bowling balls to mallets for critique please

[paul-c]

hi been a while since i posted any of my turnings.
i bought a couple of lignum vitae bowling balls of ebay in order to make a couple of carving mallets.

here is how they turned out - hope you like them.

apparently lignum vitae naturally has cracks it isnt a fault :duno:

 

[CHJ]

Very classy and well finished, well I don't know how your turning arm is faring but if you weald those for a few hours I think you would notice it.

Don't think a decent chisel is going to put up much of a fight faced with one of those.

 

[Jonzjob]

They look good to me and Lignum vitae is the heaviest of woods

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_wood.htm

 

[Turn It In]

Hi Paul,
Nice pair of mallets and I reckon that Chas's comments re using them will be better than a trip to the gym.
I have a few bowls myself and i wonder if you would tell me have you drilled them on a pillar drill first or have you some how held them and drilled them on the lathe?
I would appreciate a comment or two on this.
Regards,
Ian

 

[paul-c]

hi turn it in
i drilled them right through on the pillar drill then turned a jam chuck to mount the ball onto.

 

[Bodrighy]

I have been keeping my eyes open for these but they are like gold dust. Haven't seen any for ages. Now you have inspired me to search harder. Useful and good looking.

Pete

 

[Turn It In]

Hi Paul,
Thank you for that information, most useful i must have a go.
Pete I picked two lots of four up at different carboot sales for £10 and £7.
Check out any local bowls clubs that could produce a result.
Regards,
Ian

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi Paul,
Thank you for that information, most useful i must have a go.
Pete I picked two lots of four up at different carboot sales for £10 and £7.
Check out any local bowls clubs that could produce a result.
Regards,
Ian

Thanks Ian. I'll go pro-active and start asking around.

Pete

 

[wabbitpoo]

I have been keeping my eyes open for these but they are like gold dust. Haven't seen any for ages. Now you have inspired me to search harder. Useful and good looking.

Pete

like these?

 

[Paul.J]

Nice looking mallets Paul
Are they as heavy as they look :?:

 

[shedhead]

Paul they are the "dog's b**ls.
Well you know what I mean!!!!
Very nice the bowling balls have finished well. What did you use on them?

Dermot.

 

[Bodrighy]

I have been keeping my eyes open for these but they are like gold dust. Haven't seen any for ages. Now you have inspired me to search harder. Useful and good looking.

Pete

like these?

Yes but being a skint tight fisted sort of person I begrudge paying £30 for them. I'll keep looking though and hopefully get some cheaper than that.

Pete

 

[paul-c]

hi thanks for the comments

paul j

Nice looking mallets Paul
Are they as heavy as they look

hi paul yes they are nice and heavy - a couple of pound i guess

shedhead

Very nice the bowling balls have finished well. What did you use on them?

hi shedhead just gave them a couple of coats with mylands finishing oil - but to be honest the lignum vitae had a naturally oily surface as i was sanding it.

bodrighy

Yes but being a skint tight fisted sort of person I begrudge paying £30 for them. I'll keep looking though and hopefully get some cheaper than that.

hi pete i only paid 9 quid for the pair on ebay

thanks everyone this was a very easy and enjoyable turning so it is nice to get your kind comments

 

[Bodrighy]

bodrighy

Yes but being a skint tight fisted sort of person I begrudge paying £30 for them. I'll keep looking though and hopefully get some cheaper than that.

hi pete i only paid 9 quid for the pair on ebay

thanks everyone this was a very easy and enjoyable turning so it is nice to get your kind comments

I haven't seen any going that cheap. Have to look harder and more often perhaps. Do a saved search for them

Pete

 

[jlawrence]

The most difficult thing with getting them from fleabay is working out which bowls are actually wood and which aren't.

 

[Bodrighy]

The most difficult thing with getting them from fleabay is working out which bowls are actually wood and which aren't.

I did wonder. I sort of assume that older ones are more likely to be made of wood. All the ones I have seen tend to be a lot more. Not being a bowls player myself is there any easy way to tell which are wood? i know that they are sometimes called woods but I presume that is not an indication of their being made of wood.

Pete

 

[loz]

Hi Paul,

They are to nice to bash anything with ! - Nice job

 

[Lightweeder]

As lovely as they are, it would break my heart to use those as mallets. It's criminal :?