Lignum Maul

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woodbloke

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Martin the Woodkateer very kindly let me have old wooden bowl made from lignum which I want to turn into a nice heavy maul. Bearing in mind that they are biased to one side (not sure what's used for this) what's the best way to mount it in the lathe? Also how would I go about making the hole down the centre...I have a selection of forstner bits from Axminster, would it be advisable to get hold of a longer pattern saw tooth bit say 25mm? Many thanks - Rob
 
Hi Rob,

There was a thread a long time ago about doing turnings with these bowls but I'm not very good with the search engine on here. If you can find it, that might help.

Cheers :wink:

Paul
 
Rob,
Forstner bits may not hack it unless you can go up in very small steps, I've struggled with lesser woods than Lignum with heat generation and lignum is self lubricating as well which does not help the 'bite'. My pillar drill wouldn't go slow enough and had to resort to lathe at slowest (>100rpm)

I would be tempted to mount it in a combination Jamb/Doughnut Chuck to bore the handle hole, Using normal twist drills to start, then reverse mount it on a spigot to turn the outer with the tailstock in place just for safety.
 
The bias is on one side (you can see from the shape) and I would suggest using the more domed side as the top of the maul. I have a carving mallet I turned from Lignum but it isn't hugely large and I spindle turned it before I knew better, therefore wasted a good section of LV on the handle! Still, it looks good.
I would drill into the flatter side using progressively larger twist drills up to your largest. Might be a case for borrowing a large twist drill something like these although these are hugely overpriced IMHO - mine cost me a pound or two.
I can lend you one with a morse 2 shank about 0.85 inches diam. This would then allow you to mount it on a spigot to turn the bowl and use the hole to mount a handle in it.
 
If you ever watch Ray Jones who used to make bowls professionally he would finish the Lawn bowl in a jam chuck as used for making balls. I would start of by making a jam chuck for the bowl and then putting a chucking point on it where the "ivory insert" was. Once that is done you will have a secure hold from which you can reshape and bore a hole for the handle. If you don't go all the way through and put a wedge in the mallet handle you could make a plug for the chucking point to hide it.
 
Been making carving mallets from bowls recently. They make a lovely mallet, nice and compact and with good heft.

I just chuck a 1" sawtooth bit in the drill press and it will go through quite easily. Drill through the sides with the inserts, (I just hand held the bowl) clearing the waste regularly. It will generate quite a bit of heat and if you let it it can cause a build up of gunge on the bit.

I then mounted it on pin jaws on my Nova chuck and this works quite well. As Nick said, use the bias side as the top. You can also turn it between centres by making some inserts to jam into the hole.

After you have turned the head, make a handle out of some nice clear straight grained ash that is secured with a wedge and you'll have a lovely mallet/maul.
 
Thanks for all the replies, will have a go shortly, think I'll order a 25mm saw tooth bit and do the hole that way - Rob
 
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