The carpenter's mallet is worked in the same manner as the gavel (Fig. 136). Such mallets vary greatly in size. The one shown in Fig. 149 is 5 inches long, and 2| inches in diameter. The handle is 10 inches long, including the 2 inches in the head, It is 1 1/8 inches in diameter at the large end and 5/8 inches in diameter in the head.

Mallets for such use should be plain and larger at the center than at the ends. There should be no

Fig. 149. Carpenter's Mallet.

of the surface will cause the splitting of the mallet.

The two dark bands in Fig. 149 are not deep-cut beads. They were made by cutting very small grooves at each edge of each band and holding the end of a stick against the surface while the lathe was in motion, until the surface of the wood was darkened.

The handle should not have any ring, shoulder or other break in the surface at the end near the head, for such a design will cause the strain when in use, to concentrate at one point which will soon cause the handle to break.

For heavy work, mallets have iron rings to keep the wood from splitting. The ends should be cut

Fig. 150. Mallet with Iron Rings.

down to receive the rings. The wood should extend out beyond the ring so that as the mallet is used it will batter over the ring and hinder it from coming off, otherwise the ring will jar off in use. The rings should be heated and shrunk on. Fig. 150 shows the mallet head with the ring on one end and the space ready for the ring at the other end.

Carpenter's mallets are made from box-wood, hickory, maple and similar woods. Sometimes a very tough knot or knurl is used for a mallet.

Fig. 151. Carver's Mallet.