Post a picture of the last thing you made - joiner's mallet

[Chris JH]

I set out to make a mallet because my old one was a bit light in the head and I was looking for a project to make with hand tools only. I had a section of old oak sleeper sitting outside, but under cover, and I figured I could cut a chunk off the end for the head and use an oak off-cut from my timber store for the handle. The weather has been around freezing for the last week so cutting the sleeper with my handsaw warmed me up! When I had made the cuts I found I could split-off a rectangular block with my axe. I found the off-cut for the handle and ripped it to make the wedge shape, making sure to keep the waste to assist with clamping in the vice for planing.
I used my favourite Stanley Bailey No 7 (with sweetheart blade) for shaping the head and the handle - perhaps not the most logical choice but it has the heft for oak and shaves so beautifully. I cut the mortise by hand, cursing the fact that I had not matched the handle to the width of one of my chisels. With lots of patient adjustment I got the head to match the handle sweetly and securely. I then used a Japanese cross-cut pull-saw to cut the mallet faces to a 7 degree angle. Next I took a spokeshave to the handle to remove the arrises and shape the grip; I used my Stanley low-angle block plane to remove the arrises from the mallet head. Finally I used a card scraper to achieve the surface I was happy with. I did have a moment of concern when I realised that the head was shrinking faster than the handle so I separated them and left them both in the unheated workshop for a couple of days to reach equilibrium before applying a finish of boiled linseed oil. Overall it was an enjoyable project that cost me nothing but my time and I am very pleased with the new bespoke tool in my toolbox.

 

[Jameshow]

Nothing like a home made mallet have 2 light ones and a heavy one for mortices.

 

[MikeJhn]

Managed to make a complete horlicks of cutting a bit of timber on my cross cut and made a couple of fingers a bit shorter, not too serious, but enough to bleed all over the place, luckily they did not cut the nails, only been doing this for about fifty years so can not blame lack of experience.

Familiarity breeds contempt comes to mind.

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

Jewellery box made from natural pear, steamed pear, mahogany, smoked oak and holly. Suede lining. 24 x 24 x 10 cm

 

[clogs]

A mess.......does that count.....hahaha..
beware......this is what tiredness can do.....first time in nearly 60 years....
for what use it is in normal work it's been better having it off........

Now,

 

[Adam W.]

Ugh!

You could have used a spoiler with a high meat content warning, instead of posting WHOPPING GREAT PICTURES OF YOU BLEEDING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

 

[MF1000]

My wife would immediately pass out if I showed her that pic

 

[Jameshow]

My wife would immediately pass out if I showed her that pic

I might just get some sympathy!

There again she might say it was self inflicted!!

 

[Bingy man]

A mess.......does that count.....hahaha..
beware......this is what tiredness can do.....first time in nearly 60 years....
for what use it is in normal work it's been better having it off........
View attachment 161852

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Now,

Looks like you found the spinny end of the blender !! Hope you’re ok but how on earth did you achieve that if ya don’t mind answering..

 

[mwinfrance]

So would mine..and we just got back from the hospital here today as mentioned in another thread
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/thread...iticism-and-explanations.143368/#post-1671731Guess they looked at your finger mangling and said nope " steri strips aren't gonna work for this".
Seen / done tidier stitches..but as long as it stays attached eh

 

[TRITON]

A mess.......does that count.....hahaha..
beware......this is what tiredness can do.....first time in nearly 60 years....
for what use it is in normal work it's been better having it off........
View attachment 161852

View attachment 161853
Now,

Been there. 26 stitches in the one finger. Those big black threads are so familiar That was a metalworking machine injury.

 

[mwinfrance]

Adam loves a good injury pic so post em up boys

If I'd known I'd have saved mine..Might have some somewhere but they are old..
SWMBO says I can't post hers from today ..too near the "lady bumps" as Ronnie Raygun used to say.

 

[clogs]

ronnie raygun.....?
ah,
Ronald Ragon......!!!!!!!

actually, Bill Clinton know's about lady bits.....lol....prob a job requirement....

Presidents get all the fun apart from the idiot they got in place now....

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Insomnia is a "effffing pain in the all over."

Last night I turned this up, as I found some nive wooden pegs when putting stuff away.

The felt is elf adhesive stuff, I have few sheets, this was on offcut.
The lines are burnt in using a duff metal rule, heated to a dull red colour.