Ball Peen Hammer

RJSakowski said:
I am curious as to why it is an anathema to have a claw hammer in a machine shop. It sounds like hammer snobbery. You don't have to use the claw and the flat face is just as effective at striking a surface as a ball peen, or any other steel faced hammer.

I have dozens of hammers of all types and sizes. Ball peens, cross peens, straight peens engineer's, rounding hammers, along with claw hammers in my hammer collection. When I am punching out a pin, I will grab the closest hammer at hand that is the right size.
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Hey so I am a Hammer Snob! I don't allow knurling by pipe wrench either. lol
 
Plugging bad holes to redrill/rethread a bad threaded hole, or move the hole location slightly.

You basically pick a thread two sizes up from the hole in question and drill and tap that hole, then give it a very generous chamfer on both sides. The chamfer should be 30-50% larger than the root of the thread on the plug.

You then obtain or make a threaded rod of the same type steel and cut this 1/4"ish longer on each end than the thickness of the part you're trying to repair, or simply 1/4" longer if it is a blind hole.

We usually use green loctite and thread the threaded plug into the hole the proper amount, but this is probably overkill.


Then you start beating on it with the peen end of a ball peen hammer. Preferably a big one.

And you beat it, then flip it and beat it some more. When you have finally pummeled it into submission on both sides, and the chamfer of the hole you made will not accept any more material, you set it up and mill the remainder of the plug on the mill.

You then have a new blank slate to perform your art.

And a sore arm.
 
Riveting & staking (sometimes using the ball-peen as an intermediate tool and striking the upturned face with a bass hammer). With apologies to @mmcmdl & @RJSakowski :

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On wall behind primary bench (I was careful not to show the framing and other claw hammers).

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Top drawer of primary bench.

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Back of secondary/Electronics/Jewelry bench.

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Garage
 
RJSakowski said:
I am curious as to why it is an anathema to have a claw hammer in a machine shop. It sounds like hammer snobbery. You don't have to use the claw and the flat face is just as effective at striking a surface as a ball peen, or any other steel faced hammer.

I have dozens of hammers of all types and sizes. Ball peens, cross peens, straight peens engineer's, rounding hammers, along with claw hammers in my hammer collection. When I am punching out a pin, I will grab the closest hammer at hand that is the right size.
Click to expand...

A waffle faced claw hammer is not a good choice for our use. A smooth face is fine with me as long as you are happy.

I've used the ball end for many of the same things others have. I carry several thicknesses of gasket material and a ball peen in a portable tool kit. The ability to make gaskets can come in handy.

Isn't everything a hammer when in need .
 
Claw hammers have hardened faces generally. If you're hitting something other than a nail or wood with it, don't be terribly surprised when you fracture it and you get a chunk of steel in your eye.
 
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