One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood

Can you get the wedge back in and soak the head in PEG (anti-freeze)?

Not tried it myself, but I gather it soaks in, swells the wood, but
unlike water, once swelled it doesn't shrink back as it dries ...

On 17/06/2018 09:06, Jeff Layman wrote:
One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

A new hammer

Araldite?
grin.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
news
One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges at
right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as much
as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges at
right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as much
as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

I just bought another with the tomahawk
when one showed up in the aldi special buys.

Guess I could have just got some metal wedged
from some wreck from the garage sales.

On 17/06/18 09:25, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood

Can you get the wedge back in and soak the head in PEG (anti-freeze)?

Not tried it myself, but I gather it soaks in, swells the wood, but
unlike water, once swelled it doesn't shrink back as it dries ...

Unfortunately the next time I looked when the head had moved down the
shaft a few mm the wedge had gone. I guess I could fashion a new one
from a scrap piece of hardwood and try the antifreeze soak.

--

Jeff

On 17/06/18 12:09, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 17/06/18 09:25, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood

Can you get the wedge back in and soak the head in PEG (anti-freeze)?

Not tried it myself, but I gather it soaks in, swells the wood, but
unlike water, once swelled it doesn't shrink back as it dries ...

Unfortunately the next time I looked when the head had moved down the
shaft a few mm the wedge had gone. I guess I could fashion a new one
from a scrap piece of hardwood and try the antifreeze soak.

Why not spend a few minutes of money?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/hammer-wedges


--
Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the people.
But Marxism is the crack cocaine.

On Sunday, 17 June 2018 12:09:24 UTC+1, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 17/06/18 09:25, Andy Burns wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood

Can you get the wedge back in and soak the head in PEG (anti-freeze)?

Not tried it myself, but I gather it soaks in, swells the wood, but
unlike water, once swelled it doesn't shrink back as it dries ...

Unfortunately the next time I looked when the head had moved down the
shaft a few mm the wedge had gone. I guess I could fashion a new one
from a scrap piece of hardwood and try the antifreeze soak.

Surely using a wooden wedge is the obvious solution.
You don't need PEG if the wood is dried.


NT

On 17/06/2018 09:06, Jeff Layman wrote:
One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

If wood wedges worked for twenty years, it sounds like making some new
ones will get a similar life extension out of it.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On Sun, 17 Jun 2018 13:59:29 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:

On 17/06/2018 09:06, Jeff Layman wrote:
One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

If wood wedges worked for twenty years, it sounds like making some new
ones will get a similar life extension out of it.

I mended a hammer by screwing a suitably fat screw into the wedge hole
to splay out the wood.
--
Dave W

On Sunday, 17 June 2018 15:54:02 UTC+1, Dave W wrote:
On Sun, 17 Jun 2018 13:59:29 +0100, John Rumm
wrote:
On 17/06/2018 09:06, Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

If wood wedges worked for twenty years, it sounds like making some new
ones will get a similar life extension out of it.

I mended a hammer by screwing a suitably fat screw into the wedge hole
to splay out the wood.

I have a little old wood handled hammer where the handle has split badly very close to the head. I can pare the handle down by hand or with a sander, but I'm not sure it would be accurate and thus a good tight fit. Is there a technique that can be recommended?


NT

On Sunday, June 17, 2018 at 9:06:18 AM UTC+1, Jeff Layman wrote:
One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

--

Jeff

A small piece of cast iron rainwater guttering was used as a substitute in the trade. If you can find a piece. I've even seen a small round headed nail knocked in the head of the shaft.

On Sun, 17 Jun 2018 12:21:58 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:

I have a little old wood handled hammer where the handle has split
badly very close to the head. I can pare the handle down by hand or
with a sander, but I'm not sure it would be accurate and thus a good
tight fit. Is there a technique that can be recommended?

Epoxy?

On Monday, 18 June 2018 00:40:59 UTC+1, Rob Morley wrote:
On Sun, 17 Jun 2018 12:21:58 -0700 (PDT)
tabbypurr wrote:

I have a little old wood handled hammer where the handle has split
badly very close to the head. I can pare the handle down by hand or
with a sander, but I'm not sure it would be accurate and thus a good
tight fit. Is there a technique that can be recommended?

Epoxy?

I suppose I hadn't thought of break & glue. I may as well try that before recutting the wood. Cheers.


NT

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

Far be it from me to divert attention from a fixing job ... but may I
recommend the odd car boot sale? You may not find wedges there, but
you're almost certain to find whole stalls of ancient (therefore
fantastic quality) tools - usually filthy, and usually being sold by
someone who'd just like to go home a kilo or two lighter than when he
came, and get a quid or two into the bargain.

John

On Wednesday, 20 June 2018 08:57:19 UTC+1, Another John wrote:
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:

One of the wedges on my old lump hammer has come out. Before it came out
completely I had a look and it seemed to be made of wood (this is an old
Chinese(?) 1kg hammer that I've had for over 20 years, with two wedges
at right-angles to each other). I could replace it, but sets of metal
wedges - nearly all of which I'll never need - seem to cost nearly as
much as a new hammer. Any ideas for a functional substitute?

Far be it from me to divert attention from a fixing job ... but may I
recommend the odd car boot sale? You may not find wedges there, but
you're almost certain to find whole stalls of ancient (therefore
fantastic quality) tools - usually filthy, and usually being sold by
someone who'd just like to go home a kilo or two lighter than when he
came, and get a quid or two into the bargain.

John

great way to buy tools if you've got the time to spare


NT

In article ,
wrote:

On Wednesday, 20 June 2018 08:57:19 UTC+1, Another John wrote:
....
... may Irecommend the odd car boot sale?

great way to buy tools if you've got the time to spare

That's why I said "the odd" .. I used to go to a local car boot regulary
when I first retired. Then retirement started to bite, and I very
rarely have that amount of time these days :-D

J.

On Wed, 20 Jun 2018 16:29:39 +0000, Huge wrote:

On 2018-06-20, Another John wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

On Wednesday, 20 June 2018 08:57:19 UTC+1, Another John wrote:
...
... may Irecommend the odd car boot sale?

great way to buy tools if you've got the time to spare

That's why I said "the odd" .. I used to go to a local car boot
regulary when I first retired.

That involves Getting Up. After 41 years of Getting Up, I don't do that
any more.

Ah. But now you have the luxury of Not Going To Sleep At All.

As I did last night, due to a crisis involving a friend. Mind, I feel
**** now.



--
My posts are my copyright and if @diy_forums or Home Owners' Hub
wish to copy them they can pay me £1 a message.
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK: http://www.mirrorservice.org
*lightning surge protection* - a w_tom conductor