# Soft Blow Hammer



## Beachside_Hank (Dec 13, 2012)

Regurgitating a tip I posted at another place, but think it is of interest to this group for use as a setting tool for the lathe chuck.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 13, 2012)

IMHO why  One can get soft face hammers from harbor freight or craftsman brand from sears. and soft face dead blow hammers from harbor freight. 
somehow just seems ghetto.  not saying one cannot use this tip . i see no safety  problems .
Tin


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## Beachside_Hank (Dec 14, 2012)

Actually Tin, it was this tip posted in 1950's Popular Mechanics that gave me the notion to link to my old post. Both tips do fit the Ghetto scene, yet may come in handy. The Genesis for this whole adventure was yesterday's work on the LMS wobbler, where it was advised to tap the flywheel lightly against the chuck jaws so as to seat it true before facing.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 14, 2012)

> where it was advised to tap the flywheel lightly against the chuck jaws so as to seat it true before facing


.

from my training and experience  a light dead blow hammer should be used for such an application.  yes you want to use a hammer to seat in and indicate parts. a rubber face will make the hammer bounce. 


In one shop I worked I ran a cnc lathe quite a bit . before the finished side of the part was done we would adjust the set true chuck for minimum run out. everything was indicated in in tenths.
across the room was a large manual lathe like 36" x 72"compressor impellers were rough machined on that lathe the adjustment were made with  a dead blow sledge hammer. several pound head and a 36" handle. if myself and the other guy were indicating parts at the same time the needle on the indicator would jump a full thousandth every time the impeller was hit. 

Tin


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## Beachside_Hank (Dec 14, 2012)

Good observation Tin, sounds very logical. I think I'll look for a doorstop with a barrel body and instead of cutting off the screw, just turn some plexi for the dead end, thus have both on one model- sized tool.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 14, 2012)

dead blow hammers are hollow and filled with lead shot. they do not bounce , they stick. 
You could probably make a small one with a piece of 1/2 or 3/4 pvc and a couple of pipe caps and a handle or an iron nipple pipe caps and dip in plastic dip.
filling with dry sand would probably be fine instead of lead shot. 
Tin


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## gus (Dec 14, 2012)

An old fitter I worked with use copper hammer to pop centre points with ease and accuracy. Just one shot will do.I was having problem with centre punching. No matter how dead centre I placed the centre punch , my finger grip had to be very firm to avoid centre punch from wandering off mark.Finally over a cuppa which I bought him in the factory canteen,I gathered enough courage to ask him why he used copper hammer. His reply was the copper hammer will deliver a hard hit with less rebound which can caused centre to go off mark.
Went up to ask the charge hand to issue me a copper hammer.I got turned down.The remarks was-----" Why are you so fussy as Mr. Wong and why can't you stay with the standard issue??" So I DIY my own copper hammer which I took home when I went off to pursue my HNDiploma in Engineering full time.With hammer will pop centre points acurrately? Some months back while watching Tubal Cains YouTube lessons,he confirmed the virtue of using copper hammers. 
The copper hammer I bought years ago cost me a bomb.It later when I discovered it was made of Berylium a must for working in Hazards Areas. At 69 and still learning!!!!


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

Maybe I missed something in life but never understood the real use of a rubber hammer or mallet . Yes I have one here and I have used it to adjust the car starter and make it work.  so I guess its purpose in life is cause vibration and not harm surfaces.
In USAF Aircraft  sheet metal school we used soft faces hammers with plastic tips for hand forming sheet metal on a maple forming block. 
And I would use a plastic hammer or mallet on a plastic chisel.
A wooden mallet is used for hitting wooden chisel handles. 
A 8 oz ball pein is a layout hammer. And can pein and set small rivets. 
Hard steel against hard steel will also bounce so gus's take on using a copper hammer is sound. I have a shop made layout hammer that is similar a piece of 1" diameter brass prop shaft milled out to accept a hand me down fiberglass hammer handle.  
And soft face dead blow hammers are great for moving objects you do not want marred like assembling furniture and seating parts in a mill vise or lathe chuck or on a face plate. 
and of course a carpenters hammer is used for driving nails and putting monkey faces on two x fours that need to be moved a little before nailing. 
Yes I worked a little as a rough carpenter and a finish carpenter back in the early 90s.

If you are fortunate enough to have or find  no spark tools be very careful of dust if you need to clean them up or dress faces .Berilium dust is very toxic if inhaled. MY recommendation is if you NEED to file sand or wire brush beryllium do it outside wear a respirator and disposable clothing and change and shower immediately after working with it. 
If you machine it clean machine before and after machining the BC and keep the work and chips wet with coolant.   
Tin


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## gus (Dec 15, 2012)

Tin Falcon said:


> Maybe I missed something in life but never understood the real use of a rubber hammer or mallet . Yes I have one here and I have used it to adjust the car starter and make it work.  so I guess its purpose in life is cause vibration and not harm surfaces.
> In USAF Aircraft  sheet metal school we used soft faces hammers with plastic tips for hand forming sheet metal on a maple forming block.
> And I would use a plastic hammer or mallet on a plastic chisel.
> A wooden mallet is used for hitting wooden chisel handles.
> ...



Hi Tin Falcon

Thank you very much for the info. Will get rid of this hammer and go for a real copper hammer. 

I have stop using Silver Solder Rods with Cadmium content. Rag & Bone Man friend took a bunch of same rods and gave it to me.
later at my regular welding supply vendor,I was told Cadmium Silver Rods been banned in Singapore some ten years ago. 

I am not aware if there is another alternative to non-sparking tools for the oil industries that is on the oil rings and production platform. While working on offshore platform we were allowed to use steel spanners and hammers way back in 70s.In the 80s Gus was promoted and desk bound.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

Gus no need to throw the hammer. just do not take it to the belt sander to dress the face. at least not without respiratory protection. and other precautions. 

a pure copper hammer may be too soft. Like I said brass is an option. 
Tin


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## cfellows (Dec 15, 2012)

What about a small, lead hammer?  Or a lead faced hammer?

Chuck


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

Berilium is an alloying metal that makes the copper harder. it is a small portion of the metal . but enough to cause problems of breathing the DUST. 
Use the hammer in good health man.  
tin


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 15, 2012)

They are useful as well an old school way of making a soft face hammer . something that can be done and redone in a home shop. I think plastics have replaced lead for many uses due to the hazards and fears  from lead exposer. 
lead dust and fumes are also toxic but good PPE and hygiene will prevent exposier.
Tin


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## hammer2100 (Dec 15, 2012)

Cooper is my hammer of choice. I have used them for many years. I have at least 8. Grizzly sales a nice one but I have pick them up at auction, got a 5 pounder this summer for $8.00.
I think its worth $40.00 for junk. Anyone who has never tried one needs too.
   Least my moto. I can fix any thing with a BFH!!!!!


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## Cogsy (Dec 15, 2012)

Tin Falcon said:


> Maybe I missed something in life but never understood the real use of a rubber hammer or mallet .


 
The one thing I was taught to use a rubber mallet on was belting tyres/tires on and off beads on rims. I still use mine for that purpose, but nothing else I can think of.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 16, 2012)

Hammer IIRC copper brings around $ 3 per  pound if you bring in at least 50 pounds.  less for less quantity so you hammer is worth more like $15 to a scrap dealer still a good deal on your part to get it for $8.
I do see some nice hammers at grizzly but not copper. Do you know the part Number?
Here is what I do see:




H80982   8 oz brass hammer for $7.95






H6320  12 oz brass faced dead blow $8.25





 H6322  8 oz neon dead blow $ 7.25


Cogsey thanks for the info . I have never needed to mess with car tires. always have taken to a tire shop and let them use the machine. Thinking about it i probably have beat the bead in place a little on bicycle tires. 

Tin


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## gus (Dec 16, 2012)

Tin Falcon said:


> Gus no need to throw the hammer. just do not take it to the belt sander to dress the face. at least not without respiratory protection. and other precautions.
> 
> a pure copper hammer may be too soft. Like I said brass is an option.
> Tin



I did countercheck soft hammer.It is Berylium.You are right.After so many centre popping the hammer head have yet to mushroom.
Since I only use it rarely.So no worries.

Thanks.

P.S. Guess Tin Falcon is gearing up for Christmas??? It is big time here in our Shopping Complexes. Will take shots of the street lights done up for Christmas.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 16, 2012)

reply to PS here: http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f16/christmas-new-year-19400/#post203283
to avoid hijacking
tin


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## hammer2100 (Dec 16, 2012)

Tim,
   I didn't know but Grizzly quit selling them, it was item#G8076. So sorry.


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## Tin Falcon (Dec 16, 2012)

Hammer: no problem . I thought I had remembered seeing them in the catalog as well . When i looked for the info to post a link I did not see them. 
lots of other options to choose from.
Tin


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