building a planishing hammer

[jdrax]

Hi all

i would like to build a planishing hammer and am wondering where to purchase the hammer part of it

i have seen where guys use a standard air chisel type hammer but wonder if there is something better for this application and where to look to purchase one.

[Wray Schelin]

Hi John,

Read this earlier post from member Dick Strever.

http://www.metalmeet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=64


Contact Jay Hayes if you would like to purchase a set of arms like those in the post. Jay also offers the raw casting for the air motor and he is an authorized dealer for the air motors as well.

Email Jay at:

Jay Hayes <xmas4lites@earthlink.net>


Wray

[Bob Baisden]

Hi,

Jay has excellent (discounted) pricing on the planishing dies from www.michiganpneumatic.com

Bob

[Spy]

pictures in my gallery Emile.

http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=3161

[jdrax]

I see the price of the hammers themselves is the expensive part and also the part I cannot make.

i see a lot of these things that use a standard air chisel for a hammer. is this feasable at all?

[Jared Walch]

An air chisel will do the job. Its not as pretty and not as convenient, but it can be very effective. If you're doing it as a hobby and will be using it for things such as patch panels and small projects, then go for it. If you're making a living off it, then you will probably want a CP style hammer.

Many people use the air chisel hammers (including myself) and you can produce good quality work with one. Typically you have to adjust the gap between your dies, which is one shortfall. Retaining the upper die well enough to keep it dampened can be another problem.

It's a cheap solution that can still be very effective depending on what you plan to use it for.

Jared

[Dutch Comstock]

John, As you are going to be using your air hammer to make parts for a living and wanted something economical you should step up to a rivet gun as they operate the same as a comercial air planishing hammer and will do work for you the rest of your life. If you were going to be doing a lot of shaping the 36 inch cp type hammer is one of the neatest hammers you will ever use and will be so much more versatile than the rivetgun hammer. Dutch

[jdrax]

Ok Dutch

sounds logical to me. would there be some specifics i should look for when shopping for the rivet gun?

I will be using it mostly for making patch panels for repairing thunderbirds. if you haven't checked out my website, please do. You will quickly notice what my main disease is in life.