Garage Gazette
TOOLS AND THE SHOP => CARPENTRY HAND TOOLS WE USE => Topic started by: hickory n Steel on April 20, 2019, 07:28:03 PM
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This arrived at the PO box today, I love Vaughan's 999 pattern rip claw and when I leaned they make a little 10oz I knew I had to have one.
I got a good used example off eBay because the price + shipping for a brand new one is approaching the 20oz 999 at Lowe's or home Depot and I just couldn't justify it and I've not seen these in stores.
Here it is as I got it
(https://i.postimg.cc/CMH5nG3r/IMG-20190420-130810090.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/G9tdZyhv)
After I scraped the handle down and let it drink up some BLO
(https://i.postimg.cc/t4Xv0SMj/IMG-20190420-165537811.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/RNDLKRms)
Next to the 20oz 999
(https://i.postimg.cc/wTkFk5Tb/IMG-20190420-165642632.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1ffpmqFp)
It's a shame that the current Vaughan stuff is Lazer etched instead of stamped whenever that happened, quality is still great but stamps are nicer so I'm glad this one's old enough to be stamped.
Btw I got this from a multi item take your pick type listing if anyone is interested
https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAJOR-USA-Brands-RIP-Framing-Hammer-All-Sizes-you-select-/264279672284
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Slightly off topic, but do you have any recommendations for fixing a loose hammer head? I've soaked it in water twice, stays tight for a few days but loosens up again. Medium sized ball peen that I use daily at work locksmithing - stamping keys, driving out pins, etc
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Slightly off topic, but do you have any recommendations for fixing a loose hammer head? I've soaked it in water twice, stays tight for a few days but loosens up again.
The short and sweet answer is put a another wedge in it.
If you're able to make it tight with a water soak, it's not real loose. Let it dry out real good so it's like real loose and drive a steel wedge in 90 to the wood wedge. See if that doesn't do the trick
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Slightly off topic, but do you have any recommendations for fixing a loose hammer head? I've soaked it in water twice, stays tight for a few days but loosens up again. Medium sized ball peen that I use daily at work locksmithing - stamping keys, driving out pins, etc
Yes actually I do, and you don't want to use water or antifreeze or anything like that because they evaporate leaving the wood looser than it was before.
Your hammer handle is thirsty and it needs to drink some boiled linseed oil.
Whether or not this tightens the head depends on how much it drinks up and how loose it is, but the wood needs nourishment. The BLO will soak in and stay there.
Now is your hammer wedged with a wood wedge and a steel wedge ?
What I would recommend is drilling out the wood wedge, pulling the steel wedge if there, then re wedging the whole thing.
Once the wedges are removed pour some BLO into the handles open kerf inside the eye and let the wood drink it all up, then tap the bottom of the bandle with a mallet to get the head driven down a bit farther.
Last just put some BLO on a new wooden wedge before driving it home and reinsert the steel wedge if need be.
If there's no wood wedge you'll have to finagle the steel.wedge out, remove the handle, and cut a new kerf 3/4 the depth of the tool eye.
Then you'll do the oil and wedge..ect.
I hope this helps.
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When I get a loose hammer head,I squirt in some super glue, and it fixes the problem!
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I will get a picture tomorrow.
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here you go
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if the water tightens it up try just soaking it in the boiled linseed mentioned in an earlier post. I stand mine up in a small tray with @1/2 in of BLO. let it set a day or two then stand it up hammer head up and let it dry. should be good to go.
Just remember the flammability issues with BLO.
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here you go
As slipknot suggested the BLO might do the trick on this one, so I'd definitely try that first
If it was mine I'd try to remove the step wedge so I can kerf the tongue 3/4 and put a proper wood wedge in it.If it's not too small you can drill a hole in it to put a screw and remove it with a slide hammer if you've got it or put some vise grips on the screw and yank it out.
I prefer the best fix I can do on my hammers but the easy option of a BLO soak looks like it might do the trick on this one.
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It doesn't even have to be linseed oil. I've soaked 2 ball pein hammers in Mobil DTE light circulating oil, and they've been tight now for over 10 years. An old timer I used to work with showed me that trick.
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When I get a loose hammer head,I squirt in some super glue, and it fixes the problem!
I usually end up with a hammer head across the room
Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
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When I get a loose hammer head,I squirt in some super glue, and it fixes the problem!
I usually end up with a hammer head across the room
Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk
That happened to me once, but this was as a kid when I made a handle for an old hammer out of a 2x4.
I didn't know it wasn't a suitable material, but I think it lasted me about a month at least ;D
Oh there's also this same Hart framer before my dad gave it to me, it was just jammed onto what was left on the broken handle and you had to jam it down as far as you could before using it.
That head came of about every time you used it, and we just jammed it back on and kept going.
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I will give it a try. Thanks guys!!
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Gang,
I have two added suggestions. Put a 50:50 mixture of BLO & paint thinner in a small jar. The mixture should be deep enough to immerse the entire top of the handle plus a little more. Next heat both the mixture and the handle in the microwave until they reach about 150 degrees. Then soak the warm handle in the warm mixture overnight. Next day, remove the handle from the jar and wipe off any surplus BLO mix. Your ready to reinstall the handle and re-wedge.
I've never had to redo this process. Some of my re-handle jobs are still in good repair 10 years later.
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Gang,
I have two added suggestions. Put a 50:50 mixture of BLO & paint thinner in a small jar. The mixture should be deep enough to immerse the entire top of the handle plus a little more. Next heat both the mixture and the handle in the microwave until they reach about 150 degrees. Then soak the warm handle in the warm mixture overnight. Next day, remove the handle from the jar and wipe off any surplus BLO mix. Your ready to reinstall the handle and re-wedge.
I've never had to redo this process. Some of my re-handle jobs are still in good repair 10 years later.
Interesting method that I've never heard of.
Either requires a small handle or large microwave, but I suppose warming it up with a heat gun would work.
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left it to soak for a few weeks in BLO. Got the hammer out today, rinsed it off, and it seems to be nice and solid.
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been using it the past couple days, so far so good. thanks for the help!