Make a Mallet or Hammer In this video, we are going to learn how to build a mallet, or hammer. This tool will enable you to perform several other bushcraft building techniques when working with wood, such as the mortise and tenon joint or the halved joint Caution, this project requires: Protective gloves Closed footweaer To carry out this project, you will need: An auger, hand drill or brace a knife a file a hammer a saw and a chisel You'll also need A straight piece of wood around 4cm in diameter and at least 30cm in length as well as a larger log with a diamater around 3 times greater than that of the auger bit, and at least 20cm in length.
Making a mallet can be done in 3 steps which we will outline for you Step 1: Making the head Place your auger bit in the middle of the larger log Make sure the bit is perpendicular to the surface before you begin drilling For more on this, check out the video on making a mortise Step 2: Making the handle Take your 4cm diameter piece of wood and test to see if it fits into the mortise If it's too large, plane it down at one end with your knife, then try again. Caution, the handle should not slide right the way through the mortise easily, but should get lodged there. Don't plane down the wooden handle too much Once the wooden handle is at the right diameter – so that it can enter the mortise but not slip through effortlesly – plane around 15cm of the wooden handle File the end so that it can enter the mortise more easily Step 3: Assembly Place the wooden handle into the mortise Hit the head of the mallet so that the handle goes through and sticks out at the other end Using a carpenter's chisel, split the end of the handle that you have passed through the mallet head.
In it you will be able to wedge a small piece of wood to secure the handle to the mallet head. To make the small wedge, saw of a small piece of wood and using the chisel, make your wedge. Insert the wedge into the split end of the handle. Now you know how to make a mallet!.