Trash day'

Yesterday I was at the dump and saw a few pallets piled up by the garbage bins. I saw a large piece of wood that I thought was ash, a fantastic hardwood used for tool handles, etc. I brought the piece home and cut into it and sure enough it was ash. The piece was squirrely, not good enough to be used in furniture but perfect for mallets.
I just made a couple of tool boxes for the show so what a perfect complement for each box. I love making my own tools. Malle...ts are easy too make, take an hour to do, and give you great satisfaction when used.

I cut two pieces approximately 5 inches long at angle of 7 degrees. The angle helps relieve fatigue in your arm when used. I drilled a 7/8 inch hole in both blocks. I cut a slot in the top of the dowel. I glued the dowel into the blocks and then used a hardwood wedge to spread the dowel open at the top and secure it place. I cut and sanded a slight curve on the tops. I contoured the handle to fit nicely in my hand.
I love how they turned out. I sanded all of the parts and finished them with an oil and wax finish. This was a true repurpose project. The dowels are from two fishing nets I took apart and used in the foosball project I made for the show.
Maybe I'll do a episode on making your own hand tools'
As always - Thanks for following.
Be safe and be creative
Best
Steve