Aluminum Meat Mallet

tredding

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I made one in high school, about 1965. My sisters and daughters have used it and would like one for Christmas. So, as a first project, I plan to make ten of them. I have a 7X14 lathe which should manage the handle, though the taper may be tedious to make. I have a verticle mill that can easily handle the shape, and drilling and tapping for the handle. But I don't recall, now, how I made the strike pattern for the ends of the hammer. Is there a "V" milling bit?

Recapturing high school machining skills is fun, at least I think it will be.

All guidance will be greatly appreciated.
 

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Angle cutter on an arbor or just grind up a tool and use a flycutter .
 
I'm thinking maybe a flycutter with a bit ground to shape?
Ooop Dave got it first

The mallets I've seen have pyramids, so you'd do two sets of cuts at 90 degrees to each other
 
Yep Mark , I think woodchucker was asking about a flat knurl yesterday . The fly cutter would be the easiest I think . Being aluminum , shouldn't have any issues . :encourage:
 
I have a bunch of 90deg endmills. What size do you need? Let me know and I'll send you one in the post
 
More than 1 way to skin a cat . Tilt the head on the mill if possible . No special tooling needed .
 
I'm thinking maybe a flycutter with a bit ground to shape?
Ooop Dave got it first

The mallets I've seen have pyramids, so you'd do two sets of cuts at 90 degrees to each other
Right. pyramids. I just added another photo to show the pyramid pattern on the opposite face of the hammerhead.
 
More than 1 way to skin a cat . Tilt the head on the mill if possible . No special tooling needed .
Absolutely this, tipping the head is perfect here. The 90 degree cutters have the problem of not cutting at the 'center' and sometimes leaving a poor finish there. If you're willing to do the math as far as offset up/side/etc, just putting it in the vise at a 45 degree angle works in 2 setups.
 
I'm thinking maybe a flycutter with a bit ground to shape?
Ooop Dave got it first

The mallets I've seen have pyramids, so you'd do two sets of cuts at 90 degrees to each other
Yes, one side is straight ridges and the other side pyramids. I just posted another image with a gauge laid up againts the head with the pyramids.
 
Yep Mark , I think woodchucker was asking about a flat knurl yesterday . The fly cutter would be the easiest I think . Being aluminum , shouldn't have any issues . :encourage:
not me... you got me and some other member mixed up.. Is that why you never get me the stuff I am looking for... you been shipping it elsewhere? :)
 
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