Ok, I need a real plane hammer. Any tips?

[Steve Voigt]

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

The Sterling hammer is fine for very light, center taps, but anything heavier can result in damages as George points out. Perhaps they sell replacement parts, I am not sure?

Simon

If you had bothered to read my post, you could have answered your own questions. As I said, the mallet comes with a black nylon head to replace the wood one. The black nylon won't break. The wood did. This is only a problem for someone who objects to the plastic and wants a wood head.

It's not a shop decoration. I spend a lot of time with a plane hammer in hand. My Sterling hammer is almost the only tool that has no assigned storage space in my shop, because it never leaves the bench.

Full disclosure: I've met Chris Kuehn (once) and he bought one of my planes, so it's possible that colors my opinion. But I doubt it. After using and trying his hammer, I retired my old one the same day…

[paul cottingham]

The Lee Valley one meets all my needs.

[Niels Cosman]

Did it occur to you that this kind of boutique tool is more a shop decoration than a shop horse? One of my neighbors has some really fancy tools including several Vesper layout tools (worth well over $100 to $150 a piece), and he confesses he relies more on the cheapos for his day to day work.

The Sterling hammer is fine for very light, center taps, but anything heavier can result in damages as George points out. Perhaps they sell replacement parts, I am not sure?

Simon

I don't think that this tools was conceived of as bench jewelry. It's true that a plane hammer is a light hammer and is not meant to take a beating or inflict one. However the bench can be a perilous environment for any type of tool by virtue of the ~3 foot distance from the bench top to the floor alone.
The plane hammer I made, lives on the bench or is always in arm's reach and I use it for all sorts of tapping tasks where a mallet wont do. It is a workhorse tool and a pretty nag to boot.
The point I was making (if any) was that it seems a poor decision to compromised the durability of the tool with an obvious material weakness. The head is easily replace and apparently does include a replacement head plastic head, which is great, but a better design would not require one. That's all I am saying.
My impression of "boutique" tools is that there are no corners cut and no compromises to functionality, durability and aesthetics.

[Simon MacGowen]

Of course, I know the Sterling hammer is not a shop decoration to every of its owner. But my point is that the wooden head design itself is less suitable for long-term use of adjusting a plane. The design is there to beautify the hammer, rightly so from a marketing point of view.

A boutique tool to one may be a regular to another; for a plane hammer that is priced at $120 (?), it fits my definition of being a boutique tool, no matter what other woodworkers tell me. And I am not telling people not to buy boutique tools as long as they want to do so.

Simon

[Niels Cosman]

But my point is that the wooden head design itself is less suitable for long-term use of adjusting a plane. The design is there to beautify the hammer, rightly so from a marketing point of view.
Simon

BUT what I am saying is that we are saying the same thing!
The shape of the head has a functional purpose, but it also creates a clear weakness intrinsic to the use of the tool. That's not good design.
An aesthetic choice should never compromise the functionality of a tool. The problem is easily remedied by a material change and/or modification to geometry.

[george wilson]

I agree,Niels. The REST of the hammer looks nice. But,that added on ,flared knob just doesn't belong there,nylon,wood,or not.

Now,let's see who's angre with me now!! But,I know that the person who has a good sense of judging designs will not be,because I speak the truth.

[Randy Karst]

+1 on the Lee Valley plane hammer, pleased with mine (though I must admit the Sterling is lustable).

[robert dankert]

This is my first attempt at one.



One face is White Pine and the other is Dogwood. The head is partially filled with birdshot.

[steven c newman]

Hammers?
IMAG0042.jpg
Not sure how hard others or swinging their hammers, this one just uses a tap to work. Not like I'm trying to drive a nail.

For wood on wood smacks...
IMAG0140.jpg
The one standing up. I turned it from spalted Maple, the one laying down was a pattern. Not only on the backside of a plane, but also on most of my chisels.

IF someone is breaking a plane hammer swinging it.....someone is swinging it way too hard.

[Stanley Covington]

I've made a couple out of 3/4" brass rod. They're pretty easy, though kind of tricky to make the slot for the handle. Here is one:

Attachment 332210

Allen:

Nice hammer and beautiful marking gage. I don't mean to change the subject, but how do you keep the wedge from driving the beam out and messing up adjustments?

Stan

[Kees Heiden]

Just a quick picture this morning before breakfast.



I started with 30 mm brass in the round. Because I started in the round I had to mill the square part. The rest is turned on the lathe. The wood is from an old broom handle and I have no idea what kind of wood this is. It is a bit too fine for ash but a bit too coarse for maple.

Now I am curious how this will work in practice.

[Niels Cosman]

Just a quick picture this morning before breakfast.



I started with 30 mm brass in the round. Because I started in the round I had to mill the square part. The rest is turned on the lathe. The wood is from an old broom handle and I have no idea what kind of wood this is. It is a bit too fine for ash but a bit too coarse for maple.

Now I am curious how this will work in practice.

I'll bet it's hickory, Looks great!

[Kees Heiden]

Hickory is good stuff, that's great. That would have been a rather posh broom handle!

[steven c newman]

Soo, just exactly HOW hard does one use a hammer to adjust a plane? If you are breaking the end on a hammer.....might want to lighten up a bit, you are not trying to drive a nail, are you?

[Kees Heiden]

I don't understand your question. Nobody complained about breaking plane adjustment hammers.