How many Hammers

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Someone once said [on this Forum ,a long time ago } That if you cannot find a hammer when you need one, then no matter how many hammers you have, YOU DO NOT HAVE A HAMMER !!

I think I have about eight or ten, must count them later, although it seems I am only in the halfpenny place !

Now when it comes to G clamps ,Sash clamps, F clamps, big and small, I am in a world of my own !

Some bought but most homemade.

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Long nose pliers or a ‘dremel’ or small awl can all help with starting the pins, at times, when the usual kit is not to be easily found.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Don't you use a cross peen hammer for starting panel pins?

This all reminds me of the millwright joke. Our millwright has lots of tools, trouble is they are nearly all hammers.

regards Martin

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

I've got lots, but fewer since I donated nearly a dozen duplicates to 'Tools With a Mission'. I like the idea that they can help somebody earn a living rahter than in skulking in my drawer.

Off topic a bit, I recently read 'Every tool's a hammer' by Adam Savage (one of the Mythbusters team). It's a very interesting and thought-provoking read.

George

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Anything under 2lbs would be met with a snort of disgust by our millwrights. When called to a job they would do a tool less visit to see what they would need, the small tool bag was very heavy and you wouldn’t want to carry it far, a sack truck was usually required and they had a labourer to fetch and carry all the heavy stuff like jacks, chain blocks and sylvesters, mind you if they could they would use their forklift. Being a sparky most of what I needed fitted in my pockets, we did have a trolley for the oscilloscope though as they were not pocket sized in those days.

Mike

[DustyParticipant @dusty]

You should remember when fitting things together 'never force anything always use the correct size hammer'

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

17 for me of all types, from a medium size sledge down to something so light I don't recall ever using it. Including a ball pein (pane, peen, pien???) hammer I forged myself during my apprenticeship, we spent a few weeks with a proper engineering blacksmith, (not what seems to commonly pass as such these days). I've also just successfully replaced the hide end of my size 1 Thor mallet.

John

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

Here is my selection, from big to minature.

[Guy LambParticipant @guylamb68056]

In the past I've had people come into my smithy an ask "how many hammers do you need" looking at my shelves of neatly stored top tools (swages, fullers,punches,drifts,flatters, sets etc) thinking because they have a shaft they must be hammers. And not being aware that in turn these tools are stuck by a hammer. Many of these tools were made by long dead smiths which I inherited and, to be truthful, some of which I have only rarely used but, as they don't eat anything they can stay until I've had my day. The one hammer I use day-in day-out is a 1 1/4 lb long shafted ball pein sort that 'just feels right'. I have to re-shaft it every three or four years usually from broken sledge shafts shaved down and kept for the purpose and I wouldn't like to start training another hammer at this stage in my working life should I loose it!

Best

Guy

[JC54Participant @jc54]

I can relate to "training" a new hammer, I have over 30 hammers of various sorts and sizes but for panel beating go straight to a couple of Snap-On hammers that have fitted my hand for over 35 years. They came as a set of 3 and the odd one has only been used about 6 times, it just feels wrong??????

John

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Could having too many hammers become a thor point?

Thorry!

[Roger Baker 2Participant @rogerbaker2]

The only hammer you will ever need is a bigger one.

Roger

[John MCParticipant @johnmc39344]

Perhaps this thread should be "balanced" with a "how many micrometers" thread. Both can be used with precision,apparently.

John

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by not done it yet on 25/09/2019 12:35:17:

Long nose pliers or a ‘dremel’ or small awl can all help with starting the pins, at times, when the usual kit is not to be easily found.

Oddly enough, you can also use a comb or paper.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Had a rough count, and gave up after 18.

Ian S C

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

If you use hammers to shape metal directly (no punches or other intermediate devices) it is important to have a face that nearly matches the finished surface curvature, (smaller never larger), and a handle at a position so that you can get a good swing. It is also sometimes necessary to have the contact surface quite a long way from the handle axis because something else gets in the way. As there is a wide range of surface radii, handle positions, and extensions, trades like silversmithing and panel beating are very hammer-rich. And of course, they also need all the other types for closing rivets, using with cold chisels, driving pins, pegs, and nails, and punches. And if they also do repousse work or chasing, they will need two or three sizes with wide flat faces, and very springy handles, to keep up the continuous steady vickers-gun on each of at least 30 punches in turn.

So, the answer is a clue to the trade.

Warrington was a centre for steel wire production, much of it for winding gear in coal mines. So what was a Warrington Pattern hammer intended for, originally?

Cheers, Tim

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

If you include panel beating hammers, and a dead blow hammer, but exclude copper / hide mallets, I can about manage twenty.two As I said, like drill chucks, they breed!

Howard

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

My selection within easy reach in the Workshop.

4th from left my favourite for moderate persuasion.

Panel beating ones in their own toolbox with long handled lump hammer at the rear door.

Geoff – Starting to feel normal now and walking just over a mile once again.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Geoff,

Glad that you are getting better.

Thought that you meant third from right!

Howard

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks Howard,

That one on the right is reserved for a last warning before the biggie comes into play, and that one is the long handled lump hammer delivering the ultimate “You’re history” blow.

Don’t remember when I last used it though.

Geoff – Sends a message does it not 🤔

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I had a quick count and I made it about 35 and I suspect there are one or two more lurking around. If you think about it, then hammers fall into several categories, engineering, building, woodworking, guilding and panel beating, plus specials like sledge hammers and so on. It isn't difficult to accumulate an awful lot!

My own bête noir isn't hammers, but ball joint splitters. I can never find one when I need it and so buy yet another. Last time I had a mega tidy up, I found I had 9 of them of varying types!

Andrew.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Andrew,

and that does not include the two hammers when you can't find a ball joint splitter!

Howard

[VicParticipant @vic]

When I first started work as a mechanic I had the need of a ball joint splitter so asked the Foreman where it was. He said “it’s in your toolbox” noticing my confusion he walked over to my toolbox and selected a large ball pein hammer. I took about two heavy swings for him to release the joint! As far as I am aware the garage never actually owned a proper splitter and it was a Ford Dealer.

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Vic,

I never did manage to get the knack of using two hammers to split a ball joint!

Andrew.

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

One of my favorite drawings from "Keep your VW alive"

[Author]

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