool with a wooden striker;
• pay attention to which wood the head is made of, since the striking surface must be made of dense viscous wood (birch, oak, beech, maple, pear);
• ideally, the firing pin and mallet handle should be made of different tree species, which will significantly reduce the impact from the blow during operation;
• carefully inspect the appearance of the hammer, do not buy a wooden tool with a poorly finished surface;
• give preference to linseed mallets.

The mallet is a simple, inexpensive and highly versatile tool. If, when buying, you carefully study not only the appearance, but also the technical characteristics of a wooden hammer, then such a product will last a very long time. The mallet will always help you out where it is necessary to forcefully influence any object without damaging its surface.

For information on how to make a mallet with your own hands, see the video below.