How Do You Store Your Hammers?

[John McClanahan]

I am trying once again to get the mess I call my shop in order. I have plenty of hammers, maybe 20 or more. I have never had a good way to store them. I would rather not drill a hole in the handles to hang them. I don't have enough wall space to cover the wall with hammers on nails or pegs. I'm thinking something like a rack of some kind to hang them in. I need to see the head so I know what I'm reaching for, but I don't need them on display. How do you store yours?


Thanks,
John

[Keith Pleas]

How do you store yours?
Mine are in a pile on my workbench, but I need something like this too. Thinking a rack like for screwdrivers but with much bigger holes.

[Kent A Bathurst]

On the right side - Top is a pair of wooden mallets. Below is a pair of Japanese chisel hammers. Out of date photo - the lower rack has been replaced with an expanded version that holds 3 hammers - added a cross-peen in there now, but you get the idea - the heads are held by a plate with slots in it. Easy to see each hammer, easy to grab the correct handle and to replace it when done.




309813

[Lon Crosby]

You want a hammer till. Think of a 1x12 mounted at a 45 degree angle with a 1x2 mounted on edge 2 inches or so down from the top of the shelf. Haven't seen many. My uncle had one ~3' wide with 3 shelves on top of a conventional set of shelves. His handles hung over the edge of the shelf to make them easy to grab. Leave enough space between the shelves to make it easy to inset and retrieve the heads. My blacksmiths hammers hang in a continuous slot built into a mobile tool table. Easy to see both ends but hard to retrieve because each handle has to be lifted out of the slot.

[Bob Carreiro]

I've got, maybe 15. I keep them all in the top drawer of the lower cabinet of the Chraftsman roller. They're easy enough to access, but for the last few years, I think I have too many, especially with a recent battery powered 18g nailer purchase. I find I use a 16 oz hammer mostly, but not for nails, but for clamping panels or other glue-ups. Does anyone actually use a hammer to bang in nails anymore?

[Jamie Buxton]

Twenty hammers? First thing you do is get rid of at least fifteen of them. Then you have a manageable storage problem.

[Steve Peterson]

I use two long pegboard hooks spaced about 2" apart. This lets me put 4-5 hammers per pair of hooks. The most used hammers end up near the front where they are easiest to find. Sledgehammers go near the back.

Steve

[Lee Reep]

My hammers, and a number of other tools, hang on a Wall Control metal pegboard. I got tired of using regular pegboard to hang tools. The pegs always seem to come out, and I hate those little plastic clips some hooks use. Just a poor solution. The Wall Control system ises metal hooks that snap/click into vertical slits on metal panels. The panels also have holes, so you can add regular pegboard hooks. They also come in a variety of colors. Besides hooks, there are shelves, and other assorted items to facilitate storage. The panels are sized to screw into studs on 16" centers. They also have formed edges to provide built-in standoff for hook clearance.

I'd prefer to have a nice wooden custom tool holder setup, but I figure a custom tool storage rack just is not high on my priority list. , I'd rather be making projects that aren't for the shop, but for family or friends. (My wife has me doing home remodeling, so shop time that is not remodeling-related is golden.) The Wall Control website will show you all the cool little hooks and other items they have. I actually bought a starter set from Amazon for a pretty decent price. One of these days I'll probably order some extra hooks, but the starter set came with a really good assortment. Check them out:

http://www.wallcontrol.com/

[Matt Day]

I use these on my pegboard wall.
http://m.harborfreight.com/pack-of-2-3-inch-double-straight-pegboard-hooks-65473.html
I think it's the same as I have, and holds a set of three mallets (from HF). I think any longer and it would be too inconvenient to get the one closest to the wall.
Do you really need 20 hammers? Are there a lot of duplicates or are they all unique for different purposes?

[Jim Matthews]

If you have room for a second hand dresser, or mechanic's toolchest -
those work for me. I'm with JB above, people like us keep too many.

I like about the same weight for driving nails and chisels (20 oz).
It's pretty rare that I need anything larger or smaller.

I suggest you put a piece of masking tape over the face of each.
Put the current date when you apply the tape.

If you haven't pulled the tape off in a year - sell the hammer.

[Dennis Aspö]

I have one hammer an old wood shafted 16oz hammer, and one rubber mallet. I made hangers for them that go on my french cleat system.

[John McClanahan]

I currently use an old card file cabinet to store some tools including the hammers. The problem is I can lay them in neatly, but when I close the drawer they shift. The next time I try to open the drawer, a handle gets caught up and the drawer won't open.

As for my quantity, I didn't buy all of them, Some were handed down to me. I have good straight and curved claw hammers. Then I have a couple of old beaters, for that purpose (and to loan out). Several ball peen hammers, several rubber, again good and beaters. A couple of brass hammers. The list goes on...


John

[David Winer]

Nice storage system.

We all need rapid access to our slide rules.

[Joe Kieve]

And in addition to our slide rules....several "I voted" stickers. Well done Kent!

[Jim Becker]

Mine are currently on a shelf...I don't have wall space for more "traditional" hammer storage by hanging, etc.

[Bernie May]

around a dozen hammers, hatchet and small pry bars thrown in the top shelf of my metal tool storage cabinet. grab the right one, use it, and throw it on top of the others. The heavily used ones migrate to the top of the pile.

[Keith Pleas]

around a dozen hammers, hatchet and small pry bars thrown in the top shelf of my metal tool storage cabinet. grab the right one, use it, and throw it on top of the others. The heavily used ones migrate to the top of the pile.
This inventory "system" actually has an accounting acronym of LIFO - last in first out ?

[Ellen Benkin]

I have hooks on a pegboard and hang several hammers on each hook. The one I want is always not the one closest to me. It's a pain but I don't use them often enough to care.

[Charles Wiggins]

I have hooks on a pegboard and hang several hammers on each hook. The one I want is always not the one closest to me. It's a pain but I don't use them often enough to care.

Similar to Ellen, I have pegboard over my "bench" (an old folding table) and I keep four hammers on these type of hooks (http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of-2-3-inch-double-straight-pegboard-hooks-65473.html): My great-grandfather's general purpose claw hammer, a medium ball-peen, a rubber mallet, and a hickory mallet. I will need those in the shop 99% of the time. I have others stored in various tool boxes and buckets around the shop, house, and garage: i.e., the ball peens with my metal-working gear; the small claw hammer in the tool kit in the laundry room; the wooden mallet (and froe), 2 lb. sledge (and hatchet) next to the fireplace; the hatchet and sledges (3 lb. & 8 lb.) that I keep with my firewood gear, etc.

[glenn bradley]

Unless you are supplying a shop full of workers, consider paring it down. A Claw or two (mild and tight hook), a Warrington, a Dead Blow, Sledge and a couple of mallets (one flat one round) and the rest go to friends and family ;-) Once you get to that, store them where used if stationary. If you travel, you pretty much gotta haul them so whatever system you are using for other tools still applies.

[Brian Henderson]

Why in the world do you need 20 hammers? I think I have 6, an 8oz, a 16oz, a rubber mallet, a dead-blow, a little brass hammer and a ball pein. Actually, I have 2 16oz claw hammers, only one of which I actually use, but one of my father's old hammers is on my board too. I have one other mallet that is stored elsewhere. Why have so many hammers?

[John McClanahan]

I don't need so many hammers, but I have them. With the price of cheep Chinese tools, these don't have much resale value.

If I ever meet a deserving young person who shares my interest, I just may make his/hers day with a load of tools. Then I won't have so much excess in my shop.


John

[Marty Tippin]

Wow, I must be doing it all wrong.. I've got exactly one claw hammer and one dead-blow mallet. I can't imagine what I would do with 15 or 20 of them (aside from trying to figure out a good way to store them!) ;-)

[Harold Weaver]

Wow, I must be the simpleton in this group. I just store the 8 or 9 hammers I have in my tool box. It's a 52" box. They are laid out with heads opposite each in a other in a row and no issue finding them or accessing them when I need them. 20 would probably take up the whole drawer though........