Converted Hammers for Men In Shed Members with Needs

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

At one Men In Shed we have some members who have issues with arms and hands.
For a while they felt a bit left out, so I made theses hammers, with the members help.

The Top Claw hammers is the one, I have polished the metal up. The old leathers is dried and falling to bits.

The rust was bad, but it was soon removed.

Making a new wooden laminated handle.

The wood was shaped to suit the member need, new rivets made from soft steel bar.

Hammer 2.

This one needed more thinking time.

The rubber was removed, the rust removed and a LOT of leather washers stamped out. With home made punches.

Stacking and fixings the leather. The nuts are fixed to two bits off M5 studs. It places tension on the leathers as the low tact glue cures.

The leather was shaped to fit his left hand. Took a few tries to get it suitable.

Finished.

 

[Tweedy]

Access to making is so important and empowering, even more so for those with accessibility issues.

I'm glad others are working on accessible tools. It's a peeve of mine they aren't commercially available.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Access to making is so important and empowering, even more so for those with accessibility issues.

I'm glad others are working on accessible tools. It's a peeve of mine they aren't commercially available.

Just spent the day building a wheelchair friendly work bench.
Well, mocking one up out of scrap wood, It should be a good addition, when we can build it.
It will have a bench, lights, a vice and more importantly wheel chocks.

Honest we did not giggle when Mike pushed against the vice to start sawing and we went back wards.

Opps.
All a learning curve.

 

[bourbon]

Just spent the day building a wheelchair friendly work bench.
Well, mocking one up out of scrap wood, It should be a good addition, when we can build it.
It will have a bench, lights, a vice and more importantly wheel chocks.

Honest we did not giggle when Mike pushed against the vice to start sawing and we went back wards.

Opps.
All a learning curve.

looking forwards to seeing pictures

 

[mc281]

Access to making is so important and empowering, even more so for those with accessibility issues.

I'm glad others are working on accessible tools. It's a peeve of mine they aren't commercially available.

Can I suggest that anyone needing special shaped handles obtain some Polycaprolactone beads. They soften and meld into a plastic mass in hot water and may be squeezed into any shape. When cooled in cold water you end up with a hard plastic which can be drilled, threaded and tinkered with to your heart's content. The best thing is, if you cock it up, you can just reheat in hot water again. If you use water that's much too hot it becomes quite sticky. I used this a lot when making gizmos for disabled people. It's completely inert, safe and user friendly.
If you pack the softened plastic into a threaded nut, for example, you can unscrew it when cold. It's actually bloody amazing stuff and available from lots of online sellers. Just Google it.... PS... it's not expensive.

 

[wurglesnash357]

Can I suggest that anyone needing special shaped handles obtain some Polycaprolactone beads. They soften and meld into a plastic mass in hot water and may be squeezed into any shape. When cooled in cold water you end up with a hard plastic which can be drilled, threaded and tinkered with to your heart's content. The best thing is, if you cock it up, you can just reheat in hot water again. If you use water that's much too hot it becomes quite sticky. I used this a lot when making gizmos for disabled people. It's completely inert, safe and user friendly.
If you pack the softened plastic into a threaded nut, for example, you can unscrew it when cold. It's actually bloody amazing stuff and available from lots of online sellers. Just Google it.... PS... it's not expensive.

Amazing stuff, sold under the name of Polymorph. The regular stuff softens at 62 C and there is a low temperature version. I've used it a lot working with disabled people to make personalised hand grips for things.

Les

 

[mc281]

Access to making is so important and empowering, even more so for those with accessibility issues.

I'm glad others are working on accessible tools. It's a peeve of mine they aren't commercially available.

Trouble is, most disabilities don't fit into to the same tick-box. That's where Polymorph is so useful.
The oddest thing I made with Polycaprolactone was a ring to fit on a guy's middle finger.... He could not hold anything and after we had made a cup holder handle thingy he asked for something to hold a cigarette safely. The ring had a little gripper shape on top and his wife would light his ciggy and then put it in place. Not only was he happy but so was his wife who had been hold his cigs to his lips. He was totally paralysed below his armpits.

 

[Cabinetman]

Can I suggest that anyone needing special shaped handles obtain some Polycaprolactone beads. They soften and meld into a plastic mass in hot water and may be squeezed into any shape. When cooled in cold water you end up with a hard plastic which can be drilled, threaded and tinkered with to your heart's content. The best thing is, if you cock it up, you can just reheat in hot water again. If you use water that's much too hot it becomes quite sticky. I used this a lot when making gizmos for disabled people. It's completely inert, safe and user friendly.
If you pack the softened plastic into a threaded nut, for example, you can unscrew it when cold. It's actually bloody amazing stuff and available from lots of online sellers. Just Google it.... PS... it's not expensive.

Thank you so much for that, I’m positive I shall find lots of uses.
Just say I think it’s brill what you are all doing to help.
I’m convinced doing things with our hands is really important for our mental health, particularly when we get older or disabled.
Ian