Here is my “Mallet and Awl Marking Kit” tip that appeared in the “Tips” section on page 17 of the AAW February 2023 “American Woodturner” Journal.

As I get older, I try to be more careful with my hands. I don’t want to develop arthritis, which could end my woodturning days. So I avoid the temptation of using my hands as a hammer. One example was when using an awl to make centered indents on spindle blanks. I now use a shopmade mallet to tap the awl instead of using my palm.

I cut the mallet out of a scrap of ash. It measures 91/2″ × 3″ × 2″ (24cm × 8cm × 5cm). I added holes to my mallet that hold an awl and a marker. This makes it into a one-stop center-marking kit. I use the marker to highlight the centered indents, which makes them easier to see when mounting work on the lathe between centers.

Check out my “Circle Center Finder” blog entry for the center finder in above photos.

Carl has been published numerous times. Click here to see a list of Carl’s other magazine articles.