What Is a Hammer?
A hammer is a versatile tool used for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal, and breaking up objects. Hammers are fundamental tools in construction, metalworking, and many other fields.
Uses of Hammers
Hammers are employed in diverse tasks, including:
- Nailing and removing nails in woodworking and construction.
- Metalworking tasks like shaping and bending.
- Stone masonry and concrete testing.
- Automotive and welding work for deburring and shavings removal.
Principle of Hammers
A hammer consists of a handle and a head. The head’s weight determines its striking force, while the handle length affects control and power. Proper technique involves swinging the hammer using the arm, leveraging the head’s weight for efficient impact.
How to Select Hammers
There are many types of hammers, with different materials and weights for different purposes. It is important to understand the characteristics of each type before making a choice.
1. Type
Nail Hammers
A type of hammer with a flat surface on one side and a nail hammer on the opposite side. Since the center of gravity is biased toward the striking surface, the hammer can be worked in a stable condition.
One-Handed Hammer
One side of the hammer has a gently curved surface, almost flat, and the other side has a spherical surface. It is used for hammering in nails and pins, etc. The one with a spherical striking portion can be used for bending steel plates, etc.
Double-Hammer
One side of the hammer is flat and the other is curved with a slight bulge. It is mainly used for nailing wood but is also used for ironwork, civil engineering, and demolition work.
Temporary Hammer
Temporary hammers are used for temporary work in construction to assemble formwork for pouring concrete. The handle is long, and the striking surface becomes thinner as it gets closer to the handle, in the shape of a trumpet.
Sheet Metal Hammer
Hammer used to strike steel or aluminum plates for processing. They are used for car body repairs, roof and duct sheet metal, electrical work, and metal crafts.
Electrician’s Hammer
There are two types of hammers suitable for electrical work: the tip-cutting type, in which one side of the head has a striking surface and the other is pointed, and the gennoux type, in which both sides have striking surfaces. The most distinctive feature of the electrician’s hammer is the socket-shaped end of the handle, which can be used to attach and remove nuts.
Combination Hammer
Hammer with one side made of metal and the other made of a resin material that does not damage the material.
Peg Hammer
Hammer used for hammering pegs into the ground and pulling them out. One side of the hammer has a flat striking area, and the other side is shaped to easily hook onto a peg.
2. Material
Made of Metal
Metal hammers have the highest strength of all hammer materials and are used for hammering in nails, sheet metal working, etc.
Wooden
Unlike metal hammers, wooden hammers are lightweight. They are mainly used for assembling wooden products and for work where you do not want to damage the parts.
Plastic Hammers
Hammer whose head is made of plastic. It is mainly used for maintenance of automobiles and motorcycles. The center of gravity is made of metal, so it can deliver a solid impact.
Rubber Hammer
The head of this hammer is made of rubber. It is used for furniture assembly. Compared to wooden hammers with similar characteristics, rubber hammers can be used without damaging the material.
3. Weight
Hammers are generally classified by the weight of the head, as each product varies in shape, size, and weight.
A compact and lightweight hammer is recommended for women, but a heavy hammer is necessary for breaking stones.
Since the type of hammer used depends on the purpose, it is important to select a hammer with the optimum weight by actually swinging it.