Mallet Tools
When I started carving I wanted to incorporate carving into my woodworking; making some carved furniture. Instead I ran into Larry Nowell who was a face carver (Portraits in Wood was his by-line) who primarily used mallet tools. I'm indebted to Larry for getting me started in carving. He taught a lot of people how to carve over the years.
Larry led a carving group at the local Woodcraft. It was free to attend, and he always had projects to teach you with. The catch was you were at Woodcraft surrounded by tools -- especially mallet tools. The owners were very nice and often gave discounts to Larry's group. As a result I have a larger mallet tool collection than some.
Most people keep their mallets in tool rolls for storage or transportation. These are canvas or leather bags with pockets which hold the handles. It's easier to identify the tool you want by looking at the cutting edge instead of the sweep/width which is marked on handles. Because your tool tips are exposed you're more likely to cut yourself sliding tools into or out of the tool roll. When you're done carving you just roll up the tools. Tool roll size is your preference although you want pockets that fit the size handles of your tools. My wife sells custom tool rolls if you want one.
Another thing that Larry brought to the table was his carving stand design. He made his using a "disc" (from large farm equipment for cultivating fields) as the base with a stand pipe that screwed into it bringing the piece to an approximate height. A welded cross piece holds the "carving pipe" which can be adjusted to your height preference by tightening a handle on the end of the cross piece. The "carving pipe" is screwed into the bottom of your wood. The stands are portable, and heavy enough they don't move around too much when you bang on your piece. The bust shown in the pictures below is mounted on one. I think Dylan Goodson still makes them if you want one.
The last important thing Larry taught us was how to sharpen tools. To help he designed some low-cost power sharpening tools. Grinding is required when a tool has been sharpened poorly, is new, or a chipped edge needs to be ground out. This is done using the belt sanding station. It has a tool rest built in which can be adjusted in height to accommodate palm tools or mallet tools, and moves back and forth to set the correct angle on your gouges. It can also be used to grind knives when necessary. Once a tool is ground you should only need to buff them. This is done using the double wheel buffer.
The buffer is mounted so it spins up and away from you. This allows you to see the tool tip as you buff. Apply the buffing compound to the wheel as it spins and hold the tool in the buffer. This works great for gouges. Always keep your tools sharp and you're less likely to get hurt. Mallet tools always need to be buffed at the end-of-day when working with Butternut. When the liquid from the butternut dries on your tools they feel dull. Buffing them removes the sap and they're ready to go next time. The sander and buffer are just harbor freight tools. The buffing wheels and buffing compound are from the WoodCraft Shop
Mallets are usually made from wood or synthetics. Wood is nice if you've got a turner friend, but they wear out over time. The wooden mallet in the picture is beech - a Christmas gift from my kids when they were young. The synthetic mallets come in a variety of sizes, hardly ever wear out, and are more hand friendly over time. BTW: don't grasp your mallet like a hammer -- your arm will cramp up faster that way. A loose grip is the key. The mallet's momentum should do the work.
Larry led a carving group at the local Woodcraft. It was free to attend, and he always had projects to teach you with. The catch was you were at Woodcraft surrounded by tools -- especially mallet tools. The owners were very nice and often gave discounts to Larry's group. As a result I have a larger mallet tool collection than some.
Most people keep their mallets in tool rolls for storage or transportation. These are canvas or leather bags with pockets which hold the handles. It's easier to identify the tool you want by looking at the cutting edge instead of the sweep/width which is marked on handles. Because your tool tips are exposed you're more likely to cut yourself sliding tools into or out of the tool roll. When you're done carving you just roll up the tools. Tool roll size is your preference although you want pockets that fit the size handles of your tools. My wife sells custom tool rolls if you want one.
Another thing that Larry brought to the table was his carving stand design. He made his using a "disc" (from large farm equipment for cultivating fields) as the base with a stand pipe that screwed into it bringing the piece to an approximate height. A welded cross piece holds the "carving pipe" which can be adjusted to your height preference by tightening a handle on the end of the cross piece. The "carving pipe" is screwed into the bottom of your wood. The stands are portable, and heavy enough they don't move around too much when you bang on your piece. The bust shown in the pictures below is mounted on one. I think Dylan Goodson still makes them if you want one.
The last important thing Larry taught us was how to sharpen tools. To help he designed some low-cost power sharpening tools. Grinding is required when a tool has been sharpened poorly, is new, or a chipped edge needs to be ground out. This is done using the belt sanding station. It has a tool rest built in which can be adjusted in height to accommodate palm tools or mallet tools, and moves back and forth to set the correct angle on your gouges. It can also be used to grind knives when necessary. Once a tool is ground you should only need to buff them. This is done using the double wheel buffer.
The buffer is mounted so it spins up and away from you. This allows you to see the tool tip as you buff. Apply the buffing compound to the wheel as it spins and hold the tool in the buffer. This works great for gouges. Always keep your tools sharp and you're less likely to get hurt. Mallet tools always need to be buffed at the end-of-day when working with Butternut. When the liquid from the butternut dries on your tools they feel dull. Buffing them removes the sap and they're ready to go next time. The sander and buffer are just harbor freight tools. The buffing wheels and buffing compound are from the WoodCraft Shop
Mallets are usually made from wood or synthetics. Wood is nice if you've got a turner friend, but they wear out over time. The wooden mallet in the picture is beech - a Christmas gift from my kids when they were young. The synthetic mallets come in a variety of sizes, hardly ever wear out, and are more hand friendly over time. BTW: don't grasp your mallet like a hammer -- your arm will cramp up faster that way. A loose grip is the key. The mallet's momentum should do the work.