A couple years ago, in a moment of stupidity, I figured I needed a framing hammer. I bought myself a 22 onz Stanley. For quite some time, it has looked large and impressive hanging over my workbench. I used it once, choking up on the handle as I struggled to control the unwieldy thing.
Well, it’s getting its use today! I’m doing some work on the family farm, and Dad’s air nailer – for whatever reason – isn’t feeding properly. I’ve got 30 sheets of OSB to nail off, and I think I’m getting a feel for it already. And I’m keeping warm, I’ll add.
It’s provided a lot of food for thought, too. Grandpa and Dad built the barn thirty years ago, between the two of them: 10 000 ft^2, two floors. That represents a lot of nails to drive.
The upshot: even though I’m not actually a carpenter, it’s rare that I regret owning any particular tool.
Edited 11/8/2007 1:34 pm ET by Biff_Loman
Replies
since you are probably only driving 8d nails for roof sheathing--- i am not sure i would use a framing hammer for that job---might be a bit of overkill---but by this point ya probably got it all nailed off regaurdless,
stephen
22 oz. probably isn't too heavy for the task, however I prefer my 20 oz. for sheathing and such.
Never been a fan of Stanley hammers though.....never found one with the proper balance.
J. D. ReynoldsHome Improvements
Oh, so he was asking for a critique. I was wondering what the point the OP was trying to make.Sounds like Biff had a productive day even with the gun problems and no matter what the production rate was or the tools used
Barry E-Remodeler
I felt cool because I was using my big hammer.
I don't normally tote around my circular saw, framing square, my framing hammer, and so forth. I was - until very recently - project manager for a kitchen and bath remodeling company. Countertops, cabinets, sinks and faucets are more in my line, so I kinda had fun swinging a hammer and throwing around sheets of OSB.Edit: I'll add that our cabinet installer once referred to framers as "knuckle-draggers," which is bullsh1t. It's taken me way, way too long to get this simple job done, due to lack of experience. There's a lot of skill involved in doing this efficiently.
Edited 11/8/2007 5:48 pm ET by Biff_Loman
" I'll add that our cabinet installer once referred to framers as "knuckle-draggers," which is bullsh1t. It's taken me way, way too long to get this simple job done, due to lack of experience. There's a lot of skill involved in doing this efficiently."We have a small crew of framers the youngest of whom has 2o years of framing under his belt. These guys know everything there is to know not only about the "old tried and true" ways, but also about cutting edge stuff. They are absolute artists and I worship the ground they walk on.Framing can make or break a project.
I felt cool because I was using my big hammer.
Atta boy Biff. ;)
BTW... tell your cabinet installer to KMA. We framers do his job just to kill time waiting for a real job to come along. ;)View Image
Yeah, I was looking in McMaster Carr today for a ball pein hammer, and they have a 48 oz one! You could pein some big balls with that. I like huge tools for some reason.
I felt cool because I was using my big hammer.
Bam! Pow! Biff!
Knock yourself out.
To quote Calvin and Hobbes."I have a hammer! I can put things together. I can tear things apart. I can alter my environment while making an incredible din the whole time. Ah, its great to be a male."
I don't know this guy hobbes, but I never said the above.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
There I go getting all misunderstood again. I meant Bill Watterson of Calvin and Hobbes fame.
That's alright man.
As my debris hauler told me one time.
''I'm sorry calvin (after calling me kevin for a long time),
but all the white calvin's I know...........
are named kevin"A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
''I'm sorry calvin (after calling me kevin for a long time),
but all the white calvin's I know...........
are named kevin"
that's funny! Growing up one of my closest friends was named Calvin, same as his dads, White BTW.
I grew up going to the Catholic school/church, coming home from a funeral while ridding with the priest I saw Calvin walking along the street and waved to him, priest asked me who that was and I told him. He said with that name his parents must not be Christians!
Whoa, even at that age I wondered WTF - Still remember that comment as though I heard it yesterday.
Doug
Edited 11/10/2007 8:08 am ET by DougU
So Doug, after several years he finally got it right. Calls me calvin now.
And dig this:
I was introduced to this guy not that long ago. His name was kevin.
Seeing as how he was black, I told him "no kidding, all the black kevins I know are named calvin..............."
Well, shortly after seeing the expression on his face, I told him the story. We both laughed our fanny's off.A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
http://www.quittintime.com/
I grew up going to the Catholic school/church, coming home from a funeral while ridding with the priest I saw Calvin walking along the street and waved to him, priest asked me who that was and I told him. He said with that name his parents must not be Christians!
Are you sure he didn't say that they must not be Catholics? Or maybe he was being seriously sarcastic, saying what you remember.
Calvinism is an old Protestant theology founded during the Reformation by, of course, a man named Calvin. He rejected papal authority. Ergo, not at lot of love from Catholic priests.
Are you sure he didn't say that they must not be Catholics?
No, I remember it as clear as if he said it this afternoon! He said that his parents must not be Christians.
I dont know what he meant, dont really care anymore but it did surprise me at the time, knowing what I know now about the catholic church nothing surprises me coming from them!
Doug
DU,
Interesting story, Could the priest have been making a reference to John Calvin, an early theologian who opposed Catholic doctrine?
LI
Man I was all of 13 at the time. I didn't know Adam from a Dodge.
This particular priest was pretty outspoken in the community. I know that there were some people that quit going to the church in our town because of him. My own dad had some problem with him, not real sure what it was, just heard talk.
If you ever wanted to find our priest during the week all you had to do was go up town and look in the tavern, he'd be there playing pepper(cards) and smoking a big fat cigar! That didn't sit to well with a lot of the catholics, especially the woman folk.
When I heard him say it I guess I didn't think to question him, just sorta wondered how he could know whether or not someone was a Christian based on their name.
Its just one of those things that you remember forever I guess. I had a professor in college that made a simple derogatory/racial remark that I'm sure I'll remember for just as long!
It's just useless information that I store away.
Doug
Edited 11/10/2007 8:53 pm ET by DougU
Any chicks come by and marvel at your manly hammering skills?
Life is good when a man has a big hammer.
Joe H
Edited 11/8/2007 8:58 pm by JoeH
JDRHI,
I am just a sissy----anything much bigger than my roofing hatchet I would have to probably swing 2 handed,LOL.( and i am down to a 14Ounce titanium hatchet at that)
actually-- i view the handle on the framing hammer as too long for driving a short nail like a 8d---meaning a lot of excessive arm/shoulder action for driving a short nail more efficiently "popped" in with wrist action.
roofers hammer differently then "real" carpenters--first off we sit down---and then it's all in the wrist, baby!
Stephen
Most framers nail with the arm/shoulder - swing then stop just short of hitting the nail, let the wrist pivot at that point, while the hammer's momentum carries the job to completion. 8d's are tap, drive, tap, drive, 2 hits per. Guess that part's the same with you's guys.View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product†– Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
ya, I am almost all wrist, very little elbow---and no shoulder.
a long handle is of no use--because I am not going to fully use it to generate momentum.
actually- my titanium roofing hatchet is remarkably in-effective for actually driving nails-- i carry it primarily to mash flat the occasional gun nail mis-fires---but for actual production hand nailing--it doesn't weigh enough to pack enough punch when popped with the wrist.
stephen
"it doesn't weigh enough to pack enough punch when popped with the wrist."Thats the same theory behind the 22" oz hammer.I probably have a year or so experience with a 22oz. Maybe 20 years with a 20 oz and the last 7 years with the titnium 14oz. Sprinkled in there are small stints with finish hammers and roofing hatchets.Oh yeah...I tried a 28oz club for a minute or two.8ds disappear in hurry with either the 22oz or the 20. That 14oz titanium also knocks them dead.The difference is tempo and rythem. For me, there is no difference in motion or form. I used to show the guys that were interested how to swing a 20oz hammer using only a finger and thumb and no arm movement per se. It's a whip action and it can be accomplised with only the flick of the wrist. Of course, I used more of my hand in normal use but the principal was the same. For me, the 22oz was too slow. I still nailed at the same rate because that rate was dictated by my ability to get the nails in my left hand organized and in place for the set. If memory serves me correctly, I think I pounded the 8's with a three hit tempo when using a 20oz and used a 2 hit tempo with the 22oz. There was no appreciative time differential in my overall speed. I stayed with the 20oz hammer so long because I used that same 3 hit tempo for almost every nail in any situation. The exceptions were when we handnailed the t&g subfloors into frozen yellow pine joist with 8d screw shanked "pallet" nails (blunt tipped). The 22oz hammer was superior in those situations because I could sink the head in four swats rather than fighting to get it flush in four with the 20. The boss used to drag his square across the deck to see if someone had to buy beer for leaving the head proud.We were extremely thankful when the boss started bringing that huge senco 3.5" nailer for the decks! FKA Blue (eyeddevil)
i did not know there was a titanium roofing hatchet??? I have never seen one, what make is it??
AJC hatchet company
I got mine through ABC supply-- but actually AJC hatchet company is a local company here--- owned by the Crookston family.- another branch of the family owns a very well known roofing supply house that I have dealt with for 20 some years.
I actually looked my hatchet up in the catelogue yesterday( conversation with blue got me curious)
it's a 12 ounce titanium hatchet.
Please let me be clear----- you do NOT want to be hand nailing with this hatchet-it is so light weight that it is pretty in-efficient. I carry it to mash down/flatten out, occasional air gun mis-fires---and because of it's over all light weight( I am a toolbelt minimalist!)--it's way lighter on my tool belt than my trusty old steel handled ESTWING hatchet-and way friendlier on my arm as well.
i have never used a titanium framing hammer---but I can see the possibility of it working well--because of the MUCH larger arc a framing hammer head travels--it hits the nail traveling at many more feet per second-much faster
roofing hatchet popped from the wrist------ very small arc to travel--NEVER builds up the required speed for effective impact.
It is perfect for what I want it to do---but I switch back to the Estwing--or to a douglas finish hammer for driving masonry nails into chimney mortar joints.
Best wishes,
Stephen
If you're only going to have one, I think the best all around hammer is a 20 oz smooth face. I had a Stanley for years and in a moment of anger and insanity I flung it as far as I could out into the Hudson River and then went home for the day without even cleaning up or putting away any tools, (a story for another time).
Anyhow, I used to use it for both framing, sheathing (it's perfect for sheathing), and finishing. I went out afterwards and dutifully bought a 16 oz finisher, another 20 oz, and a 22 oz framer, and used them accordingly.
Today I use the 14 oz. titanium for framing, and the 10 oz titanium for all my finish work. I keep the 22 oz around for any demo work. All the other hammers I have are collecting dust.
It's great to hear that other guys have days like that!I built my parent's house a few years ago, and my dad helped me the whole time. Now you have to understand that my dad can be a bit... exasperating.Anyway, during one particularly hard afternoon, I waited till my dad was around the corner, and flung my framing hammer as FAR as I could out into the field. (If there would have been a body of water nearby, believe me, that hammer would have been in it) Later when I walked out to retrieve it, he was all, "What was your hammer doing way out there?" I answered with clenched teeth "Nothing".He and I still work together, btw.T.N.
Edited 11/11/2007 10:27 am ET by True North