How do I maintain a lead hammer.

Mad Matt · Post by **Mad Matt** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 8:44 am

Ok well I picked up a lead hammer the other day for $4. The handle's not lead that would be silly. It's metal though. So the problem is that the head loosens when you use it. Since lead is so soft.

How do I retighten the head. Is lead flamable? Do I just bash it in with another hammer?

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The budding mid 14th century German Transitional guy.
Mad Matt's Armory

gargoyle · Post by **gargoyle** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 11:38 am

How is the head secured now? The one I have has a bolt (socket head cap screw) through the head into the handle. If that losens I can loctite it. (It never has.) To the best of my knowledge lead is not flamable. It will melt at a relatively low temp. It can vaporize at high temps and that can get nasty if you inhale it. I don't think you'll need to heat it.

[This message has been edited by gargoyle (edited 09-27-2001).]

Mad Matt · Post by **Mad Matt** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 1:20 pm

Well it's got what looks like a piece of pipe that goes into the underside of the head and doesn't come out the top. I imagine it's got some kind of lump or something on the handle inside the head.

It's already a little loose.

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The budding mid 14th century German Transitional guy.
Mad Matt's Armory

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 3:20 pm

This reminds me that I have been "planning" on making a lead mallet for several years now. What I planned to do was to use a tomato paste can as the form for the head. Here is what I had in mind:

Take a clean & *dry* tomato paste can and put a hole in the side of it for the handle. Stick a handle in. Drill a hole or two through the handle where it is in the can. Seal the hole around the handle with foil. Pour molten lead into the can and let it cool. You can melt lead on the stove in a coffee can. Now, either cut off the tomato paste can or cut off about 1" from each end so that you still have the steel can around the main body of the mallet.

The other idea I had for it was to use lost foam casting. Carve a mallet head out of styrofoam, stick a handle in it (with some holes though the end) and bury it in sand with one end flush with the top of the packed sand. Then pour the hot lead onto the foam, which will vaporize the foam and take it's place.

As for answering your question, MM, maybe try hitting the join of head & handle with a torch to remelt it a bit so that it will tighten up the gap?

- Scott

anhur-set · Post by **anhur-set** » Thu Sep 27, 2001 5:06 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Scott:

The other idea I had for it was to use lost foam casting. Carve a mallet head out of styrofoam, stick a handle in it (with some holes though the end) and bury it in sand with one end flush with the top of the packed sand. Then pour the hot lead onto the foam, which will vaporize the foam and take it's place.

- Scott<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Styrofoam casting works great, especially with lead and aluminum. Just make sure the sand is bone dry, the smallest amount of moisture and you could have a small explosion to deal with.
-SET

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But why shall I say more? To-day I wear these chains, and am here!
To-morrow I shall be fetterless!- but where?

Ted Banning · Post by **Ted Banning** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 2:39 am

How are you using the lead hammer ? Perhaps you should use a hard plastic face hammer for what you were using the Pb for and use Pb for minute adjustments to lathe and milling machine set-ups...

gargoyle · Post by **gargoyle** » Fri Sep 28, 2001 12:59 pm

If the handle is hollow, you might try drilling a hole through the head and using a long bolt or allthread with a washer and nuts. That should keep the head on.