Mallet and Pencil Box

  Most of my effort in the wood shop for the past week or so has been destruction and reconstruction.  Yesterday I took my two biggest tool cabinets off the wall and switched them around.  It was a big job, all the tools had to be un-loaded, with help the cabinets came off the wall and were adjusted, reassembled and remounted. 

  I switched the cabinets around to make my work space more comfortable and to improve the fung shui . 

  The three cabinets now seem more balanced and for me, create a less oppressive work space. The far cabinet is filled with craft supplies and related project parts, I picked the cabinet off the side of the road in spring cleaning time a couple of seasons ago. The middle shelf has saws, knives, squares and various measuring tools.  The large cabinet is filled with glue and  string and hammers and wire and painters pyramids etc, etc, etc, 

  One thing I have done is reduce the number of tools that are easily to hand.  Over the years in an effort to make my life easier I had gathered many tools into this corner thinking that having each tool ready at hand would be more efficient.  It just become cluttered and dusty, not efficient.  

  Anyway, I said mallet.  While working on my lumber rack last week I had some  thumping to do.  I was using my carver's maul to thump and that is just not right.  In the midst of the chaos I took time to make a heavy mallet.

  Having my new mallet easily at hand means that I will not miss-use another tool when the time comes.  This mallet will thump parts into place, drive stakes in the garden and adjust wedges.

  I had a lump of oak from which I made the head and a really nice piece of elm for the handle.  Elm is tough and stringy and I think should make a good handle.  I glued the various pieces together and pinned the handle in place with dowels.  The quality and power of modern glues gives me full confidence that the two part head will last as long as I need this tool.

  The previous  blog featuring rasps was inspired by the shaping of this mallet's handle.  I cut the basic shape on the band saw but did all the final edge breaking and shaping with rasps and files. 

  

  Over the last couple of weeks I have been video conference drawing with my Grand Daughter and while chasing pens and pencils around my desk I decided it was time to make another art storage/management item. 

  

  With another leather hinge and an elastic closure all the pencils seen standing in the previous photo are safely stored inside and ready to travel from desk to desk or town to town.

  Our family really haven't experienced any significant difficulties during this 'lock down' period, for which we are grateful. As well one of the bonuses in this situation is the realization of the amount of 'stuff' with which we fill our lives, and the general disarray in which we actually live.  Awakening each day and saying, " I have no place I need/plan to go today" has meant that I have been comfortable directing my focus to my life at home. I don't want this situation to continue for months but I have profited from these few weeks.

 cheers, ianw

be thoughtful, be safe.