Stumpy Brass Dovetail Hammer

[Berncarpenter]

Had a good look at David Barrons tools at the Yandles show and fancied one of his little brass hammers for dovetailing , as i had spent way too much i didnt get one . While picking up some brass angle i spotted a small length of brass bar about 18'' long x 1 1/8'' and for £10 it was mine . So today i made myself one with an ash handle.

Brass bar was cut with a hack saw to about 2'' long , drilled a 1/2'' hole for the handle and then mounted in the lathe to file the ends . One side slightly domed the other flat , then sanded with a bit of 240 grit paper and polished .

Cheers Bern

 

[Peter Sefton]

Nice job Bern

Peter

 

[lurcher]

nice work there and more use than a bought 1 it has soul to it and a pleasure all of its own

 

[Berncarpenter]

Thanks Peter & Lurcher
Enjoyed making this today but havent had a chance to try it out yet, hope to have some time in the shop tomorrow eve.

Cheers Bern

 

[Mr_P]

Very nice, makes me want to go out and buy a lathe.

Looks just as good as the real thing and a lot cheaper (£32 for the DB one).

 

[matthewwh]

I suspect David will be even more delighted that you have been inspired to make one.

Beautiful job.

 

[John15]

Beautifully made Bern

John

 

[Berncarpenter]

Very nice, makes me want to go out and buy a lathe.

Looks just as good as the real thing and a lot cheaper (£32 for the DB one).

Thanks Mr P
Pretty new to turning and still learning ,spotted a old Wadkin on ebay for £175 a couple of years ago and went for it .Dont do allot with it but it comes in handy for this sort of stuff . Get yourself one and have some fun , if you dont get on with it you it you would get your money back if you buy wisely. The mat for this job came in at a whopping £2 but if i had to pay for my labour then £32 is a fair price for the DB one.

I suspect David will be even more delighted that you have been inspired to make one.

Beautiful job.

Thanks Mathew
DB is a nice guy , showed him my dovetail templates that were inspired by his work and he was genuinely delighted and took a few photos to post them on his blog.Like his tools and will probably buy some of his new squares soon .

Beautifully made Bern

John

Thanks John
Off to a couple of car boot sales now hope the rain holds off

Cheers Bern

 

[Harbo]

Very nice - that's another on my TUIT list. I've had the brass for a long time now and your 18" for £10 was a steal!

I bought one of DB's longer ones a few yrs ago at Yandles, mainly because I liked the curly maple handle

Rod

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Bern,
What a beautiful piece of work. I am very impressed.

Thanks,
Neil

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Beautiful. Just the sort of thing I like making - but what is its purpose? I can't say I've ever heard of one, and can't think what it would do that a longer handled hammer or mallet wouldn't do better.

 

[Harbo]

Shorter - more control and gentler taps. Used for dovetailing and wood carving.

Rod

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thanks, I suspected that would be the answer. I don't really see it though. Being more used to jeweller's hammers, I'd have thought I'd far more control of something with a longer handle.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

I suspect David will be even more delighted that you have been inspired to make one.

Beautiful job.

Not to take anything away from Bern's fine effort .... with all due respect, the design is not David's - it comes from Glen-Drake Tools (maker of Tite-Mark cutting gauges) ...

I suspect that it is discontinued now as it is no longer on Kevin Drake's website. However, Chris Vesper still sells them:

https://www.vespertools.com.au/index.ph ... &Itemid=14

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[MIGNAL]

You mean hammers with very short handles were 'designed' by someone?
I just thought they came about as a result of hitting something a little too hard.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Yeah. Everyone is an inventor.

Still, they need to be rightfully acknowledged.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[JohnPW]

Yeah. Everyone is an inventor.

Still, they need to be rightfully acknowledged.

Regards from Perth

Derek

:?:

I suspect most people will have held a hammer or mallet near the top of the handle (where it enters the head) for light taps and/or for better control. It's ridiculous to claim out of all the people who might have made a shorter hammer handle, one particular person is the acknowledged inventor.

 

[Berncarpenter]

Very nice - that's another on my TUIT list. I've had the brass for a long time now and your 18" for £10 was a steal!

I bought one of DB's longer ones a few yrs ago at Yandles, mainly because I liked the curly maple handle

Rod

Thanks Rod
Measured the brass bar and it was 16'' not 18'' , i spend quite a bit at the metal merchants usually on rsj 's for the building side of my business so letting the brass go for a tenner not going to hurt them .

I am also guilty of buying tools because they look good Rod so your not on your own there :lol:

Bern,
What a beautiful piece of work. I am very impressed.

Thanks,
Neil

Thanks Neil
I had the image of the handle in my head when i was turning but just couldnt bring myself round to that maggot shape so ended up with a pear instead.

Beautiful. Just the sort of thing I like making - but what is its purpose? I can't say I've ever heard of one, and can't think what it would do that a longer handled hammer or mallet wouldn't do better.

I suspect David will be even more delighted that you have been inspired to make one.

Beautiful job.

Not to take anything away from Bern's fine effort .... with all due respect, the design is not David's - it comes from Glen-Drake Tools (maker of Tite-Mark cutting gauges) ...

I suspect that it is discontinued now as it is no longer on Kevin Drake's website. However, Chris Vesper still sells them:

https://www.vespertools.com.au/index.ph ... &Itemid=14

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi Derek
Put the hammer with my Glen Drake rite mark gauge and i think they go together quite nicely .

They are both beautiful designs and a credit to the designer.

Cheers Bern

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Bern

You've made a few nice tools there. Tell us more about the chisel. And that also looks like a dovetail marker?

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Berncarpenter]

Hi Bern

You've made a few nice tools there. Tell us more about the chisel. And that also looks like a dovetail marker?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thanks Derek
Here's the link to the posts on the dovetail template

dovetail-template-t78913.html

and links to some of the tools i have made recently

bowling-ball-mallet-t79504.html

nick-westerman-bladed-marking-knife-t79512.html

Hope you find these interesting

Cheers Bern