Draw Bar Mallet

[DaveH]

I thought I would just show this, I use this for my draw bar on my RF30 mill. Used it now for about 12 years.
The brass adds weight and also stops too much damage to the draw bar hex end.
Used to give it sharp tap.

This gives an idea of the size, and how I made it. The plain handle shaft is 12 mm dia, the knurled part is 20mm dia. The handle was made in two pieces just screwed and ‘loctited’ together. The plain part is screwed into the head.
The brass bit is 29mm dia x 30mm long
The draw bar is also about 12 years old, and has been “whacked” quite a few times.
   

The brass bit is drilled and tapped to accept a standard long grub screw which was loctited to the head.
   

The standard ½” drive socket (19mm in my case) required a ½” square drive milled on to the head part.
The socket is held in place by a shaped washer and screw. This just stops the socket falling off.
   
   

This shows the damage to the brass bit, after twelve years there is going to be some.
   

I also made one for the Sherline mill, quite a bit smaller.
   
   

Made in a similar way except the square end is 3/8” and purchased. The reason to purchase it was for the “holding ball” so that I could use different size sockets. On the Sherline I use English and metric size draw bars.
   


DaveH

[RobWilson]

Nicely done Dave

Rob

[doubleboost]

Nice
Dave
I have one but not so refined
I like the small one so you can use different size sockets
John

[EdK]

Dave,

Nice tools. A question about the small one. Is the adapter you bought a press fit into the head?

Thanks,
Ed

[DaveH]

Hi Ed,
It is pressed in, I had to turn the adapter down - Once I got through the skin the material wasn't that hard just a bit tough. Afterwards I drilled and taped through the sleeve (head) and into the adapter to take the handle.

Dave

[stevec]

Neat DaveH, where were you all the years I sparred with my mill drill and/or searched for either the wrench or the brass mallet.

[Mayhem]

Nice work Dave

[Wongster]

DaveH,

Nice... a very good idea to have the hammer with the socket on the same tool. Very convenient.

Thanks for showing.

Regards,
Wong

[DaveH]

(05-07-2012, 06:40 AM)stevec Wrote: Neat DaveH, where were you all the years I sparred with my mill drill and/or searched for either the wrench or the brass mallet.

Hi Steve,
I was probably in hospital having the cut above my eye stitched up.

I use to use a 19mm spanner/wrench one with an open jaw one end and a ring the other end.
I would undo the draw bar with the open end, and then with a graceful flick of the wrist, whilst allowing the spanner to pivot between a finger and thumb on the ring end hit the top of the draw bar The one time the graceful flick was a bit hard and inaccurate and glanced off the top of the draw bar. It seemed at this moment I lost my presence of mind because I let go of the ring part. now at a loss of what action I should take, I either closed my eyes, or I forgot to duck, may have been both. With the precision of a laser guided missile it hit me above the right eye


DaveH

[DanH]

Great job Dave!

This looks like a good project for me to try.

One question slightly OT, I noticed that your drawbar only has the one nut at the top. It this standard? My drawbar has a second nut below the pinned nut and that is the one I tighten. Which way is preferred? It seems like your setup would be easier to use but I would have to shorten my drawbar the thickness of the extra nut.

Sorry for the newbe questions.

Dan