Home Shop Machining/Equipment/Hammers
Hammers[edit | edit source]
There are lots of different kinds of hammers but there are a couple of common ones for Home Shop Machining
The important thing to remember is that hammer faces are either soft or hardened. For safety reasons, never hit a hard tool with a hard-faced hammer. Bits of metal can splinter off at high speed and hurt you. Ball-Peen hammers, as typically used in machining, have soft mild-steel faces so they can be used with hardened tool-steel punches, cold chisels, and the like. Woodworking hammers, like claw hammers, have hardened faces to stand up to driving soft nails. Do NOT use woodworking hammers with hardened steel tools. Generally, don't use woodworking hammers while metalworking.
Ball-Peen Hammer[edit | edit source]
The round end, the ball-peen, is officially used to peen the ends of rivets while setting them. The flat end is the one most used. Machinists typically use smaller ball-peen hammers for center-punching while doing layout, releasing drawbars, using taper keys, and the like.
Brass Hammer[edit | edit source]
Brass faced hammers are typically used to tap or set things in place. In adjusting something, aligning a vice for example, the bolts are snugged up but not tightened. Then, the vice is adjusted to run true with a dial gauge by tapping the vice into the desired position. A hammer softer than what is being adjusted is used such that it doesn't mar said item. Use plastic for brass work, etc..