A mallet is a tool used for imparting force on another object, often made of rubber or sometimes wood, that is smaller than a maul or beetle, and usually has a relatively large head. The term is descriptive of the overall size and proportions of the tool, and not the materials it may be made of, though most mallets have striking faces that are softer than steel. Mallets are used in various industries, such as upholstery work, and a variety of other general purposes. Here are some examples of mallets and their uses:
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Wooden mallets: Usually used in carpentry to knock wooden pieces together, or to drive dowels, chisels, and to apply pressure on joints. A wooden mallet will not deform the striking end of a metal tool, as most metal hammers would. It is also used to reduce the force driving the cutting edge of a chisel, giving better control.
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Rubber mallets: A lightweight hammer-like tool with a head made of molded rubber or hard plastic and a wooden or fiberglass handle. Rubber mallets, sometimes called soft mallets, are used when you need a softer blow than even a wooden mallet might make. They are used to form sheet metal, shift panels of drywall into place, tapping bricks or pavers into the sand, gently tap ceramic or stone tiles into place, and tighten up joints in luxury vinyl tile or in laminate flooring.
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Copper, brass, and leaden mallets: Typically used on machinery to apply force to parts with a reduced risk of damaging them, and to avoid sparks. As these metals are softer than steel, the mallet is deformed by any excessive force, rather than any steel object it is hitting.
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Carvers mallets: Feature heads where the axis of rotation is in line with the handle (so the hitting surface is always round) in a shape like a cylinder on its end, or a sphere. They are used in woodworking to strike a chisel when cutting dovetail joints, mortise and tenon joints, or other joints that require a sharp edge.
Mallets are also used in sports such as croquet and polo, as well as in music to play percussion instruments like timpani, bells, or a marimba.
