Anyone have any experience with brass?

[curiousdork]

I was watching YouTube, particularly Dema's Workshop, and he was making his own brass mallets.  Needless to say, now I want to try making my own brass mallet(s) for wood working.  Since I have no experience with brass which alloy should I use?  I would like to be able to turn it on a lathe (I'm thinking buying round bars) and drill a hole using a forstner bit, so obviously something soft that I can work with but tough enough to be used as a mallet for hammering chisels and jointing.

Thanks!

 

[Holmz]

It is Odd stuff... Not soft, but comes out in chunks and not curls.
Use a regular bit, not a Forstner.

No idea on what types, and I have not used it a lot (and it was a long time ago)

 

[Bob D.]

Woodsmith magazine just ran an article on this very topic in this months edition.

 

[curiousdork]

Woodsmith magazine just ran an article on this very topic in this months edition.

Awesome!  Thanks!  I'll have to find it at a book store near me.

 

[derekcohen]

I was watching YouTube, particularly Dema's Workshop, and he was making his own brass mallets.  Needless to say, now I want to try making my own brass mallet(s) for wood working.  Since I have no experience with brass which alloy should I use?  I would like to be able to turn it on a lathe (I'm thinking buying round bars) and drill a hole using a forstner bit, so obviously something soft that I can work with but tough enough to be used as a mallet for hammering chisels and jointing.

Thanks!

Why do you want a brass mallet?

Yes, they look nice, but they will destroy your chisel handles if you wack with them. The way (and only way) to use a brass mallet is to tap gently on the back of a carving chisel.

I'd rather use a cabinetmaker's mallet, such as the one sold by Lee Valley (that has a brass and wooden head).

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[waho6o9]

https://www.mcmaster.com/#brass-round-stock/=172eamu

Have fun!

 

[FOGNewbie]

I was watching YouTube, particularly Dema's Workshop, and he was making his own brass mallets.  Needless to say, now I want to try making my own brass mallet(s) for wood working.  Since I have no experience with brass which alloy should I use?  I would like to be able to turn it on a lathe (I'm thinking buying round bars) and drill a hole using a forstner bit, so obviously something soft that I can work with but tough enough to be used as a mallet for hammering chisels and jointing.

Thanks!

Why do you want a brass mallet?

Yes, they look nice, but they will destroy your chisel handles if you wack with them. The way (and only way) to use a brass mallet is to tap gently on the back of a carving chisel.

I'd rather use a cabinetmaker's mallet, such as the one sold by Lee Valley (that has a brass and wooden head).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Try an end mill bit.
https://www.amazon.com/tool-home-Sp..._1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1491585833&sr=1-1
https://www.google.com/search?q=end+mill+bits&oq=end+mill+&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5.5306j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Not sure where you'd be able to get one, but there has to be someone in Australia that carries them. I have been trying to figure out how to mill brass stock with my OF 1400 on a guide rail and a jig to hold the brass stock. Either some sort of router set up or a drill press and a cross slide drill press vice. I am just not sure I could get the OF 1400 to turn slow enough. I am thinking that a router will turn way too fast.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...ontent=49462&gclid=CPrakMvvktMCFQQFaQodN4AHug

For the person that asked why someone would want a brass hammer for woodworking my answer is they work great for adjusting wooden bodied planes. Gentle taps with a brass hammer will allow you to make small depth adjustments to the plane blade.

 

[derekcohen]

For the person that asked why someone would want a brass hammer for woodworking my answer is they work great for adjusting wooden bodied planes. Gentle taps with a brass hammer will allow you to make small depth adjustments to the plane blade.

FogNewbie, the shop made brass mallets I have seen on other forums tend to be solid brass (front and back). These are used to adjust a blade by tapping the body (and not the blade directly). I would NEVER use a brass surface directly on a wooden plane body. That is a recipe for damaging the wood.

Here is a plane hammer I made. One side is brass (for the blade) and the other side is nylon (for the body) ...

Total weight is 8 oz.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Bob D.]

Woodsmith magazine just ran an article on this very topic in this months edition.

Awesome!  Thanks!  I'll have to find it at a book store near me.

Take a look at this online extra related to the project in the April 2017 (Issue #230)
article and you'll get an idea of what the project build is. They make two different size
hammers with brass stock obtained from McMaster-Carr.
http://www.woodsmith.com/files/issues/230/optional-hammer-heads.pdf

 

[derekcohen]

Be careful with hammers like those. They look fancy-schmancy, but they will damage wooden parts.

Regards from Perth

Derek