Project by NickyP | posted 03-20-2014 01:22 AM | 3752 views | 5 times favorited | 14 comments | ![]() |
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I was out bowling and got the idea to make a wooden carving mallet from a bowling pin. I got home and checked the internet and found it’s been done before. The bowling alley gave me a pin and off I went. I am brand new to wood turning and this is my first project. It was simple enough . . . I cut the skin of the pin off using a hammer and chisel and running my cuts up both sides of the pin, giving myself a secondary parallel relief cut about a half inch wide the first time through. A big screwdriver and some big channel locks made this pretty easy to get the pin stripped. I cut the top off at the band saw, mounted it, and produced a really nice mallet that is weighted well. I cut the mallet loose with a coping saw and rounded off the top and bottom at the sander. Very fun project for my first time out.
-- -- "Never underestimate the power of a kind word, a good deed, or a table saw."
14 comments so far
waho6o9
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8964 posts in 3543 days
#1 posted 03-20-2014 01:26 AM
Well done NickyP!
woodchuckerNJ
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#2 posted 03-20-2014 01:40 AM
Came out real nice. Great idea.
What do you figure the mallet weighs?
Going to do a BLO finish?
-- Jeff NJ
TheDane
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#3 posted 03-20-2014 01:57 AM
NickyP—Did you run into a hollow cavity inside the pin? They (used to) be laminated from two pieces of hard maple with a cavity to control weight.
Regulation pins are 15” tall and weigh 3 pounds, 10 ounces.
-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"
NickyP
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#4 posted 03-20-2014 02:33 AM
It does have two small cavities in it and my guess is it weighs about 24 – 30 ounces.

-- -- "Never underestimate the power of a kind word, a good deed, or a table saw."
Woodknack
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#5 posted 03-20-2014 08:33 AM
Nice looking mallet. Must be bigger than it looks to weigh that much.
-- Rick M, http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/
XrayJay
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#6 posted 03-20-2014 11:27 AM
Looks good NickyP! I tried to make one and it did have a hollow core. Have 4 more left that I’ll give away to a buddy who’s a deputy, he’ll use them for shooting targets. I just couldn’t get the shape I wanted without going through to the hollow core.
-- Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might,... because there is no work in the grave...Ecclesiastes 9:10
drbyte
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#7 posted 03-20-2014 01:10 PM
Nice mallet! Get all those pins you can, they’re great for a lot of different projects!!
-- Dennis, WV
SissyCassie
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#8 posted 03-20-2014 01:47 PM
I love that you made this out of a bowling pin – very clever. Nice work Nicky!
John Stegall
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#9 posted 03-20-2014 03:45 PM
I wonder if you could plug the hollow, but it looks like NickP won’t have to worry about that. Looks very good!
-- jstegall
NickyP
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#10 posted 03-20-2014 05:46 PM
I filled the gaps. Will be followed by a final sanding.
I drilled a hole for a leather string wristband & stained the handle. Will follow up with 3 coats of Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil Gun Stock Finish over the entire piece.
I again pay homage to this Lumberjocks website and it’s members as everyone’s helpful comments makes me a better wood worker.
-- -- "Never underestimate the power of a kind word, a good deed, or a table saw."
TheDane
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#11 posted 03-20-2014 08:16 PM
Different pin manufacturers used different methods to control the weight. Some used a single large cavity in the middle, others cut cavities like the one in NickyP’s pin. I have often thought about doing the same thing he did and filling the cavity with lead shot … would make a heck of a dead blow mallet.
-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"
Richard
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#12 posted 03-21-2014 05:27 AM
Very Nice! & Well Done! Thanks For Posting.
-- Richard (Ontario, CANADA)
NickyP
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#13 posted 03-28-2014 12:13 AM
This mallet completed located here http://lumberjocks.com/projects/99113
-- -- "Never underestimate the power of a kind word, a good deed, or a table saw."
NormG
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#14 posted 03-30-2014 10:20 PM
Great project and it should be very strong
-- Norman - I never never make a mistake, I just change the design.
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