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  #1  
Old 03-17-2013, 05:47 AM
Maxakarudy Maxakarudy is offline
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Default Air hammer advice

Hi everyone,
I've never used a hand held air chisel/hammer for anything less than ripping panels off cars, so I'm looking at buying a new toy!
Eckold do a planishing hammer for mind boggling money, I know know an old boy panel maker that swears its the best tool he's got, however I'm not gonna spend that sort of money on one £1400!!!.
Looking on eBay there are vast amount to choose from, I want one for planishing free hand not in a frame. Is there an ideal length or stroke to use or is it a personal preference thing. Are there low vibration versions that won't destroy your elbows with prolonged use?
What about the hammers are there fixed types that don't float around?
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Old 03-19-2013, 12:51 AM
Overkill Overkill is offline
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Default Air Hammers

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K6c3_DMXjQ

Kent has numerous tools at www.tinmantech.com
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Ron Covell, Autofuturist books (Tim Barton/Bill Longyard) and Kent White metalshaping DVD's available, shipped from the US. Contact lane@mountainhouseestate.com for price and availability.
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Old 03-19-2013, 10:49 AM
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mr.c mr.c is offline
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Martin: There is a huge difference in the hit from a "muffler gun" and a rivet gun. The rivet gun hits much harder than the chisel type gun. The rivet guns have a "teasable" trigger that can give you single hits if required. Rivet guns are sized by how hard they hit. They use a "X" suffix. A 1X is designed to set 1/16" rivets. A 9X will set a 9/16" rivet. The barrel length is generally longer on the more powerful guns. The gun that was used in the video appeared to be about a 5X (long thin barrel).
The 9X is a VERY powerful gun that probably would have torn up the mold used in the video. A 3X-5x would be more suitable for your purposes and more pwerful and controllable than any air chisel muffler gun.
You might also look into the palm held hammer made by Danair. They look like a palm nailer but here again, looks can be deceiving. The Danair hits very hard. Much harder than any palm nailer. We took mine apart at the Dixie Meet a couple of years ago to compare. Big difference. Sears used to market the Danair unit. I am not sure whether they still carry it. The Danair is a compact hard hitting tool. Ideal for flow forming. I think that they run about $350?
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Old 03-19-2013, 04:22 PM
Maxakarudy Maxakarudy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Overkill View Post
Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K6c3_DMXjQ

Kent has numerous tools at www.tinmantech.com
Hi John,

Yeah I've seen that clip, that's the sort of thing I wanted to do.
I'd didn't realise the difference between riveters and hammers although I knew there were models that feathered the trigger.
I know Kent's tools will do the business, but finding a cheaper alternative is part of the fun for me, so now I know a bit more about the tools I can do a bit more scouting about.
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Old 03-19-2013, 04:30 PM
Maxakarudy Maxakarudy is offline
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Hi Carey,
Thanks for the info, just what needed to know about the different spec riveters.
I've had a look at the Danair products, were you referring to the palm hammer that takes different caps in metal or plastic or the nailer.
Do you have to make your own tooling for them?
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Old 03-19-2013, 07:24 PM
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I was referring to the palm hammer. I did make my own head for mine but because it had a different type of head on it ( a roller) and I didn't want to buy something that I could make. They are very nice hammers and hit hard. They are triggered by contact. Bump it and you get one hit. hold it down and you get multiple hits.
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Old 03-19-2013, 08:27 PM
Overkill Overkill is offline
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Default Rivet Guns

They come in a number of sizes. I believe it's up to 4x that uses a .401" shank (same as muffler gun), above that it's .498". With the larger shank size, you can buy a grade 8 bolt and make your own heads. For Kent's that uses the plastic inserts, I've been making the inserts myself, but use his holder.

The issue with making your own heads is that the raised area the spring uses to retain the head, isn't there. You have to hold onto it, or it will spit it out. I guess you could make your own raised area, but I've never tried that.

Put a regulator in line, you'll get a lot more control.
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  #8  
Old 03-19-2013, 10:37 PM
fred26t fred26t is offline
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Default Nail gun hammer

I have seen several Palm type single shot nail guns converted for this type of use. Fred26T
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Old 03-20-2013, 05:08 PM
Maxakarudy Maxakarudy is offline
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Thanks for the input guys, I'll give it a lot of consideration.
I like the ergonomics of the palm hammer, I can only get one these new from the US plus taxes so will be quite costly.
The riveter seems better catered for with tooling and they are more widely available in the Uk, the issue I have with this tool is that it's a 2 handed job to control properly, so handling the panel at the same time is more difficult.
So maybe I need em both
Lastly I really need to understand imperial dimensions, I'm ok with inches and fractions, but when it comes to smaller increments like 1000's, it's just Greek to me. If anybody has got a conversion chart I would be gratefull. We are metric over here, not cm's tho.
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Old 03-20-2013, 08:37 PM
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Martin,
The magic number for inches to metric is 25.4. There are 25.4 millimeters to one inch.

Divide mm by 25.4 to get inches
13 mm/25.4 = 1/2 inch

Or

Inches times 25.4 gives Millimeters
.5 inch X 25.4 = 12.7 (13 mm)

.401 x 25.4 = 10.3254 mm.

A few to remember..these will get one by in many cases
3 mm = 1/8"
11mm = 7/16"
13mm = 1/2"
25.4mm = 1"
100mm = 4"
All are approximate but for one who is not familiar these will make it easier to understand what someone is talking about. For instance; the European,English, Scandinavian and Aussies talk about sheet metal thickness in terms of 1mm or 1.5mm. So if we recall 3mm is 1/8", then 1.5mm must be about 1/16 inch and 1mm would be 2/3 of 1/16 or a bit less than 3/64" or a bit more than 1/32" (whomever came up with inches and fractions really screwed us but good )( for those who gave us sheet metal gauge as designation of thickness, I have no words, only bad thoughts)
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Last edited by Richard K; 03-20-2013 at 09:01 PM.
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