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Video on replaceing a hammer handle on a ball peen

Thumper68

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Hey guys did this quick video on how to replace a hammer handle, check it out and let me know what you think.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PBeck9BkmX8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
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Docman

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Nice job. Always good to see old tools being put back to work.

Have you tried the axe hanging technique for pressing the head into the handle? Works great when i've used it.

 
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Thumper68

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Nice job. Always good to see old tools being put back to work.

Have you tried the axe hanging technique for pressing the head into the handle? Works great when i've used it.


Yes I have but for hammers I feel it is easier to use the method I showed, if you have a solid surface to rap the but against.
 

d42jeep

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Nice video. It was almost like watching myself. I enjoy re-handling hammers as well. If I could make one suggestion, since the belt sander is so handy, I mark where the excess sticks out above the head with a pencil and then use the belt sander to match the contour of the head before the final fit. I then install the wooden wedge and cut off the excess with a coping saw and finally install the metal wedge. Here is a picture of a couple of hammers that I've done.
-Don
 

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smalltown

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Why did he put in a wooden wedge then followed by a metal wedge?
Was the wooden just used to open the slot for the metal wedge then removed?

I've got an old ball peen head that was my grandfather's that I would like to place a handle on. Are the metal wedges commonly available?
Lastly when banging in the metal wedge will it always go in enough to be flush or are some some off?

I was thinking about removing all the surface rust before doing anything the painting.
 
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Thumper68

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Why did he put in a wooden wedge then followed by a metal wedge?
Was the wooden just used to open the slot for the metal wedge then removed?

I've got an old ball peen head that was my grandfather's that I would like to place a handle on. Are the metal wedges commonly available?
Lastly when banging in the metal wedge will it always go in enough to be flush or are some some off?

I was thinking about removing all the surface rust before doing anything the painting.

The wood wedge spreads the handle sideways to fill that way and the metal wedge put in at an angle spreads it in both directions to make sure that the handle stays tight.

If you order from McMaster-carr Linky It will come with both the wood and metal wedges

I usually just hammer the metal wedge flush, there are times where it is just to tight and then I will cut the excess off with a hacksaw and sand it smooth.

Any more questions just ask.
 
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Thumper68

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Nice video. It was almost like watching myself. I enjoy re-handling hammers as well. If I could make one suggestion, since the belt sander is so handy, I mark where the excess sticks out above the head with a pencil and then use the belt sander to match the contour of the head before the final fit. I then install the wooden wedge and cut off the excess with a coping saw and finally install the metal wedge. Here is a picture of a couple of hammers that I've done.
-Don

Nice job, what is the weight on the big one?

If it going to have a lot of excess I will cut or sand it shorter, in the case of this one I didn't have to cut it at all just a bit of polish on the sander to smooth out the wedge.
 

BUGTHUG

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On the hickory handles, do you put a stain or protective coat of something on it?
 
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Thumper68

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On the hickory handles, do you put a stain or protective coat of something on it?
I put boiled linseed of carpentry handles, but nothing on the ball peens, they get a nice coat of oil from my hands as I am using them.

Never mind the cabinets, how about better pics and info on that vice stand

There is more info and pics of the vise stand in my Give Me Hell thread link in sig.

Nice video

Thanks.
 
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jowwo

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Never mind the cabinets, how about better pics and info on that vice stand

He links page 11 about the bench. Go back to page 10 in that thread and the vice stand is in there. It's pretty damn cool!
 
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Thumper68

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He links page 11 about the bench. Go back to page 10 in that thread and the vice stand is in there. It's pretty damn cool!

Thanks, it was one of those ideas that came to me while planning the shop, I am sure glad that I did it and it has worked out.

The real trick was picking the right spot to put it so that it can be used but also not be in the way.

I wish I could say the same about the spot I picked for the jib crane, I haven't built the crane and the 8 bolts sticking out of the floor are a pain in the ***, I wish I had put them in a better spot.

I keep thinking about cutting them flush, but I just can't bring myself to do it. The power in that spot has worked out though, it is what I have my drill press plugged into.
 

84scrambler

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I like the video, I did a few handles a couple of months ago and was going to point out some things you can add to the video but it seems you guys covered most everything in the rest of the thread.

I pretty much used the same technique you did to fit the handle to the head, remove material, check, remove some more material, check and so on (I used a 1" wide belt sander). After I ran my wedges I sanded mine flat on the belt sander, some people like theres to stick out but I like mine flush. I then took some 200 grit paper and hand sanded the entire handle, it really smooths it out and gives it a much nicer feel. I took an extra step and I think this is personal preference but I mixed up some 2 part epoxy and poured it over the wedges. I had some small voids that the epoxy filled. I followed up the next day with 1 more sanding to clean up the epoxy and then applied 2 coats of boiled linseed oil over a 10 minute period and let it sit over night before putting it in the tool box.
Most people advised to get a handle that isn't treated, the natural wood seems to give better grip and less chance of blisters developing. It also gives you the ability to re-oil it occasionally preventing the wood from drying and cracking.
 

jjjrmx5

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Cincinnati, OH
Why did he put in a wooden wedge then followed by a metal wedge?
Was the wooden just used to open the slot for the metal wedge then removed?

I've got an old ball peen head that was my grandfather's that I would like to place a handle on. Are the metal wedges commonly available?
Lastly when banging in the metal wedge will it always go in enough to be flush or are some some off?

I was thinking about removing all the surface rust before doing anything the painting.

On all but the lightweight hammers, the wooden wedge foces the handle into the head in the side axis, and the metal wegde moves the handle top to fill the gap on the striking long axis sides in the hole.

Yes you need both.

x and y axis. And why hammer head ineternals have a very slight hourglass shape, . Cone on the bottom and cone on top . Handle taper for bottom cone. Wedges fill top cone via expansion..

Unless you have a death wish via a flying hammer head. BTDT.
 
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smalltown

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Thumper68 I hope I didn't come across as rude when I asked "why did he" instead of why did you. I was thinking that the video was a from a link to somewhere else. With that off of my chest I visited McMcMaster-carr and saw that I need to know the hammer head weight. Do I somehow dislodge the head from the broken handle, ans weight it, or is the head stamped somewhere? Now that I am sitting here in the house with the hammer this thing looks like a real "thumper". Anyway you can see the residue from years of electrical tape that someone wrapped around the handle. I quick look at the top of the head shows what appears to be the wooden wedge bisected by a"T" shaped metal wedge then a second metal wedge by itself.
 

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KRB52

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Thumper, maybe edit out some of the middle, where you are sanding the handle down. I would hope that a viewer would get the idea that you have to do some trial fits before you get to the final (maybe edit a narration in.) The sound of the sander droning on for several minutes was getting annoying to me. My two bhats worth.

The comments above remind me that we have some cheap hammers at the hardware store where I work that I think my only have a metal wedge in them. I'll have to try to remember Saturday or Monday when I go in and check. I may add a wooden one to them.
 
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Thumper68

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Thumper68 I hope I didn't come across as rude when I asked "why did he" instead of why did you. I was thinking that the video was a from a link to somewhere else. With that off of my chest I visited McMcMaster-carr and saw that I need to know the hammer head weight. Do I somehow dislodge the head from the broken handle, ans weight it, or is the head stamped somewhere? Now that I am sitting here in the house with the hammer this thing looks like a real "thumper". Anyway you can see the residue from years of electrical tape that someone wrapped around the handle. I quick look at the top of the head shows what appears to be the wooden wedge bisected by a"T" shaped metal wedge then a second metal wedge by itself.

When handle shopping I don't care what they say for weight, I look for the length of handle I want, and the shape.

Longer handles for heavier heads and shorter handles for lighter heads.
 
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Thumper68

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Thumper, maybe edit out some of the middle, where you are sanding the handle down. I would hope that a viewer would get the idea that you have to do some trial fits before you get to the final (maybe edit a narration in.) The sound of the sander droning on for several minutes was getting annoying to me. My two bhats worth.

The comments above remind me that we have some cheap hammers at the hardware store where I work that I think my only have a metal wedge in them. I'll have to try to remember Saturday or Monday when I go in and check. I may add a wooden one to them.

I wanted to leave most of the process in, I should have toned down the sound and added music like I do in some of my other videos.

Thanks for the feed back. :thumbup:
 

d42jeep

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Sorry to take so long replying. The hammer head was a 2 pound Fairmount with a round pein end. I had been putting pigmented urethane one them but now I am just using Watco oil finish. I have done quite a few now and have enjoyed each one.
-Don
 

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Outlander

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I assume you find your heads at flea markets and garage sales? I always enjoyed the satisfaction of repairing my axes and hammers, and I do wish I could find a local source for the heads.
 
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Thumper68

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I assume you find your heads at flea markets and garage sales? I always enjoyed the satisfaction of repairing my axes and hammers, and I do wish I could find a local source for the heads.

Yes to the above and auctions, a few years back there was a bucket full of hammers all but 1 had broken handles, I got it for $2 (10 or 12 hammers IIRC) and sold the one good one to a guy standing next to me for $10
 
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