When you become familiar with various hammers, you will understand that it is hard to find two similar hammers. For instance, even if you use two hammers for sheet forming or metal working, they might surprisingly display wide variability.
The total of manipulations, precision formations, or alternations you can perform on a metal sheet shows the wide range of variability. Completing a certain task can be much easier or almost impossible, depending on the specification of a given hammer. Understand different hammers to pick the right one for the job you want to accomplish.
Here are their features and functionalities.
What Are These Metal Hammers Used For?
Besides steering nails and drawing them out, you have many other reasons to use a hammer, especially in processes like shaping, finishing, and processing. Below are examples of techniques that require a suitable, particularized hammer to complete.
Stretching
In sheet metalworking, stretching is among the highly specialized techniques you can find. A Stretching hammer is what you need to complete stretching. It does not only lengthen the piece of metal; you can also use it to make contours in some pieces by stretching one of the sides of the sheet out.
When you hammer one side of the sheet to stretch it, you curve it in the other direction. Mostly, you do not only use a hammer to make those bends; a die can also help you.
Raising
You can use a block and a particularized metal hammer to raise it successfully. You probably understand the end product if you are not conversant with the procedure. Typically, raising creates curves that bend from each other, just as pringe curves around an axis and the edges of the chip curve in the opposite direction.
Chasing
It is a unique metalworking procedure involving using a hammer as an instrument to strike another tool. Chasing is normally used while introducing details to the sheet metal medium. It is not about removing the metals from the stock. Rather, it creates precise marks and indents on the metal surface. You can make use of wedges and more implements to accomplish chasing.
Polishing and Planishing
Planishing is the process of flattening or evening out the metal polishing. To accomplish planishing, you need a specialized hammer referred to as a planishing hammer. Planishing is also about removing the marks introduced while the sheet is being formed.
It is also about polishing the sheet, which is why a lot of planishing hammers have evenly polished faces helping them get rid of coarse marks to reinstate a smooth finish.
The Functionalities of Sheet Metal Hammers
Knowing that you can use specialized hammers to maneuver sheet metal precisely, there are important features to look for whenever you need to shop for one.
A Non-marrying Head
A non-marrying head is valuable based on the metal you are working on. For instance, while working with a highly polished aluminum sheet or copper, you can damage the finishing of the sheet with each strike using a hammer with a metal head or face. It explains why some sheet metals have PVC heads or other soft materials.
Specialized Faces or an Angled Head
It is a hammer with an angled head like the one you would find on a riveting hammer or seaming; it has a specialized face similar to the ones on a polishing, planishing, or stretching hammer.
Depending on the type of job you want, such a hammer is effective in getting the job done. If you are making seams in sheet metal, a light planishing hammer wouldn’t be the best choice. Also, you would not go for a heavy seaming hammer with a metal head for chasing.
Dead Blow Heads
Have you utilized dead blow hammers before? If not, once you see one, you will immediately know it is a dead blow hammer. They are hammers with hollow heads made using a soft plastic-like material.
In the head of the hammer, you will find a load of sand, lead, or other loaded material. Usually, the chamber with this material is bigger than the lead’s volume, which allows it to slide or shift around the hammer’s head.
Also, choose a tool that has a sturdy and comfortable grip. When you combine other value-adding features with an anti-fatigue grip, the device gets more practical overall. If you have a metal head, look for a hammer with a hardened head or face.
It certifies that the head of the hammer serves you longer without deforming on contact with the material you are working on. Wood and steel are durable, and with proper care, they can last a lifetime; anti-fatigue grips can be better for a user’s hands and are comfortable.
