Plane Hammer

[Mr Ed]

I remember reading that post at the time, interesting, but it just doesn't do it for me - I'm obviously some sort of hammer heathen!

Ed

 

[wizer]

Ok, so I have decided on my design and the construction method. I have a piece of 20mm brass bar (thanks katellwood).

What sort of drill bit should I use to drill the mortice for the handle? I'm thinking 12 or 14mm. I don't think my Lidl brad points are gong to be up to the challenge

Recommendations appreciated

 

[Mr Ed]

I use HSS bits for brass.

Ed

 

[Aled Dafis]

Standard HSS bits will be fine.

I'd prepare a simple block of wood to act as a drilling jig to aid you in drilling the 12mm hole centrally in the brass bar.

A picture makes it clearer than my explanations ever could. (sorry, but my CAD proramme doesn't have a "wood" plugin yet)

Just make sure that the 12mm hole in the jig is exactly central to the 20mm hole for the hammer head. An off centre hole in round bar often looks far worse than it usually is.

Cheers

Aled

Edit - just found the "wood" setting

 

[lurker]

Wizer,

To some extent the size of the hole will be governed by the capacity of the drill chuck unless you get a "blacksmith" HSS bit.

Aled's advice regarding centreing jig is not to be ignored. DAMHIKT

 

[Harbo]

Here's one I made a while back from a spare handle, some brass tubing and some box "dowelling".

Not that heavy but works fine - the boxwood has survived the bashing it gets

Rod (sorry about the picture size - old photo!)

 

[Mr Ed]

I couldn't post the hammer I'd made when this thread came round, as it was covert, being secret santa and all that. Here it is - brass head 19mm dia, about 70mm long and cocobolo handle.

I prefer the milled slot to a round hole as I feel its more positive for the handle fitting. Going to make a Mk2 version for myself now.

Have you made one yet Tom?

Ed

 

[Aled Dafis]

Did you sneak a milling machine into the workshop without telling us Ed?

 

[Mr Ed]

Did you sneak a milling machine into the workshop without telling us Ed?

I wish I had - it was a slow process doing it the way I did. I have a vertical slide for my lathe,
so I mount that on the cross slide and effectively get a 3 axis milling machine laying on its side, with the cutter mounted in the chuck.

It has a very limited capacity as its only a small lathe,
but its good enough for things like this.

Ed

 

[wizer]

No not yet Ed. I ran out of time before the op and I didn't expect to still be 'recovering'. So progress is slow atm. I have no pressing job on in the workshop for the foreseable future, so it'll get done soon. I need to spend some time getting to know the Philly Plane soon, so a hammer will be needed. I'm thinking about inlaying a wood insert on one side of the hammer.

 

[Karl]

Tom - I use 2 "hammers" on my PhillyPlanes - a lignum mallet when knocking the body, and a jap hammer for increasing the blade set. A metal double faced hammer with one wooden face would be a good idea.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Harbo]

Nice looking hammer Mr Ed.

January's F&C has David Barron "giving away" his production secrets on the short handled chisel hammer he sells.
Head from 32mm diam brass with round wedged hole - very easy to modify shape and size of handle if required?

The one I made is very light but does the business.

Rod

 

[Mr Ed]

Head from 32mm diam brass

I've not seen the article, but that size of stock sounds a bit hefty for a plane adjusting hammer to me. I've always seen them as a small delicate thing for precise taps.

Ed

 

[wizer]

Cheers Karl. Just got to work out how to do it. I'm thinking some sort of double screw that I can tap into the brass, somehow.

 

[Harbo]

Mr Ed - you are probably right - it is a chisel hammer really.
The hammer has some nice details which could be adapted like relieving the edges and rounding off one end slightly.
The handle attachment using a wedge and brass pin is nice?
Though for a 19mm head you would have to go for an oval socket like yours?

Rod

 

[Mr Ed]

Mr Ed - you are probably right - it is a chisel hammer really.

That size makes sense for a chisel hammer - it sounds like the Glen Drake one, which is something I had a notion of copying one day when I get the chance.

Ed

 

[Aled Dafis]

January's F&C has David Barron "giving away" his production secrets on the short handled chisel hammer he sells.
Head from 32mm diam brass with round wedged hole - very easy to modify shape and size of handle if required?

Rod

I was also suprised to see him giving away his secrets, seems a very labour intensive way of making tools though. Does anybody know how much he charges for them?

I really liked his planes in the previous issue, I was very tempted, but thankfully he doesn't have a web presence for his tools.

A small hammer like this has been on my "to do" list for a few years, based on the Glen Drake hammers

http://www.glen-drake.com/v-web/ecommerce/os/catalog/index.php?cPath=21

which I can only assume were the inspiration for David barron's hammers.

Cheers

Aled

 

[Mr Ed]

Cheers Karl. Just got to work out how to do it. I'm thinking some sort of double screw that I can tap into the brass, somehow.

I was thinking of a wooden face on one end of my hammer. I was planning to bore a hole in the brass and then turn a small spigot on the wood bit and epoxy it in, before turning the 2 together to finished size.

Only thing I wondered about, was that if I use a hardwood (say rosewood for example) is that actually going to be much softer than the brass? Might be a lot of work putting a wood face on one end for no gain...

I'm still mulling it over.

Ed

 

[wizer]

I was thinking of using Goncalo Alves or Lignum.

 

[Mr Ed]

I was thinking of using Goncalo Alves or Lignum.

Well they're both pretty hard as well, so my same comment applies - is it soft enough compared to the brass to make it worth bothering?