Just curious how many actually use the ball end of their Ball Peen Hammers and what do they use it for. Best I can remember making gaskets is about the only time mine gets used. And I might add when I see someone using a carpenter's claw hammer in a machine shop, I just look the other way. That is considered Blasphemy!
-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
Ball Peen Hammer
- Thread starter ltlvt
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2016
- Location
- Maryland
I've got about 30 ball peens in all and have never used the ball end of one of them . Then again , I've never used the other end of them either . 
With all the hammers lying around , I could restock MSC and McMaster Carr .
With all the hammers lying around , I could restock MSC and McMaster Carr .
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2021
- Location
- Indiana
Riveting is the most frequent use of the ball end. If you do sheet metal work, it is useful (in the larger diameters with a soft touch) for shaping compound curves. And then there is the "hammered" look that is easily created with the ball end.
DanK
DanK
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Location
- NJ USA
riveting, stretching metal, shrinking metal. peening over a bolt on a nut.
shaping metal. edit: shaping sheet metal concave dimples.
I have used mine a bunch... no rules, just fits the need.
shaping metal. edit: shaping sheet metal concave dimples.
I have used mine a bunch... no rules, just fits the need.
Seeing a claw hammer in a mechanic shop is a Red flag, also......
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2015
I use my ball peen hammers quite often, They are the best tool for setting a rivet as you need to work the outside of the rivet to properly form the rivet head. If you set the rivet with a flat face, you will mushroom the head but there is a good chance that you will start cracks around the edge of the head resulting in a weaker rivet.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Location
- NJ USA
not really, everyone has to deal with wood and nails ... mechanics get trannies and motors delivered in wooden crates. a claw hammer works to take it apart.
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2015
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.