Rubber mallet vs dead low hammer

[Derek Cohen]

I believe the Thor weighs 18 0z.

I might add that this is a good weight for a silent morticing mallet - such as when you do not wish to disturb others.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Grandpa Dave]

I've pretty much replaced usage of rubber mallets with "dead" blow composition hammers. As already noted, more control and "feel" when using.

Not trying to be a 'smart-a**" but hit your thumb with a dead blow versus a rubber mallet and you'll understand the difference of force transference. Made a believer out of me!

I purchased my first dead-blow hammer (24 oz) over 40 years ago from a Mac Tool rep when I was a mechanic in the farm equipment trade. I thought I would seldom use it, but used it nearly as much as any other soft face hammer including brass, bronze and aluminum. That one finally disintegrated from old age.

I also spent 23yrs in a manufacturing environment. We used about equal number dead blow as we did soft-face steel and rawhide hammers to minimize damage to tooling and machined surfaces.

For home use, I decided to give the H-F models a try just based on cost. I've been very pleased in their durability even when I have abused them.

For woodworking, I use the 12 & 18 oz the most. For laminate and hardwood flooring installs the 24 & 36 oz get the most work out.

I also have the 12-36 oz I use when working on L&G equipment, cars & trucks. About the only thing I use the rubber mallets for is hub-caps/trim rings.

My $.02 worth.

[Derek Cohen]

Well, I have added UHMW Polyethylene to the faces of all my mallets. This has replaced the leather fronts I was using. The advantage of UHMW is that it is hard and stiff enough to provide good feedback, but has a touch of give to prevent marring the ends of unhooped chisels.

It began with using a Thor (at the rear), which became a general purpose mallet. Then I added it to the end of my 8 oz plane hammer, which is my go-to for tapping the backs of unhooped chisels when dovetailing. (I use a similar-sized gennou for Japanese hooped chisels). This was so successful that I added it to the 19 oz Veritas Cabinetmakers mallet (re-handled to fit my hand), which is used for morticing into softer woods, and the 36 oz monster mortice mallet (which is beefed up with inlaid brass), that is reserved for the hardest woods.



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Strokes77]

Was watching some Rob Cosman video's and he advocates for using a regular steel carpenters hammer and a wooden block for assembly. His argument is the ring of the metal hammer can give clues as to how the joint is going together. If the joint is stuck, it makes a different pitch sound, and you can know to stop and adjust the fit...

Interesting, but I generally just whack it home with my Thor. I don't usually have tight fitting joints anyway so my advise probably aint real valuable.

[Anji12305]

Your advice is as valid as any other.

I use a Warrington hammer for assembly of Pine or other lighter woods that I find prone to split when the dovetails "seat".

It makes a "rising" sound as the joint comes home.

When the pitch doesn't climb further, the joint is tight as I dare go.

I use a block off cut from the tailboard for this purpose.
I doubt it makes things any better, but I like the sound.

That's as good a reason to do anything, I suppose.

[2beast]

Timberwolf said:

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[blockquote]Quote:

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is there a practical difference between a deadblow or a rubber mallet?

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Yes...a dead blow delivers more "smack", while the rubber loses some in the "rebound"....and the dead blow is easier to "gauge the amount of force delivered"...

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And, a dead blow hammer hurts a lot more when you get a finger in the way!

[RocketRod]

they perform similar jobs -- I use them both depending on the particular job --- but all in all, I will generally choose the dead blow first.

[Derek Cohen]

At the rear ...



I believe it is 18oz.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[6270_Productions]

I had a guy that used to hang out in my Shop.

He would often mention that I was not as close to finishing the current project as I thought I was.  His reasoning?  I hadn't used my "orange hammer" on it yet.  Every now and then I would pull it out of the drawer and smack the project just to make it "official".

Yep, I use my 1 lb orange dead blow hammer more often than I use my 6 inch steel ruler.  . . . . . . WAIT A MINUTE! . . . . . . . Maybe I need to measure a bit more accurately?

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Wow!  That was weird . . . for a minute there I thought I might not need to use my orange hammer as much as I do.  That can't be right.  I even use it to adjust the stop blocks on my radial arm saw set ups.

[R Clark]

Yep, I use my 1 lb orange dead blow hammer more often than I use my 6 inch steel ruler.  ...

Me, too.  The orange dead blow is my go-to beater.  Must be an Iowa thing.

I have both the 1 lb orange dead blow and a rubber mallet.  Never use the rubber mallet.

I have been making a concerted effort to remember that I turned a round mallet from a big chunk of apple wood last year to whack chisels with.