The Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding offers a Basic Boatbuilding course where students learn how to use a lathe to create a pearwood mallet. Using a lathe is an important part of boatbuilding and helps to create various pieces of equipment, including mallets.
In this particular project, students begin with a block of pearwood, which they must transform into the desired shape for their mallet. The lathe is an essential tool in this process, as it allows the student to create a symmetrical, uniform shape for the mallet.
The first step in the project is to prepare the pearwood block for turning. The block is cut to the correct size using a bandsaw and then sanded down to a smoother finish. This helps to protect the lathe from any rough edges that may damage it. Once the block is prepped and ready, it is mounted onto the lathe and the turning process can begin.
The actual turning process takes place in stages. With each pass, the student uses a combination of hand tools and the lathe to create a specific shape for the mallet. This process can take several hours, and requires a great deal of patience and precision.
The student begins by creating a basic round shape for the mallet, using a roughing gouge to remove the bulk of the material. Next, they switch to a skew chisel to create a more defined shape for the handle. Once the handle is shaped to their preference, they move onto creating the head of the mallet.
The head of the mallet is typically wider than the handle, and has a flat top and bottom. The student uses a parting tool to create a groove around the circumference of the head, which will allow them to create a more detailed shape for the mallet. They use a skew chisel to create a tapered shape for the head, cutting away at the wood until they achieve the desired shape.
Once the basic shape is achieved, the student can move onto more detailed work. This involves creating chamfers, or beveled edges, on the handle for comfort, as well as creating a more rounded shape for the head of the mallet. The final step is to sand and finish the mallet, which brings out the natural beauty of the pearwood and also protects it from damage.
Overall, turning a pearwood mallet is an important demonstration project in the Basic Boatbuilding course at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding. It teaches students how to use a lathe, which is an essential tool for boatbuilding, and also provides them with a tangible piece of equipment that they can use in their future projects.
Posted by Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding on 2012-11-12 01:29:52
