Mallet head metal

I use one of these guys on the other side for a smooth edge:

To be honest I could just put the nut inside and have the bolt going only halfway through, I'm sure it would still be fine.

In my second mallet I used a dome headed coach bolt and put the nut onto the mallet shaft. I now do it like everyone else, bolt from the bottom and a small screw to stop it rotating. I've serrated the end of the pole but all it's doing is cutting through the pipe.

The screw in this image could easily be countersunk a bit so that it doesn't protrude, but I can't see how it might cause damage as it is.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P99cUFWwoL8/Tr5yGPlrbBI/AAAAAAAABA0/FDoAv9fRu90/s800/IMAG0025-1.jpg

"make polo mallet" come up with illegal mallets, you can see why people might have them

There were a couple of people with mallets like this at Hell's Belles. Not ok.

The screw in [in the image above] could easily be countersunk a bit so that it doesn't protrude, but I can't see how it might cause damage as it is.

I can't see what the problem with that is?
Its so close to the shaft that could you actually can't anything on it?

Can people stop using unnecessary & potentially dangerous question marks, please?

It's a sharp edge, projecting from the mallet head - therefore not legal under the rules, and I would expect any serious ref to request that it was at least taped, if not filed.

Projecting = Bills new project word.

and... loving your work dan.

ooo oo Bill what have you been looking at this weekend .... ? finds a sharp stick.

I can't see what the problem with that is?
Its so close to the shaft that could you actually can't anything on it?

Personally I agree, but i guess the thing to remember is that if you go to a tourney with that mallet and bill's reffing your game you won't be allowed to use it. It's worth noting that bill ref's quite a lot.

It's also worth noting that he is also often head ref and tells the other refs what to do.

So it's probably best to make sure you've got no protruding metal at all before going to a tourney.

It's still quite hard to find out how to do it. Took me quite a while searching to fully understand what people were on about and I found no photos.

I totally didn't understand the nut in the shaft method till John h showed me.

but I can't see how it might cause damage as it is.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-P99cUFWwoL8/Tr5yGPlrbBI/AAAAAAAABA0/FDoAv9fRu90/s800/IMAG0025-1.jpg

This I totally disagree with this. bolts on the side of the mallet are very dangerous and can easily catch human flesh.

I still have a nice shin scar from being caught by one of those mallets back in the day ^^^^^^^^^

sorry guys, realise my first post was massively counter productive as i'd forgotten that it suggests you just hacksaw off the end of the bolt. however common sense* should tell you that leaving a sharp piece of metal sticking out of an object you're going to wave around near others is a dumb idea, so you'd hope that people wouldn't leave this as is (my mk1 mallet had this covered with a dome of epoxy resin).

i think ref's should be looking harder at this stuff, but also i think it's even harder to manage the safety aspect at more casual throw in's, as it can be difficult to say to someone that you've got a problem with their uncapped bar end/knackered mallet/mangled bike rack, especially if you're a relatively noob compared to them.

(*i should point out here that i'm not making any great claims for my general levels of common sense!)

Shinscar's not nice.

tru dat Bill

I found that if you do use the protruding side nut method that if you use a dremel to cut off the excess thread then the heat generated caused the nut to sink in to the plastic and therefore no exposed bits

i think ref's should be looking harder at this stuff, but also i think it's even harder to manage the safety aspect at more casual throw in's

Another good reason to be a nuisance about mallets at tourneys. If players are aware that this will be checked, then they will get their mallets up to scratch.

This I totally disagree with this. bolts on the side of the mallet are very dangerous and can easily catch human flesh.

You didn't click on the image link did you. And you didn't notice I said "screw" not bolt.

This is the T-nut method. There are a few ways of doing it but they pretty much always result in either a complete bolt/nut or a cut off and sharp bolt/nut projecting from the mallet. These are probably the best at minimising head rotation but unless a countersunk bolt and a recessed nut are used, they're dangerous:

This is the dowel method. I've never experienced these but apparently the little screw stops rotation pretty well. If done properly, there should be no projections from the side of the mallet:

I've got a mallet to build up once my fractured scaphoid has healed and it will be made using the 'put a nut down the mallet using a threaded bar then attach the head using a coutnersunk bolt from the bottom of the mallet' technique. A lot of people say that these mallets rotate a lot but many have claimed that filing or cutting some teeth into the lower end of the shaft stops this rotation. Mallets built in this way are both aesthetically pleasing and safe.

I would think this little screw could be omitted - given that it protrudes and there is also a screw into the dowel?

(From 3Pmh method)

i understand what the rules say, and im not commenting on that, im merely stating that a heavily used mallet head can have uneven ends
and with a chunk taken out of the business end that, too me, becomes alot more dangerous that that^ is

But when a big chunk has been taken out of the business end it's time to get a new head so it won't be used like this for long. People will continue playing for a lot longer with a mallet with protruding metal on the side because the mallet is still perfectly functional.

I would think this little screw could be omitted - given that it protrudes and there is also a screw into the dowel?

(From 3Pmh method)

The screw is there to ensure that the mallet head doesn't rotate under a heavy hit. Depending on your playing style this may or may not be required.

As far as safety goes, the 3pmh are definitely the best (IMO) – the small screw to stop rotation is in the little machined recess. The screw at the bottom doubles as a fastener and plugs the open end.

However, the caps aren't nearly as good as Harvey's heads (and my shooting is lousy enough) so I'm hesitant to adopt them. There are a huge number of others using Harvey's heads, I'd be interested to see how others mount theirs in a way that is considered tournament safe (basically so that I can copy).

the nut (down the shaft) and countersunk machine screw method, is by far the safest. No need for an extra screw like the 3pmh. No protrusions. It's so easy and simple, No excuses!

it does work well

the nut (down the shaft) and countersunk machine screw method, is by far the safest. No need for an extra screw like the 3pmh. No protrusions. It's so easy and simple, No excuses!

^ This...
#nevergoingback

Ditto.

What size nut are people using for this and is a threaded rod required to seat the nut properly?

M6, and whilst it can be done without threaded rod, it's much easier with.

I've been using M4, only really works with the rik poles, but you can keep them thin and 'whippy' at the end, if that's your thing