Lead mallet

[Seadog]

I picked up this little soft-faced knocking-stick sometime in the past, I would expect for peanuts, but then it was missing an insert.

It was an addition to my 'Round Tuit' pile. Well, yesterday I decided to do something about it.

I don't have a lead faced mallet, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to make one.

The hole is threaded 8mm, so finding a bolt and trimming it to length, was no problem.

Now how to cast the head?

Sitting on my workbench was a 28mm x15mm reducing Tee that I'd cut a piece from for some other purpose, that was about the right diameter. Okay, it was smaller than I'd like but this is just an experiment.
Support everything in the vice on parallels and lightly clamp it up.

I knew the trimmings from the lead flashing project from 7 or 8 years ago would come in handy, they did!

Now it's just a case of filling and heating until the excess runs out of the Tee.

Jobs a good'un. The finished article...

Just kidding

Cut the copper fitting and prise off, which i thought was surprisingly easy for a Yorkshire fitting, but I guess the overheating had oxidised the copper at the copper-solder junction and it came off cleanly.

 

[Seadog]

Final, unnecessary job, clean it all up in the lathe and fit it. Okay, I went a bit OTT, and it's smaller than I'd like, but I can always make a slightly larger one when it needs to be replaced. Just a proof of concept that I'm happy with.

 

[gaz1]

just to note its not a lead mallet as they are more made of wood or new ones made of plastic

what you could have is an aluminum mallet instead

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@Seadog

Nice work, I love the concept of the salvage of odd parts to make a decent new part.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Seadog]

Thanks TYA. Appreciated from someone with your skills at tool resurrection

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@Seadog .
Looks like the lead was good quality. No or limited dross on the pour.

I like.

 

[Seadog]

It was either code 3 or 4, I can't remember which. I got it nice and hot, puddled it with a drill that was to hand, and the dross solidified and came out nicely. Considering the pieces were wet and covered in slime from the leaking container they were stored in I'm well chuffed.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@Seadog

Was the dross "crystalline and sparkly" or "dull and lumpy"?

If it was the former you had lifted the additives from when the lead was first mixed.

If it was later it is the oxides and crud from the lead.

Neither will alter the lead in much details.

Best roof lead is from pre 2005, the best stuff is pre 1950.

 

[optima21]

I got a lead mallet a few years ago, only used it once, found it was too soft and just deformed the head, its confusing, because in my head I think it'll be light as it looks like aluminium, but it weights 3kg.......I was told that they were made for removing the spinners on wire wheels.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@optima21

For the spinners it was either hide or copper. If you find a Jaguar one for a few £££££ snap it up. Worth a fortune.

Lead was used to deliver a heavy short sharp shock to softer or easily deformed metal. (Not a baby Tiffs skull @daleyd)

If you find a Thor lead one with a MOD mark, again worth a bit of money.

 

[Seadog]

"dull and lumpy"

There was a fair bit of oxide, the whole lot has been under water for two or three years I reckon.