I decided to make myself a mallet out of spare hardwood since my rubber mallet had been starting to see a lot of wear. In addition, I just received a pair of Gramercy holdfasts which can’t easily be struck with a rubber mallet (these holdfasts are fantastic by the way).

As soon as I started making one mallet, I realized I could just do the same thing twice and ensure I had enough mallets to last for a while. The whole process was pretty quick and I was done in a couple of hours (not including glue up time).

The build

Both mallets were made in a very similar way:

1. Glue three boards of beech together for the mallet head. I had 4/4 beech on hand so I ended up with a 2.25" x 2" x 5" head.
2. Glue two offcuts of white oak strips together for the handle.
3. Taper the handle slightly with a hand plane to allow for a friction fit with the head.
4. Cut the ends of the mallet head at about 10 degrees to make it easier for striking.
5. Mortise through the mallet head. I first used a drill to get most of the waste out and finished using a mortise chisel to ensure I got a tight fit. Make sure you make the bottom of the mortise a bit smaller than the top to allow for the taper of the handle (just measure the width directly from the handle).
6. Tap the handle all the through the mallet head. You shouldn’t need any glue if the taper is done correctly.

Here’s a picture of an unfinished mallet:

Finished mallets