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View Full Version : Made a little hammer, to go with the walnut hand plane



Al Navas
06-22-2009, 6:50 PM
From my blog:

If you have followed along in these earlier posts (http://sawmillcreek.org/search.php?searchid=3091517), and also in this one (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=114736), you know that I have been making a Krenov-style, laminated hand plane. I also needed a small hammer, to adjust the iron - and this is it:

http://sandal-woodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/hammer-1.png

Although I had never made a Krenov-style hand plane, nor a little hammer, I am pleased. Things worked out well: The plane does a nice job, taking shavings as thin as 1-2 mils thick (0.001"; to 0.002"). And this little hammer works much better when I have to make minor adjustments to the iron; all the other hammers in the shop were too big, or too heavy. I even used an old, beat-up spokeshave eons old, with chips on both mouths, but it did its job getting all edges rounded and fairly smooth.

In making the hammer (red oak, no finish, ebony wedge in the kerf), I used the procedure described in detail by David Finck in his book, Making & Mastering Hand Planes. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is the book I used as a reference to make the hand plane, too.The brass head is solid brass, 5/8-inch diameter, 2-1/2 inches long; the handle is 11-1/2 inches long. Thanks, David, for a terrific book!

John Keeton
06-23-2009, 8:06 AM
If I had a hammer......http://www.gifandgif.eu/animated_gif/Music/Animated%20Gif%20Music%20%28112%29.gif (http://www.gifandgif.eu/animated_gif/Music/index.php#link)

Al, great looking hammer! Looks extra nice next to that brand spankin' new plane! Did you get the mouth situation resolved?

Al Navas
06-23-2009, 8:16 AM
Thanks, John - I love the animated, musical icon!

On the mouth opening: I worked a little more on the reverse angle, and that cleared the tight spots. I had to use a very strong light to be able to see where the shavings were jamming. A little judicious filing in two spots, and now I can consistently get shavings between 1 and 2 thousands thick on face grain, and less than 0.001" on the edge grain. It worked!


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Tri Hoang
06-23-2009, 8:54 AM
Beautiful plane and hammer, Al.

I got the new book signed by David and a few irons. I think that's what I'll attempt next. It's very encouraging.

Brian Kent
06-23-2009, 5:27 PM
Al, I really like the little hammer. His instructions are straight forward and I use the hammer often on my planes.

Al Navas
06-23-2009, 8:59 PM
Beautiful plane and hammer, Al.

I got the new book signed by David and a few irons. I think that's what I'll attempt next. It's very encouraging.
Thanks, Tri. David signs his books if the order is placed at his web site - which I did... :D I know you will have great success, and also you will have much fun!





Al, I really like the little hammer. His instructions are straight forward and I use the hammer often on my planes.
Brian,

It is such a nice hammer, with just-right weight and feel. I was having a lot of trouble, either too much weight or lack of control with the larger/heavier hammers in the shop. It is amazing what a difference a small one, like this one, makes.


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