Wooden Pallet Mallet

Well hello everybody!

Pak here, and today I am making an instructable on a wooden mallet for my garage out of pallets!

I got my inspiration, and relative pattern from two fellow instructables! I needed a wooden mallet for a soft blow hammer in my small shop, and well thought i'd make one than buying a rubber mallet. Below are the links and the authors of the ideas! All credit goes to them!

The mallet itself by imthemaker

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Mallet-from-Pa...

The handle wrapping by rachel.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Wrapped-Hammer-Han...

So here we go!

The materials and tools I needed for this instructable are as follows:

1. Pallets! Boards separated from frames.

2. Circular saw, I have my 14.4v Dewalt trim saw (though hand saw would work too, but extra work.)

3. Jigsaw

4. PPE, Personal protective equipment, goggles and mask (also and handsome hat to wear with it)

5. Sander.

6. Nails, screws, etc. I used a brad nailer to affix the head together.

7. Wood glue.

8. Rags, wood stain, and polyurethane.

9. Tape measure, pencil, and square.

I started by mapping out what I wanted the size to relatively be, the pallet boards are 3 1/2" tall, so I decided to mark the head to be 5" long, cutting three segments of that out.

Making the handle about 16" long out of the same pallet. Making the pallet width about 1 1/2" long to be a good center for the mallet head, and to fit my somewhat bigger hands comfortably. Using the jigsaw to cut out the handle. Leaving an oval on the bottom to drill a hole through to make a lanyard hole.

Sizing the handle onto the center board used in the mallet head. Marking the size with a pencil to cut out the center piece. Once that is removed and discarded the mallet is "assembled" to see the fit and if it all looks fine. After it all fit together I put a layer of wood glue between the mallet head and then sealed it in tight with six brad nails in each side.

Now with the mallet assembled and the glue dried overnight, its time to put some customization to it.

After sanding the entire mallet smooth to the touch, especially the handle, I was thinking of carving something into it.

Recently watching the Hobbit trilogy made me turn to google and look up something neat and runic. Finding the dwarven alphabet supposedly used by Tolkien, I made the phrase "this shall mend" onto it, giving it something neat.

So writing down the key chart and spelling out how I wanted the runes to lay, as well as a small hammer motif as a small sigil in the center. Marking the design onto the sanded head with pencil first as a templet. Then taking my handy dandy dremel with a neck attachment, I carved out the lettering and sigil. Leaving a good clear mark on the head.

Now with the head etched as deep as I wanted it, it was time to stain and clear coat. So picking a nice dark stain, I took a small brush and rag and rubbed two good coats into the otherwise light wood. Letting it dry out in the sun during the day, then spraying a coat of polyurethane to dry overnight.

After the coat dried fully I decided to make a corded handle for a better grip, using the other instructable I linked for the inspiration! So taking my bundle of butchers string, soaking it, then taking time and wrapping it completely to stretch a 1/2 inch above and below where my hand sits. Whipping it as tight as I could to further constrict and be tight on the handle. Turning out to be a comfy, yet rugged, wooden mallet to use in my small workshop!

P.s. First job it performed was changing out old rusted steel exhaust caps from my car and being the soft mallet to shake them loose to remove!

Thank you all for reading! I really appreciate it and hope it helps with an idea of your own!

Pak.