I have an old wooden bowling pin that is indestructible and makes a great mallet.

hello Rex. I am loving your channel. I am a chef, and these days I cook onboard 100 year old + boats. As you can imagine they require a lot of work, during the season and then during the winter refit. Over the past couple of years I have come to love working with wood, making things for the boats, having to deal with the 'there is no money for wood' situation. I have built a couple of items you have demonstrated, including the japanese saw horses. I am about to build the low work bench, and I am about to start a marine joinery company on the south east coast of the UK, mostly because you have given the confidence to take on pretty huge projects with good results. I mean, the boats aren't sinking, and some my my locker insides all come apart to access sea cocks without any screws or fixings. I love elegant solutions to problems, and work that is as beautiful as it is functional. I look forward to watching all of your shows, and want to offer heartfelt congratulations for your success, and thanks for all the no nonsense advice. Best regards, Nigel Wolstenholme

That intro is part of the reason i got into blacksmithing, it's such good stress relief, very cathartic

When my 'Better Half' came across my box of rolling pins in the shop when we first met she was incredulous when I told what they were 'stock' for. That was twelve years ago, and I still have not made a single mallet from them.

I Love your Line "There is no science just keep working" that's my motto and it gives excellent results....

I too like to hit things. Especially if it makes a lot of noise. I always have, even before I met Todd Rundgren! The rolling pin mallet is a good idea. I made a mortar for my wife from half a rolling pin. Drilled the center hole out to 5/8" or 3/4 inch to match an oak dowel I already had. She likes it. But I just made three Mallets from garage sale baseball bats. $1 each. The carver's mallet is made from a section from the middle of the bat. No knob on the end as I didn't turn it on a lathe. I thinned the handle using the method you showed us for making the legs for the three tool bench! The first chisel mallet is made in the style of your three tool mallet, and the second chisel mallet was made with a through hole in the head and uses a turned section from a wooden chair I cut up. The end of the handle was fit to to the mortis in the head exactly as you fit the legs of the stool, except that since the head is a hardwood, I didn't need to drill a separate gage block. Just use the head. Then I slit the tenon and wedged it. Thanks for all the great tips and videos! Now I just have to finish my three tool bench.

Old baseball bats are a great source for project wood also. The handles can be sized long for turning chisel handles. Good video!

I made my two favorite mallets from a broken baseball bat, One like a normal hammer & the other like a shaft..

The Carver's Mallet would work very well for leatherwork where you deliver lots of relatively light blows to small moving stamping tools.

Bro, I love you vids man. Most of us newbies need to watch you instructional videos. Gives us the confidence to build our skill set. Thank you my man.

"Honey, have you seen my rolling pin?"

Brilliant! I really like the way you explained the compression/expansion of striking wood upon wood in the beginning. My wife has a few rolling pins laying around and I know she doesn't use them much...I don't think she'll notice if one goes missing!

hi rex, i'm really happy to see your videos, i just started up a little hobby workshop and have started to collect some tools. It must be said that throughout my childhood, I have fully my grandfather and been in his workshop, as he had there at home. my grandfather was a very good carpenter and was trained as a furniture carpenter. so I have inherited quite a lot of my grandfather's tools, so it's really cool to see you, both tell about the tool and show how to use the tool. Thank you Rex, because you give yourself time to make these videos, I learned a lot and have been refreshed what I had forgotten

"Take a sharp chisel, put it almost on the sideline...not quite, and tap it down with a mallet." With a mallet... It's like needing a pair of scissors to cut open the packaging for a new pair of scissors.

“Or” is what I like about Rex. Alternatives take time, but no two shops have exactly the same tools or methods. Flexibility!

Every time I watch your videos, I add another project to my list. Your instructional style is exceptional and concise.

Well, the very reason i subscribed to this channel is because I liked Hitman to explain woodworking to me xD So I'm glad you're into hitting things!

Excellent video and process. Rollin pin, great suggestion. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Rex, enjoy your videos a lot, you show common sense and thoughtfulness throughout, you have earned a new subscriber sir

I just made the hammer malket using this tutorial without a bech. Used my feet to hold the pin to chisel it out. After assembly and sanding forever to get the epoxy off, the hammer works beautufully. Thanks Rex!

Rex great detail in your presentation

Rex. I've watched a bunch of your videos and they're terrific. I'm in Portland, Oregon and hacking away at several pieces of wood and you have taught me and inspired me in a lot of ways, especially the bench you made. Thank you. Thank you very much

I have a rubber mallet that was from my grampa, i've never met him but he was a woodworker, i love to it, not only its great but it makes me feel more close to him

Great project Rex, thanks for sharing.

Nice videos... I like how they are put together. I am saving them to a playlist to refer back to them later.😀

Thanks for the videos and info... Basic, simple, yet detailed enough... I just made my "thors hammer", after watching your video....turned out awesome, thanks to you... I will be starting these mallets this next week.... Thanks again.

I will use an old boot as the mallet to hit the chisel to get started making my actual mallet. Thinking outside of the box!

I put a round face on the back of my jointers mallet works great.

This is great! I actually bought a rolling pin today and making a mallet for someone for christmas. I also made the milking stool a couple days ago for an xmas gift too!!

wow,great video rex,thank you,steve.

Great ideas, Rex. Thanks.

It's amazing how people come up with similar solutions independently. I knew I needed a mallet. I watched Paul Sellers making one. And yet I've decided I'll go for a round mallet from a branch instead of that big block. It came out too light. Despite me using black locust. So I've inserted bolts for weight! The only difference is I inserted them laterally, through and through, two bolts in a cross pattern. Another funny thing is that during the making process I used metal hammer for chiseling and by the time I finished the wooden mallet I decided I won't be using anything but metal hammers :-)

You really have the knack for teaching. You really "hammer" home some great ideas. I love your approach to wood working with your emphasis on ergo-economics. "Ergo-economic"? Not sure if it's an actual dictionary word but; like your joiners mallet it seams fitting... both a person's budget and their hands... Thanks Rex! Oh, and by the way, I have a few friends that are your weekend woodworker types and I am going to recommend your channel to them. Lets face it, Izzy Swan could learn allot from you.

Thank you Rex!!! Bob.

Thanks Rex, great video

man I love the suttle humor

Hey Rex, thanks for these videos... I really appreciate your honesty through it...makes the work more accessible. Any chance of a video on how to bend wood, especially if the roman workbench can be used for it.

Wow, nice project and well explained..Subbed

awesome video - I'm going to make these for sure.

Great work! Thanks

I made these mallets and they are great. Thanks.

Great tips! I really need to assemble material to make a mallet or two.

I made a round mallet about 4 years ago out of 4 inch doll my dad had laying around his shop its still the only wooden mallet I have and use. I use it for almost everything in the wood shop. I just started on making 2 jointers mallets

Don't use your fingers to squish the epoxy around, and always wear gloves. It really isn't good for you, and it's possible to become allergic after mishandling it too many times.

excellent video

Instead of a steel slug, use lead shot. Don't fill the gap fully so that the lead can move a bit, then you have a shot hammer, you can hit things really hard with them!

An A-tack Hammer... My favorite shop joke of all time.

*I LOVE hitting things. That's it.* Yeah I agree quite a bit

For mixing epoxy or resin I came across at the grocery store you can buy plastic condiments cups for really cheap, by the paper plate section, and then buy popcicle sticks at the craft section, also really cheap. Works great.

Great content and well explained Rex, you earned a sub

I had an old blacksmith/farrier tell me the same thing about being a blacksmith, lol. He said it was a low stress job because when you mess up you get to throw the piece in a fire and hit it with hammers, lol.

good job

The same reason I play drums. to hit things.

Thanks for the videos. There are other channels, which are good, but don't quite hit the mark. Yours seem to have real world experience.

Carpenter hammer handles have two features you might like: First, the handle is ovoid, telling your hand where the striking face is. Second, the end has a slight bulge. If you are standing you can use gravity to lower the head to maximum length without looking. I used both in my mallet. The ovoid feature is a godsend. The bulge is ok and I would use the feature in any mallet, but not essential.

Copper is actually heavier than steel. So maybe a stack of older pennies might work. You can leave them with some room to rattle so you have a dual purpose mallet/maraca.

Rex, you could use a piece of tree branch of the right size and type to hand carve a mallet. It isn't hard and lasts for ages. When you do manage to destroy it simply make another and turn the old one into firewood.

Really good info and explanation...Just found you...glad I did.

Man I wished you lived close to me. What I thought would be a simple hobby to get into, has turned into an expensive one lol.

Thats actually a great idea .

I Love Hammers. I have like ten or more hammers. I love them all.

You had me at "hit things"

You have come a long way

“Now we’ll hit the chisel just off the line with a mallet” Starts sweating

If you are going to hollow out a mallet head to add mass use lead shot, small ball bearings, small heavy nuts. This would give the dead blow function to the mallet.

Maybe mill a small flat spot on the handle end of the carvers mallet so it doesn't roll off the bench. Keep up the good info.

coming from a background that includes flintknapping, I just use rocks for most of my hammer/mallet needs. not even kidding.

In Europe, mallets are made from hornbeam. Really hard stuff.

Good onya Rex, it's hammer time 😩

Rex, another good option that I used on my WWMM-style laminated mallet is to pour lead into the hammer. A simple propane torch and tin can is enough to melt wheel weights or scrap lead, and hardwood makes a great "mold" where the molten lead only scorches wood 1/8" or so. Very satisfying, and reduces reverb! Subbed and supporting, fantastic content.

Here, in Belgium (Europe) , the cheapest I found is €4.99 at IKEA

Beats my rounded over piece of scrap I use for carving! Between projects I'm definitely going to make a carving mallet

Absolutely brilliant ideas. Don't mind if I "borrow" them

You should try blacksmithing if you like te hit stuff

to register a round handle mallet, you just need to extend your thumb (like the thumbs up button) while you hold it

Great idea. Now just to figure out what excuse to tell the wife ;) Cheers pal

Nice background focus. 8^)

In the die-making industry we call it " percussive maintenance ".

You can make a pallet mallet out of an oak pallet runner

Thank you for another "winner" . I really enjoy your videos, both for the content and the "delivery". How do you feel about the options of a piece of steel rod vs stainless steel shot vs a plug made out of recycled lead wheel weights? Also about the option of plug glued in place vs slightly loose to get the "dead blow hammer" effect. Lastly, have a great Easter weekend or whatever's appropriate.

Rex, I think you're great, but sometimes you give off a real serial killer vibe -- e.g. when talking about loving to hit things 😂

I need a mallet to make a mallet. Ahhhhhh. Just kidding. Great video.

Hey Rex love your videos, your accurate on all things. I make canes for a hobby and some are requested. I'm making a bamboo cane for a friend. My problem is not sure how to attach the bamboo handle to the bamboo shaft. Could you do a video on this? I would appreciate it. Thanks, Cliff from Social Circle, Ga.

Hammer/mallet-aka Mark 9 bashing tool. 🇺🇸

Cheapest rolling pin I can find is $4 at Walmart, made of rubber wood. After that it's $15-$20 on Amazon for mystery wood

7:49. But, but my mallet isn't done yet! 14:38 those are also known as Vixen files. I have one and I agree with you completely.

Rex, you don't have 10 fingers. You have 8 fingers and 2 thumbs lol.

I was happy when he acknowledged that I do not have a lathe.

Did I miss a video or did the Wood Shear never get a video like you'd intended?

How long is the dowel used for the handle on the carvers mallet ? It appears maybe 10 " long prior to glue up.

If you cut (drill) to both lines first and then cut out the middle, you will be a happy cutter. :)

When is next week coming

"Finest wood shaping device"? You sir, have never used a Japanese saw rasp.

Maybe boxing is for you..lol...I get it though, it is very satisfying to smack something. Love job demo

Is there a video you would recommend for beginners on tools needed for chiseling? Or what should a beginner should start with?

Do you think you could fill the hole without epoxy? Just using a hard rubber disc, metal slug, and wood disc, in that order? Using a press fit

Ordinarily, I won't buy rolling pins, for fear they'll go upside my head, but if I made a mallet, she's just use that, especially if I made it out of the one rolling pin she does have, her grandmother's. I do like a hammer or mallet that is more or less rectangular in the handle, so you know there the head is by feel, not looking. I accidentally invented a great hammer for many purposes. It was a very cheap hammer, had like a piece of thin pipe for a handle, then a plastic grip area. Somehow I bent the handle right behind the head, and the head was a little loose, you could spin it around with a little effort. well the bent angle of the handle would leave the head pointing a bit toward you, a bit away from you, or at an angle sideways. For nailing flooring or anything down low where you could not possilbly hammer with the head flat, it was a great help to have that angle. It would also nail in corners easily, or in other tight spots. done better, it would have made a really good tool.

I used the mallet to create the mallet.

Lex Luther has seen the light

nice but you really shouldn"t ignore 'infrastructure costs like chisels, files forstner bits drill presses, etc.....try doing this with only sandpaper and a handheld drill and it becomes more like an adventure LOL