In 2013 I built the wooden mallet on the right. My next-door neighbor has marveled over it for the two years I've lived here. He just retired and he and his wife are relocating to another state to be near their kids. I decided to make him one as a going away gift. But I also decided to add a bit of pizzazz to this gifted version as shown on the opposite side.

Step 1: MATERIALS AND DIMENSIONS

Basically, I used scraps from my lumber cart and scraps from a box of hardwood cut-offs.. The head is 7" long and made from three 1 x 4s. The handle is 12" long and made from a 1 x 2. How easy is that?

Step 2: ONLY a FEW PARTS ARE NEEDED

Here are the few parts needed for this mallet all laid out.

Step 3: ADDING SOME PIZAZZ

I cut out strips of walnut from some hardwood scraps and edged the inner section.

Step 4: THE HANDLE

I used a round-over bit in my router to contour the handle. I cut two kerfs in the head section into which I will insert hardwood wedges to splay the top of the handle apart and secure it into the head of the mallet.

Step 5: THE MALLET HEAD

Since I know the handle will slide into the mallet head I glued it up. Then I gave it a test fit.

Step 6: DRESSED TO THE NINES

Anyone who follows me knows I'm 'old school.' That is why I didn't say that I was going to pimp this mallet up or "It's hard out here for a pimp," to quote the title of the 2006 oscar-winning best song of the year. This mallet is about to get dressed to the nines.

AN ASIDE: I don't know how many guys my age like the beat (maybe no so much the words) of rap, but I do. So much so that my youngest son and I formed our own rap group called M and ENIMA. Picture attached.