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Old 03-23-2016, 05:51 AM
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Murdoch Murdoch is offline
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Default Is this a good deal?

As a noob to the craft I have been reading and searching for info and tools. I came across an ad on kijiji for some small stuff.


This guy is asking $30.00 for some hammers and dollies, sounds good to me but I thought I'd check with the masters. I appreciate your thoughts and input guys...GM
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Old 03-23-2016, 06:07 AM
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they look like cheap crap!

BUT... as a panel beater i love hammers and i have a few cheap crap ones because they do come in handy. they will do what you want them to but you can get better
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Old 03-23-2016, 06:14 AM
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Originally Posted by neilb View Post
they look like cheap crap!

BUT... as a panel beater i love hammers and i have a few cheap crap ones because they do come in handy. they will do what you want them to but you can get better
Thanks for the input Neilb. The handles looked cheap and generic, I wish thereally was a better pic of the dollies...GM
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Old 03-23-2016, 06:25 AM
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Marty Comstock Marty Comstock is offline
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keep your eyes peeled on Ebay for used hammers, possibly lots of hammers, looking for names like Proto/Plomb, martin, Fairmount, Porter Ferguson, Snapon, oftentimes you will find a number of nice hammers in a bunch of junk. A good hammer is easy to restore and you then have the pride in the tools you have, and restored yourself.

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Old 03-23-2016, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Marty Comstock View Post
keep your eyes peeled on Ebay for used hammers, possibly lots of hammers, looking for names like Proto/Plomb, martin, Fairmount, Porter Ferguson, Snapon, oftentimes you will find a number of nice hammers in a bunch of junk. A good hammer is easy to restore and you then have the pride in the tools you have, and restored yourself.

Marty
Thanks Marty for the valued tip...GM
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Old 03-23-2016, 11:50 AM
Saabish Saabish is offline
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Default Rough stamped sides

If the sides of the head are rough and show the stamping swag it's usually a cheaper hammer. Fairmont, Proto, Blue Point have a smoother ground side. In most cases the sides show no signs of stamping or casting. I also like to listen for a BING when I strike a dolly. Like most tin bashers we all have a miss/mash of (quality) hammers and dollies. What can be over looked for quality in a hammer is the handle size and balance. It's hard to explain but it just feels right in your hand.
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Old 03-23-2016, 12:15 PM
cliffrod cliffrod is offline
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These cheap hammers and dollies can be reshaped with files, sander, buffing wheel to clear up the marking and scars on the faces.

Problem is that such stock removal often turns up air bubbles in the cast material, thus needing more grinding, polishing, etc.... Then, the first time you hit an edge or weld, they're easily marred again and then it's back to grinding, polishing, etc... Between usually being soft and poorly cast material full of bubble voids, it never ends. And if you have to buy or make a good handle, you might as well have a good hammer head to use with it.

For rough work that you would never do with a quality tool or aggressive reshaping for a unique one-off one-time use, they have their place. For nice work, now I only buy known-quality hammers and dollies. I would rather have to re-surface or hang a handle on an old nice tool than forever fiddle with ones like these. jmho
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Old 03-23-2016, 12:20 PM
James. V. D. W James. V. D. W is offline
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I have used these before and honestly, it's crap. I ended up welding pieces of steering king pins to them to make them moderately usable. Even here in my country where the currency is in the loo, you can pick a new set up for about $18.
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Old 03-23-2016, 02:19 PM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James. V. D. W View Post
I have used these before and honestly, it's crap. I ended up welding pieces of steering king pins to them to make them moderately usable. Even here in my country where the currency is in the loo, you can pick a new set up for about $18.
Agreed.
These tools are cast iron, and give a "dead" blow instead of the ringing rebound that comes from hardened steel. The heads are clumsy and heavy (clubs) and the handles are minimal, even for kids.
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Old 03-23-2016, 06:44 PM
John Buchtenkirch John Buchtenkirch is offline
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Asian hammers always seem to be ¾ to 7/8 size and weight to me, altogether too light & too small & too clumsy for American hands. When I was in Vietnam I’d see young Asian men, probably didn’t weight 50 to 75 lbs. each squatting under palm trees rebuilding 50 cc motor bikes. I’m convinced these sets were designed to replace the rocks these boys were using to beat out the fenders. Third world tools designed to be used in third world nations.

I don’t know any professionals that use them…… in fact they are the favorite thing to make jokes about when we walk thru swap meets and see them trying to be sold. ~ John Buchtenkirch
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