Working The Infill Mallet Head Shell Casting
I’ve been working on the first set of Studleyesque infill mallet head shell castings from Bill Martley, getting an idea about how to get these from rough castings to finished tools comparable to the mallet ol’ Henry had. That is, of course, my favorite tool in the tool cabinet. Even though these castings are not the alloy I want to end with, this gunmetal bronze is simply a little too red for my needs, getting these prototypes to “finished” is a critical step in the creating mallets for sale.
I need to learn how, and how long, it will take for me to get from rough casting >>>> ready-to-sell, since that will determine the price for a finished item. I can pretty much promise it will not be competitive with Harbor Freight mallets, or even Crucible Tools. The$e mallet$ would be $everal multiple$ more pricey. And, if there is zero market for them, well, I will have quite an inventory of expensive gifts.
One of the most important aspects of the process is getting the cove detail just right on the handle collars and around the faces. Since I have a collection of chainsaw files of varying sizes I was able to find just the right tool for that task. I just lay the round chisel in the groove of the cove and gently move it along the groove, making sure to not rock the tool in use. That way I can get a clean, crisp surface.
The next step will be to establish the surface texture. Stay tuned.
awesome project !!
I have reproduced several projects in Gun Metal Bronze and Yellow Brass. I prefer the Yellow Brass on projects that require a highly buffed shiny finish (such as the Studley Mallet). looking forward to seeing your finished products. it is really nice to see the Studley Mallet getting into the hands of craftsmen.
I am so excited about this. When I got to know that these castings are available, I immediately ordered one without much thinking. I guess I am fine with the reddish color, since I don’t have the original color upfront, or anything to compare it to. However I think, that the color might match nice with the right choice of species for the Handle and the Infill. Since I am in Germany most of the recommended species despite ash, oak and beech are not available locally. I have some pieces of what I believe is European Walnut, which has a reddish-orange touch to it. It might match very well. In any case I want something local.
I am excited to see more of your processing, especially because I am not sure how exactly the infill is done properly. Bill posted a drawing on instagram, which shows a way of doing it. Looking forward to see your approach!
I’ll agree with you on the initial color being not quite Studley enough, but I will say based on previous experience this color bronze, it will brown out significantly with patina and is going to look great.
If you happen to note which file(s) you used, that might be helpful for those at home with fewer files that also now have one of Bill’s castings. I’m sure I will appreciate your documentation/peer pressure as I start cleaning up the shell I have in hand.