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Petal
01-09-2009, 03:08 PM
Hi guys, :~:


Having had a play around with a bit of wire wrapping, I thought I'd get a hammer from one of my suppliers... [-X I realised it wasn't as simple as that! there are tons of different sizses and weights ! So, what size/weight would you recommend to someone who wants to wire wrap, hammer and generally play about with wire?


lotsaluv
Jules x

ps_bond
01-09-2009, 03:11 PM
A cheap 4oz ball pein hammer; dress the edge of the face then mirror polish the whole thing.

Really, it depends what you want to do with the hammer! A ballpein of that sort of size will do some lightweight forging, flattening wires and a bit of texturing.

Emerald
01-09-2009, 03:15 PM
if i where you i would buy a planishing hammer and flat seel block hammer, you dont need anything to fancy.:)

mizgeorge
01-09-2009, 03:37 PM
Totally agree with Peter. My two most used hammers by far are my 4oz ball pein (which I have done a fair bit of work on to get really smooth) and my big 16oz ball pein (rescued from OH's toolbox after he tried to swipe it from me).

These do almost all my forging and texturing too. I usually get my hammers from tool shops rather than jewellery suppliers though!

Di Sandland
01-09-2009, 03:42 PM
Miz George said


I usually get my hammers from tool shops rather than jewellery suppliers though!

I do that with lots of stuff - you pay over the odds if you get it from a dedicated jewellery place.

Petal
01-09-2009, 06:00 PM
A cheap 4oz ball pein hammer; dress the edge of the face then mirror polish the whole thing.

Really, it depends what you want to do with the hammer! A ballpein of that sort of size will do some lightweight forging, flattening wires and a bit of texturing.

Thanks Peter for that. What on earth does dress the edge of the face then mirror polish mean, ???

Thanks George & Di for the recommendations about not using jewellery suppliers.... there's a good place I know I can go to to get those hammers then!

cheers
Jules x :~:

ps_bond
01-09-2009, 06:10 PM
Sorry for being obtuse! A hammer face as supplied usually has a sharp bevel edge around the face; this will put sharp dings in work with a less-than-perfect strike. To dress the edge, you need to round the sharp edges off - a file if it will cut, or abrasive papers if not (I use a linisher, a bit like a belt sander). Then you want to work progressively through the grits to make the hammer face & pein shiny, trying to make it as reflective as a mirror. A final polish with something like Tripoli, Dialux green or one of the Abramax polishes gets it the rest of the way. Now if you get an iffy hit in, it will put a rounded ding in which is much easier to remove.

It may seem like a lot of work on a cheap tool, but it needs doing to the expensive ones too - and they all get repolished periodically.

Woe betide anyone who even *thinks* of knocking nails in with your newly specialised hammer!!!

Emerald
01-09-2009, 06:13 PM
thats why i use a planishing , already shiny mmmm like shiny:) but hey each to there own

ps_bond
01-09-2009, 06:17 PM
thats why i use a planishing , already shiny mmmm like shiny:) but hey each to there own

Still needs the edges dressing. And if you've needed to do that, you're a long way down the path of needing to polish it properly.

Which reminds me, I have a couple I need to go and sort out...

mizgeorge
01-09-2009, 06:30 PM
Yep, I've ended up modifying pretty much every hammer I own - including a couple that were really quite expensive. I now stick to buying the cheaper ones and just putting the elbow grease in!

Petal
01-09-2009, 06:54 PM
Sorry for being obtuse! A hammer face as supplied usually has a sharp bevel edge around the face; this will put sharp dings in work with a less-than-perfect strike. To dress the edge, you need to round the sharp edges off - a file if it will cut, or abrasive papers if not (I use a linisher, a bit like a belt sander). Then you want to work progressively through the grits to make the hammer face & pein shiny, trying to make it as reflective as a mirror. A final polish with something like Tripoli, Dialux green or one of the Abramax polishes gets it the rest of the way. Now if you get an iffy hit in, it will put a rounded ding in which is much easier to remove.

It may seem like a lot of work on a cheap tool, but it needs doing to the expensive ones too - and they all get repolished periodically.

Woe betide anyone who even *thinks* of knocking nails in with your newly specialised hammer!!!

Can I use any kind of file, or does it have to be a special size/weight ? Perhaps I'll try abrasive papers, which type should I get? Whereabouts can I get these polishes from? a jewellery suppliers, or could I use a hardware store type place?

Sorry to ask so many 'basic' questions, but I've never hammered before so you're talking to a complete novice here!

I don't think my OH would dare use my hammer for knocking in nails [-X!!! otherwise I might use it in retaliation haha DIY is not something he would willingly do, its usually done when I take out the drill and say something like, "I think I'll bung a screw in here, I'm sure it will be nowhere near those electrical points I saw earlier" .... then he whips the drill out of my hands and usually puts it back in the garage :'(

One last question, can I hammer gold and silver plated wire, or does it completely destroy it because of the plating process?

Thanks Peter, where would we be without you ;)

Jules x

mizgeorge
01-09-2009, 07:02 PM
Not Peter ;) but I've only got one file that I seem to be able to use on my hammers, I found it in a toolbox (ssssh) and repurposed it! Then I use increasing grades of wet and dry paper and finish off with micromesh. I don't bother to polish though. I wish I had some of Peter's tools though!

You 'can' hammer plated wire, but it won't stay plated for long! Get some nice copper wire to practice on. I still make a copper prototype of just about any new wire design I want to try.

ps_bond
01-09-2009, 08:43 PM
I've just sorted a pair of Peddinghaus hammers; they were much softer than any of the files I used. I tried some older (cheaper) Sandvik files that I keep around as knock-about files; followed it up with some Grobet files - didn't need the coarsest (bastard - well, that's pretty coarse ;) ), only used the 2nd cut and smooth cut 12". 320 grit wet & dry (Machine Mart, I think - may have been Halfords) to get the worst of the file marks out, then 600, 1200 to clean that up; finished with Abramax on a sisal wheel (buffing - think that all came from Axminster). They'll do for now. Didn't break out the Micromesh for these.

Some days it looks like I'm out to acquire at least one of every tool going... #-o

Di Sandland
01-09-2009, 08:55 PM
Peter said


Some days it looks like I'm out to acquire at least one of every tool going...

I thought that was the whole point of the game - the one who dies with the most tools wins.

bustagasket
02-09-2009, 06:13 AM
I've just sorted a pair of Peddinghaus hammers; they were much softer than any of the files I used. I tried some older (cheaper) Sandvik files that I keep around as knock-about files; followed it up with some Grobet files - didn't need the coarsest (bastard - well, that's pretty coarse ;) ), only used the 2nd cut and smooth cut 12". 320 grit wet & dry (Machine Mart, I think - may have been Halfords) to get the worst of the file marks out, then 600, 1200 to clean that up; finished with Abramax on a sisal wheel (buffing - think that all came from Axminster). They'll do for now. Didn't break out the Micromesh for these.

Some days it looks like I'm out to acquire at least one of every tool going... #-o

There are some days that i reallt wish i could understand scottish :P god i wish my dad was still alive he was the most amazing engineer, and he would have loved to have talked "business" with you, and then he would have taken me out to his workshop and showed me what he was on about.

Kalorlo
02-09-2009, 09:04 AM
*Keeps an eye on this thread*

I want to do some novice hammering too, so this is all very useful :)
Need to pick up some thicker copper wire - I have 0.6mm, but I want to combine that with larger stuff, which I haven't got yet.

EmmaRose
02-09-2009, 02:31 PM
What I want to know is why don't jewellery suppliers supply them like that? (and I am not even going to start on what they don't teach you at uni +o()
Em

ps_bond
02-09-2009, 02:34 PM
£££

It's more complex from a machining and finishing point of view.

Besides, everyone has their own idea on what the perfect shape is.

I even had to do this to my rather expensive hand-forged Japanese forging hammer!

ben b
02-09-2009, 06:05 PM
....................................

Petal
02-09-2009, 06:21 PM
Hi Ben B, :~:
What size is the riveting hammer then? just in case there's more than one size.... there usually is, when I think 'oh, i'll get one of those and find there's a lot more than one for sale'.

:cheers:

off for dinner and a glug of wine
see y'all tomorrow.


Jules

ben b
02-09-2009, 06:27 PM
........................

mizgeorge
02-09-2009, 07:48 PM
or you could pick one up for less than half that on the bay ;)

CyberPaddy66
04-09-2009, 04:13 PM
It's basically a small crosspien hammer (sometimes referred to as a glazing hammer), usually only a couple of pounds at your local hardware store ;)

Petal
07-09-2009, 02:24 PM
Not Peter ;) but I've only got one file that I seem to be able to use on my hammers, I found it in a toolbox (ssssh) and repurposed it! Then I use increasing grades of wet and dry paper and finish off with micromesh. I don't bother to polish though. I wish I had some of Peter's tools though!

You 'can' hammer plated wire, but it won't stay plated for long! Get some nice copper wire to practice on. I still make a copper prototype of just about any new wire design I want to try.

Hi Guys, :~:

I'm so excited, as I'm getting together a list of goodies to buy for my hammering and wire wrapping. :dance: Included in this list is what I think I need to condition my hammers before I use them for the first time.

On my list I have:-

4 oz ball pein hammer
crosspein/glazing hammer
wet & dry papers & micromesh

I've already got some autosol from my cycling days, so don't need that.

Can anyone recommend the grades of wet & dry papers and micromesh I'll need and is there anything else I have missed off this list that I'll need to start with????

Thanks guys!

[]
Jules x

ps_bond
07-09-2009, 02:34 PM
Might be worth having a 2nd cut file as well.
My usual grits of wet & dry are 180, 320 , 600 and 1200 (with 2000 around when I need it), but after 600 or so I'll frequently switch to a polishing motor.

Applying the Autosol for this sort of thing can be easier with a bit of leather - 3mm or so thick is good. Gunk some Autosol onto it and use it as a polishing strop.

There's no "one true way" to do this; whatever works, works.

Petal
07-09-2009, 08:39 PM
Hiya,

Apologies for the stupid question, but what on earth is a 2nd cut file then?? I think some of you guys have mentioned books that advise how to care & maintain your tools - can anyone recommend a good book??

thanks v m

Jules

ps_bond
07-09-2009, 09:55 PM
Engineering files usually come in 3 cuts - bastard (coarse), 2nd cut (medium) and smooth (fine). As with abrasive papers, you'd normally work through the grades.

One thing to be aware of - a 12" file is going to be coarser than a 6" of the same cut. A 12" bastard file is a fairly severe metal hogging tool! Most of mine are 12", 6" or 4"; after that I switch to needle files.

There's a bit more to file terminology than that, but that would be muddying the waters.

Can't think of anything specifically about maintaining tools that I've got on my bookshelf, sorry.

(I'm so glad the swear filter leaves file grades as intended!)

Petal
08-09-2009, 08:14 AM
Hi guys, :ta: for all the info.

Just to recap - when I buy my hammers today, I then use my wet & dry papers to roughen off the sharp edges of the hammers in the grades mentioned and then polish with some autosol until it gleams like a mirror.

Can I use a chamois leather with the autosol to polish with?

:cheers:

Jules x

ps_bond
08-09-2009, 08:56 AM
Pretty much. I'd still take the edge off with a file though. Never tried chamois for the Autosol, I like my strops less stretchy.

Petal
08-09-2009, 09:08 AM
uuum - I'll have a look in the garage for a file then and see how I get on with that. Haven't got a bit of leather hanging about ATM, what else can I use instead then?

Jules x

p.s. Any chance of a before and after piccie of what to aim for ?? pleeease

ps_bond
08-09-2009, 09:17 AM
The back of a notepad? The cardboard makes an OK strop, just less long lasting than leather (and has a bit less give).

I've no befores on hand now! Just so long as you've rounded the sharp edge a bit, it will leave less awkward dents in the metal - that's all you're really looking for.

Petal
30-09-2009, 11:21 AM
Sorry for being obtuse! A hammer face as supplied usually has a sharp bevel edge around the face; this will put sharp dings in work with a less-than-perfect strike. To dress the edge, you need to round the sharp edges off - a file if it will cut, or abrasive papers if not (I use a linisher, a bit like a belt sander). Then you want to work progressively through the grits to make the hammer face & pein shiny, trying to make it as reflective as a mirror. A final polish with something like Tripoli, Dialux green or one of the Abramax polishes gets it the rest of the way. Now if you get an iffy hit in, it will put a rounded ding in which is much easier to remove.

It may seem like a lot of work on a cheap tool, but it needs doing to the expensive ones too - and they all get repolished periodically.

Woe betide anyone who even *thinks* of knocking nails in with your newly specialised hammer!!!



Well, my hammer (& some other goodies) is in the cookies freepost! So, Peter, are you going to show us some piccies of yours all nice and shiney then???

ps_bond
30-09-2009, 12:38 PM
If you really want...! Won't be for a couple of days though. I might do a quick buff on them before photographing.

The hammers I'm just in the process of finishing aren't shiny and never will be - they're Tufnol raising hammers, similar to the Bakelite raising hammers in Finegold & Seitz. However, they still have the sharp edges removed for the same reasons.

Petal
30-09-2009, 01:24 PM
That's great P. I'll look forward to the piccies then! I expect they'll be lots of 'who's got the shiniest hammer' comparisons once you've posted them - its something for me to aim for!

cheers


BTW, You're into horses then? I Haven't ridden for a few years now, but used to ride every Saturday morning, usually nursing a hangover from working in a large Ealing winebar on the Friday! Always loved it - nothing like a good canter/gallop to get rid of that muggy head feeling...