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

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.

@senza4591

4 жыл бұрын

Lmao

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

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.

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

"Honey, have you seen my rolling pin?"

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

Good one!

@abhisheksoni2980

4 жыл бұрын

Uhh.. I think the racoon took it.

@noctismortis7349

4 жыл бұрын

@@abhisheksoni2980 The raccon? as in there is a specific raccon?

@andrewpeacock5751

3 жыл бұрын

So I hit her, I love to hit things!

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

"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.

@tschallacka874

3 жыл бұрын

I use a block of scrap wood xD

@SylvanApe

3 жыл бұрын

I had a friend open a pack of knives with the knives inside!!!!!!!!!! Also, yup, one of those, but as said, a block of wood or your hand will work. If you use your hand, you will appreciate your mallet more.

@sandytooks

Жыл бұрын

Well, I used my one store bought mallet to make more mallets of different sizes. But you could also use a framing hammer or a ball-peen hammer to make your first mallet!

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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!

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

She won't, and you'll get a lot of use out of the mallet you make. I did this video over a year ago and I still use the chisel mallet all the time. The carving mallet didn't end up being as useful, but the chisel mallet works great. Thanks for watching!

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

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

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.

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

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

It's totally my pleasure! I'm so glad you find my content useful!

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.

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 :-)

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

Rex great detail in your presentation

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!!

Great project Rex, thanks for sharing.

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.

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

Cameron: You are too kind. I'm really, really glad you like my channel and please do recommend it to friends. But I must say, I am but a student at the feet of a master like Izzy. Still, you've paid me a great compliment. Thanks!

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!

wow,great video rex,thank you,steve.

Great ideas, Rex. Thanks.

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!

@Tome4kkkk

4 жыл бұрын

You've got some Slavic blood in you, brother :D

Thank you Rex!!! Bob.

Thanks Rex, great video

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

I made these mallets and they are great. Thanks.

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

I'm REALLY glad they worked out. I just did another mallet video with very limited tools. Check it out!

Great work! Thanks

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

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

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

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.

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

Wow, nice project and well explained..Subbed

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

excellent video

Great content and well explained Rex, you earned a sub

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

Darrell Allen I'm glad you liked it!

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.

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

Kiki Lang oh! That's such a nice compliment!

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

Hey Kiki: I'm letting some of my top commentors know that I now have a Patreon page. My patrons get early access to videos, exclusive content, and they'll get a lot of influence over what videos I make. Anyway, feel free to have a look at my page: www.patreon.com/rexkrueger Thanks!

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.

@SylvanApe

3 жыл бұрын

A metal box or plastic pipe (drain/sewer) for long bits, add a wallpaper steamer and you can steam bend wood all day.It's how most small/amateur furniture makers do it.

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!

@akbychoice

6 жыл бұрын

Mickleblade or a ball bearing

@middleroad00

5 жыл бұрын

Somewhere buried in my back issues of ShopNotes is a mallet made with lead shot. I've been meaning to fab one for years.

@mikeking7470

4 жыл бұрын

Use steel shot or BB's, that way if it breaks open you can recover the shot with a magnet.

@jimmyredd

4 жыл бұрын

Wouldn't that make it more of a deadblow hammer?

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.

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.

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.

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.

good job

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.

@butre.

5 жыл бұрын

better yet, you could melt some lead in a skillet and just pour it right in the hole.

@WayneWerner

5 жыл бұрын

Newer ones are Zinc, of course.

@E-BikingAdventures

5 жыл бұрын

@@butre. . It needs to rattle so you can sing "La Cockaracha" while you're hammering.

Thats actually a great idea .

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! This video is over a year old, and I still use this mallet. It really works!

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

@sandytooks

Жыл бұрын

I'm sorry. (So few.)

@lylachristopherson865

Жыл бұрын

@@sandytooks WHY??? How maNY do YOU HAVE??? Are you a BlackSmith??? MMM?

man I love the suttle humor

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

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

I'm glad, too. I've got tons of content. Let me know what you want to see!

You have come a long way

@RexKrueger

2 жыл бұрын

Agreed.

Good onya Rex, it's hammer time 😩

@RexKrueger

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Sumo!

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

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.

@sandytooks

Жыл бұрын

I put a flat spot the length of the head in case I wanted a flat face for striking. Okay, the real reason I put a flat face on the head was to get rid of the portion of "Louisville Slugger" that was there.

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.

You had me at "hit things"

The same reason I play drums. to hit things.

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

@grayeaglej

4 жыл бұрын

Ive lost count of how many fence posts ive driven with rocks and logs o.o

@sumdumbmick

4 жыл бұрын

@@grayeaglej seriously. when you just look for stuff that'll get the job done, jobs become much easier to do.

@grayeaglej

4 жыл бұрын

@@sumdumbmick Very true, I think I got that from my Grandfather. People today seem to worship the Toolbox Fallacy. "I dont have this specific thing or that specific thing or this amount of money so I can't do anything" :/

@nyepumphrey4486

4 жыл бұрын

Anything’s a hammer if you really need one

@SylvanApe

3 жыл бұрын

@@nyepumphrey4486 And everything looks like a nail when you pick up a hammer! I agree with you all here. People are too in awe of the tools and skills to understand that anyone can learn. I call it the 'I can't draw' mentality. Of course you cant draw, until you learn.

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

Nice background focus. 8^)

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

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

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

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

Hilarious!

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

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

I plan on making a future video about making a mallet with only a hatchet, a 1-inch drill, and a saw. Stay tuned for that one!

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.

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

I think shot would give a great dead-blow effect. That's the way to go if it's what you're after. Thanks!

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

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

You should try blacksmithing if you like te hit stuff

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

Oh, I smith. Love it.

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.

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

That is an interesting problem, but I just don't have experience with bamboo. I don't think I'm the guy for this. Sorry!

@cherokeesfinestindian

4 жыл бұрын

Why not heat the bamboo and bend a handle into it.

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

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

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

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

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.

@gnarthdarkanen7464

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that detail!!! I've had one double-bolted to a lengthy wood handle for years... (it was actually made with holes for that)... AND because it looks so similar to the "shapers" I've picked up from autobody work-days... I've always just called it an "old-school shaper... (lolz... now I know) BUT recently I ended up with a whole friggin' bucket of them... only about half were broken... SO I whipped out the angle-grinder, notched and cleaned them... AND fashioned some reasonably hand-friendly grips for them out of Mountain Laurel... The last two "scrubby pickles" are awaiting a coat of finish now. ...not sure why, but somehow I think you'd find this amusing. ;o)

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

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 😂

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.

@RexKrueger

6 жыл бұрын

That's a great idea. Adding lead casting to the toolkit would be useful for a lot of craftsmen. Maybe a good video idea?

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

Yes, but Rex that shows you are human and also helps us see what you do as a new woodworker to correct the problem we didn't know we were going to run into.

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.

Hi Rex you suggest a 6” head. My rolling pin has a diameter of only 55mm , would you suggest a shorter head length for a smaller diameter mallet ?

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

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

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

@RexKrueger

5 жыл бұрын

I think the constant pounding would knock any press-fit out. You could use super-glue.

@sandytooks

Жыл бұрын

If there is enough room, put a dowel I through from the side.

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

Another unconventional way to make a small mallet: I took apart an old inkjet printer, and was left with one barrel from the paper feed mechanism that is coated in very thick, very durable hard rubber. I can just barely compress it with my finger. I left the top 5cm of it as is, and the rest I shaved down to handle-size by using a box cutter as a carving knife. All that's left to do is trim the ends of the center metal rod and I was done. All done in roughly 45 minutes, and so far it's a handy and very durable, if somewhat light, hammer.

How did you get the rolling pin handles off?

When is next week coming

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

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