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Hammers and Mallets Tools that can give and take a good beati ng

By Matt hew Teague

Hammers and mallets not always as obvious as you are so Stone Age simple that might think. For example, a they’re often taken for granted. simple claw hammer that’s great But just try working without for general nail driving can them sometime. The simplest damage the tool or workpiece woodworking chores–chiseling it’s striking. Even the size of a a mortise or tacking on a hammer or mallet can affect Wooden Mallet, 14.5 oz. piece of trim–would be a real your ability to wield it effectively #08G09, $62.99 challenge, if not impossible. in a particular circumstance. While you might think that “a hammer is a hammer” (and the same thing for mallets), good currentTo work arsenal. safely Here’s and ef�iciently, a short reasons exist as to why these listconsider of the �leshing tools you out need your and a and tackingremoving together �inishing smaller nails. strikers are available in so many few reasons why they deserve For driving short �inishing nails a place in your tool cabinet. lighter, 12 oz. claw hammer workpieces, you’ll �ind that a yousizes need and andcon�igurations. choosing the But Hammers For tapping in tiny brads, best�iguring one outfor thewhich job varieties at hand is Keep your 20 oz. claw hammer in treatoffers yourself a bit more to a�inesse. wood- your toolbox. It may be a perfect handled Warrington, or cross nail driver when building walls pein, hammer. While it can’t and decks, but it’s overkill pull nails, its tapered pein end for furniture making. A 16-oz. claw hammer is much thin brads without smashing better for general shop work, is con�igured to allow starting including banging together country-style furniture, your �ingers in the process. tacking on cabinet backs, assembling jigs,

Dead Blow Mallet, 28 oz. #15F18, $20.99

Solid-Wood Warrington Mallet Hammer, 12 oz. #404693, #404698, $22.99 $24.99

74 woodcraftmagazine.com Aug/Sept 2011 Featured products available from Woodcraft Supply unless otherwise noted. Urethane Mallet, 18 oz. #141039, $38.99 with less bounce-back. Dead blow hammers are available in a variety of weights. A 28-oz. head can be handy for Non-Marring knocking together large Rubber Mallet, 18 oz. mortise-and-tenon (Home Depot joints, but a lighter 10- #542201 – $17.84) or 14-oz. head is more convenient and less tiring for making minor adjustments such as tweaking the alignment of your tablesaw top. Wooden mallets

not only handy for joinerywith �lat but faces also are Ball Pein Hammer, 24 oz. An upholsterer’s tack hammer for tapping chisels (Home Depot comes in handy for much more and drawbore #346104 - $29.99) than just sinking upholstery pins. A few of the tacks. Most tack hammers largest mallets sport magnetic heads that are have square-cut useful for holding nails and ends, but most for safely retrieving sharp have angled tacks and tiny wire nails. faces, which are easier Woodworking often to use because they factor in involves metalworking the arc of the mallet swing. operations. Use a ball pein Taking a cue from carvers, hammer for straightening some woodworkers prefer hinges, shaping metal parts, using a roundheaded mallet Claw Hammer, 12 oz. and driving punches. for striking chisels. The (Home Depot tapered cylindrical head of a #334553 - $19.99) Mallets carver’s mallet allows For persuading ornery project you to tap a chisel, or machine parts into place at gouge, or other tool assembly without denting or without worrying marring the surfaces, mallets about properly are often more helpful in the shop than an extra set of hands. mallet. While wooden A basic rubber mallet is useful carver’sorienting mallets a �lat-faced for aligning parts or tapping are traditional, joints closed. (Choose a white or modern urethane- grey head to avoid leaving scuff headed mallets are Upholsterer’s Tack Hammer, 5 oz. less expensive and (Home Depot dead blow hammer (technically less likely to suffer #80666 - $6.96) amarks.) mallet) However, delivers morea shot-�illed force splits or dings. I

Photos: Jim Osborn Aug/Sept 2011 woodcraftmagazine.com 75 SUBSCRIBE! 2 YEARS for $29.99!

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