$3 Poly Maul

[AfroCrafter]

Hey guys,

Here in South Africa, there is only one place to get any tools ; a third party retailer for the Tandy shop halfway across the country who seldom has stock.

As a result, I am always on the lookout for easy tools that I can make myself to do the job.

Mallets and mauls are very expensive here and there is only one in stock at any one time!

I have been using a hammer handle with an old belt around it for about 5 months now but I am tired of it and wanted to upgrade.

I have been coveting an Stolhman Poly Maul and decided that yesterday was the day that I try and make one for my self.

No... I didn't really nail it the way I was hoping. It's a bit rough and ready and a lathe would have been a VERY useful tool to have so that I could turn down the handle nicely but, alas, I don't have one. However, I am thrilled with the outcome. and love the new feel of it.

Here's a shot of the "raw materials". The threaded bar is a 6mm diameter and I used nyloc nuts to keep it all together. I didn't use any glue at all.

It is seriously straight forward to make and so my only advice is to clamp the leather down when you drill the disks out! DO not try and hold it flat on the bench with your hand. I nearly lost a finger nail when the piece I was drilling, bit into the hole saw and wrapped my hand around the drill! It was a painful realisation of just how strong leather is.

I have no idea where the center of the weight should be but I recon you could balance it by taking off the end disk, drilling a few small holes in the second disk down, inserting a few lead fishing weights, and clamping the whole thing back together. That way you could add weight to the head if necessary. The center of this one is right at the join between the head and the handle. Can any one tell me where the weight should lie?

For the rest of us noobs out there, you don't need a huge budget to get started. Just a bit of patience and some effort, after all, this is a craft and an art so we may as well invest some time into the set up.

Cheers

Alex

[rf744]

Hi Alex,

Great job. So the handle is made from leather disks of different sizes to shape it and the head is made of poly cutting board disks of the same size? I don't see the 6mm threaded bar but I see something that looks like an A.I. gun. Thanks for the idea.

Randy

[AfroCrafter]

Thanks Randy,

The "AI gun" is the length of the 6mm threaded rod which I cut to the size I wanted. It is essentially just a long bolt with no head.

That would certainly bring a tear to your eye if it were an AI gun! Eish!

Thanks again.

[rf744]

Hahaha. I guess I really need glasses.

[raysouth]

Looks great and sure you will cherish, being self made.

Very creative work.

God Bless.

Ray

[MonicaJacobson]

Ha ha, this is awesome. Great job!

[Redrum]

Graet idea I will be starting one this weekend Thanks.

[olds cool]

Poly cutting board, genius! I may have to give this a try.

[AfroCrafter]

Thanks for the nice comments guys.

Redrum, I would love to see a pic if you get yours done this weekend.

I might go and get one of those massive dog bones and try making a raw hide one in the same manner.

Cheers

[Fullmetalsam]

I love the ingenuity on this.

It's a great looking maul considering the price and material used... and it sure looks like a major step up from what you were originally using.

Kudos to you for making your own tools !

[Ken G]

I agree with the others and congratulate you on your ingenuity, and frugality. I will have to put one or two of these on my project list. Luckily I do know of a lathe or two I can borrow.

Since I have never used a poly maul I can't tell you where the balance point should be and I have no idea what the sm, med, and lg Stolhman mauls weigh. I do have a better idea of how to add the weight to the head but you will need to calculate how much to add. My idea will allow you to move the weight up and down in the length of the head to change the balance point.

Since they tried to teach me the metric system around 1974 I haven't used it much. I know the math conversions but I can't guess what 100 grams may feel like in my hand. I also have to make some assumptions on your dimensions and your hole saw sizes.

Anyway what I am picturing is a cast lead cylinder inside the head. Lead weighs approximately 11.4 grams per cubic centimeter. If my math is correct a 2 cm diameter cylinder of lead 1 cm thick should weigh approx. 35.8 grams. If I remember right I used, Volume = (pi) x ® x ® x depth, or 3.14 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 11.4 g/cc=35.8 g. You just need to calculate how much weight you need to add and cast your cylinder the correct length. I used 2 cm diameter as that made the math real easy, pick a hole saw size and go from there.

Now to cast the cylinder you need to make a simple mold. I'm thinking you could use two short pieces of lumber clamped together. Use your hole saw ( say a 2cm?) to drill a hole in the end of the clamped block in the center of the seam. Separate the pieces and square up the bottoms with a chisel. When you clamp them back together you will have a cylindrical mold. Melt your lead and carefully pour it in the mold. After a few minutes separate the mold and you should have a lead cylinder of whatever length you calculate you need. Drill a hole in the center for your threaded rod.

Use the same hole saw and drill a hole out of the corresponding number of poly discs. The lead cylinder should fit in this core snuggly. Stack your poly discs back together. Since your discs are the same size you can move the weighted section up or down as needed.

After typing this I realized I am assuming you have the ability to melt and cast lead. Lead is toxic so don't breath the fumes or lick your fingers. Also depending on the alloy the melting temperature is probably 500 - 600 degrees F or 260 - 315 degrees C. Either way you count it that's freaking hot so plan accordingly. You can melt small quantities in a metal can or old saucepan on a gas burner, preferably outside. There are plenty of videos on Youtube on how to cast lead. And just to scare you, don't get any moisture in the molten lead it will explode and jump right out of the pan and land on your face, Not good.

Anyway, get out your calculators, tools, and safety gear and have at it. I hope this all makes sense, if not I will try to answer any questions to explain it better.

[Brandon]

Acha! I made one some years back. I first soak the leather "washers" in white glue + water (50/50).

As you tighten the nut, you can add in more till the length of the handle is filled.

Leave it for a day or so to dry.

Don't know how to attach a pic here!

Check this out: http://asailorsleath...ather-tool.html

Edited October 12, 2013 by Brandon

[Redrum]

Well I thought i'd share the maul i made this weekend.Thanks for the idea to use a cutting board.I also included the head knife that i made out of a saw blade.I made mistakes on both but am very happy with the maul.I used dog collar that i decided was too thick(2 layers 9 oz.veg)for the handle and of course vinigroon.The head knife cuts 8 oz like butter.

[Geneva]

The question is for Redrum. Not this topic specifically. Why do you call yourself Murder? I think I would have selected a different nick name.

[Redrum]

It's just a name i got used to using playing online gaming.

[jmann8686]

Ok so I love making my own tools and items. This is a great Idea and am going to give it a go. Thanks for the idea.

[halfwit]

I saw this and it reminded me of the mallet I made for much cheaper than the ones that Tandy and other retailers carry. I found a place in town that carried thick poly dowel rod and used a 3/4" allthread rod wrapped in leather for the handle. All in all it costed me about 8-9$ and works quite well.

[THE BIG RED VIKING]

Thought I would give my $3 poly maul a shot today and here is what I came up with. The one on the right with the wooden handle was the first one and since I had left over cutting board I made another with leather disc handles.

Edited October 27, 2013 by THE BIG RED VIKING