New Mold Whacker

[Friar_Tuck]

It always seems to work this way. You look all over for some good grained lumber when building a fancy project but can not find any. The other day at the hunting shack I was splitting some dry ash firewood, and figured I would keep a chunk to make into a mold whacker. Just some old firewood,for a project that would get beat up right away. So I brought it home and turned it up, and you might know, it has a beautiful quilted grain. It was hard to smack the mold with it the first few times. But I guess you might as well enjoy nice looking wood, even if you are going to beat it up.
Jim

[Mica_Hiebert]

nice tire thumper you got there.

[Rustyleee]

nice tire thumper you got there.

I was thinking the same thing. There's a whole bin full of them at the Flying J truck stop.

[chsparkman]

Nice. You don't see ash with figure very often.

[Friar_Tuck]

Nice. You don't see ash with figure very often.

Exactly, you might know I would find it in the firewood pile.
Jim

[Hardcast416taylor]

I never found the need to beat on my molds with about anything.Robert

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Nowadays they are referred to and sold as a "mold mallet". It is not necessary to "beat" on a mold to cut the sprue. A tap or two is usually sufficient...if not then there is some other problem. Many casters use their gloved hand and get good results. A tire thumper is kind of big for the operation. I still have a wooden (ash) dowel of 1 and 1/4" diameter that I one turned on the lathe...it is around 9 inches long and has lasted 40 years. I have also used a rawhide mallet, a plastic mallet and a small wooden mallet...all with success and never any harm to the molds that I use. LLS

[Sghinds]

That is a pretty piece of wood. I use a Lee one I got in a package deal, once it finally dies, I plan on buying a nice one.

[Friar_Tuck]

The picture may be a bit deceiving, it is probably 9" long and 1.5" across on the big end. I do like the term "mold mallet" as it is a better description of the way it is used.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I split lots of Ash for firewood, it's one of the predominant trees in my area. There is always figure near the crotches. It can be plainly seen when splitting. Many times, I wish I had a project for a chunk of figured wood that's less than 16 inches long

[JWT]

The ash tree that contributed the wood for these saw handles came from my back yard. It was ash borer killed.

[Friar_Tuck]

The ash tree that contributed the wood for these saw handles came from my back yard. It was ash borer killed.

Very nice indeed!

[StuBach]

The ash tree that contributed the wood for these saw handles came from my back yard. It was ash borer killed.

Those are beautiful.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I use a piece of a shovel handle or some such. It's lasted a long time. Not pretty either. I wouldn't want to use that nice piece of wood.

[Garyshome]

That thing looks pretty good for concealed carry.

[hutch18414]

The ash tree that contributed the wood for these saw handles came from my back yard. It was ash borer killed.

Beautiful work! Gotta love a good piece of ash.

[Petrol & Powder]

The ash tree that contributed the wood for these saw handles came from my back yard. It was ash borer killed.

RECYCLING ! See, you're greener than you thought!

[OS OK]

I hope that your wife doesn't find it…next time you give her any lip and…WHACK!

You'll know how the 'poor little mold' feels!

[Hamish]

nice tire thumper you got there.

Exactly.

Whack your tires, not your moulds,,,,,,,,. (Think about it, what you're whacking is not the spruce plate, it's the bushing/and or the spruce plate bolt.). How is many times does it take hitting off center of throw to warp the spruce plate up off the blocks? I used to whack, but once you get into the habit of breaking the spruce with hand pressure, it's really quite liberating.

Nice turning though!

JWT, nice to see another Galoot,,,,,,well done on the saws!

[Bruntson]

Nice! Ash is the perfect wood to use as a mold tapper. Ash is used in baseball bats and as tool handles because of its strength and fine grain.