fitting a new shaft to a sledge hammer

[bertfulker_6]

can you please advise on the correct way to fit a new hickory shaft to a sledge hammer

[Tom]

The new shaft needs to be as accurate a fit as possible to the bore of the head and as tight a fit as possible consistent with the possibility to actually enter it into the head.

There needs to be 2 slots cut into the end of the shaft to be fitted into the head at 90 degrees to one another, cutting along the major axis of the shaft to a little less than the depth of the head. One of these slots will accommodate a wooden wedge and the other a steel wedge. One slot is to be cut along the major dimension of the end of the shaft and the other along the minor dimension.

Purchase/ produce 2 wedges one of steel and the other of hardwood. The wooden one to fit the major dimension of the approximately elliptical shape of the end of the shaft to be fitted into the head of the hammer, the steel one to fit into the shaft along the minor dimension of the end of the shaft.

Place the hammer head on a solid surface and drive the shaft into it, using a piece of wood to prevent damage to the end of the shaft. Invert the assembly and drive the wooden wedge as far as possible into the slot along the major dimension of the shaft which has been previously cut. Drive the steel wedge into the slot previously cut along the minor dimension of the shaft, thus tightening the head onto the shaft. It should be possible to drive this steel wedge into the wood of the shaft until it is flush with the face of the hammerhead.

Clean off the spalled over wood left from the wooden wedge and the head should now be satisfactorily secured to the shaft.

Test the normal function of the hammer in an area where no damage will result in the case of losing the head from the shaft, if the head has been improperly secured.

Always exercise caution and be aware of a hammerhead working itself loose in the course of it's normal use. Remedy any looseness immediately.

I have known pesons who keep hammers with the head immersed in a bucket of water but feel this is somewhat of a mixed blessing as it tends to soften the wood, as well as swell it and also lubricates the frictional grip of the head to the shaft.

Hope you are successful. the main key is the initial fit of the shaft to the head.

[nightjar]

I wouldn't myself. I much prefer glass reinforced plastic handles. The only wooden shafts I have are on a set of tools that I use for smithing in a museum, where the look is more important.

Colin Bignell

[The Medway Handyman]

That sounds interesting - tell us more?

[nightjar]

Not a lot to tell, especially as I've not had time to do it for a while now. I simply turn up on the odd weekend and run the forge, which is one of the exhibits, doing simple smithing that looks impressive and doesn't take more than a few minutes, so that people can actually see something happening while they wait - creating a twisted rope effect in a steel bar is a good standby. There is probably as much showmanship as smithing required, as well as having the patience to answer the same questions at frequent intervals throughout the day.

Colin Bignell

[Bill]

I used to use a spokeshave to fit the shaft, but nowadays I use a 100 mm grinder with a flap disk (sanding).

I use one saw cut across the widest section about 2/3 rds depth of hammer head. I make a hardwood wedge, cut out of the old shaft about 1:10.

I use two serrated metal wedges (no saw cuts for them) across the short way.

When I have the shaft fit to the head fairly tight as Tom says, I always belt shit out of the end of the shaft with a lump hammer. This drives the shaft an extra 20 or 30mm into the head getting it really tight. Any spelches on the end of the handle I clean of with the grinder. Get it tight, saw off the excess and then put your wedges in.