Hand Tool Build

Plane Hammer

This will be a hammer meant to be used by gravity as a Tippy Tapper in the shop vernacular.

Since it has a hexagonal head, I have dubbed this model the TT6.

Metal Work

Handle

Finish


Metal Work

 

I had some hexagonal brass stock, an old Reese's piece...decided to cut off a run and make a plane hammer.

Used a hack saw to rough cut.

This head is three inches long...7/8 inches thick...end profile.

The head is about the same weight as a brass hammer that I currently used but the configuration will be much different.

It will be thinner and longer... I considering a "dome" on one end with the other remaining square.

I cleaned up the six sides on the DMT lapping plate.
Squared up the ends a bit...
One end had some machine markings...
The DMT lapping plate ate them up...
Placed the brass head in vise. Clamped the vise to the drill press table.
Drilled a reasonably appropriate hole.
Drilled a second hole...and then attempted a third...the bit went awry and really ate up the sides of the pretend oval hole.

Used the Bosch jig saw and a metal cutting blade and cut out the area between the two holes.

The sides were very irregular. Had to work on them with files.

It took a good bit of work to get the oval hole in reasonable shape to receive the handle.

The hexagonal shape does not clamp easily. I had to use alternative vise jaw faces.

The drilling and surfacing of these holes really should be done on a metal working mill.

Working the Handle
Plane Hammer 2

I found a piece of oak in the scrap bin.

Worked it with shaves...cut a kerf...put in a shim...then blew out the end grain...set this aside...end of plane hammer 1...and later picked it up and created plane hammer 2

So back to the hammer head...

Checking depth against the blown out piece...
My blank was plenty long, chopped off the split and using a tenon saw I kerfed the shoulder line all the around.
Chiseled down to the shoulder line...
Attacked it with Auriou rasps...
Workable fit...
Moved on to handle...will leave it long for testing.
Tapered the handle down to the shoulder so that it would be coplanar and smooth with the bottom facet...
Spokeshave edged and tapered the sides...
After a good fit, I cut a kerf with small tenon saw.
Test fit an oak wedge...
Mixed some epoxy and filled the eye...
Pounded in the wedge.
Finish

After cutting off the shim, I used Rotex 90 with 220x and softened all surfaces, oak and metal.

Doused all metal and wood with a heavy coat of Howard Feed N Wax.

 

Rubbed in several coats of the wax...finishing with a drying of the conditioner with 320x.
Hand sanded all surfaces dry with 320x wet dry.
After finding the appropriate balance point I shortened the handle...

 

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