Prototyping...

....or fiddling around in the shop.
From cleaning the floor to think about the one or the other project.

I didn't came to the point to be really productive.

Maybe I should figure out something...

There was a lot of distraction during the last weeks and whenever I have found some time to spent in the shop, then I didn't found the right motivation to finish one of the started projects.

As well I didn't found the motivation to start a new one. So I have used the time to make some shop helpers.

One of these helpers is my new hand drill holder.

New hand drill holder

Nothing fancy. Just a few pieces of plywood screwed together. But the drills are out of the way now. One was laying on the bench all the time, or wandering around from here to there. Now they are at a handy place.

That done it came to my mind that I wanted to make some tools. A plane hammer is on my list for a while.

So it came that I have started to experiment a bit. The first tries ended in the waste basket.

But now I'm at the point of seriously prototyping a model.

I've prepared a blank of beech.

Blank of beech

Then I've marked the center coming in about 5 cm from one end.

Marked the center

I have marked the center on both sides of the pieces. That was done to drill from both sides. That should assure that the whole will be plumbish.

Drilled a hole into the center

Next I have marked the center on one end.

Marked the center of one end

And finally drilled a hole into it. About 30mm deep.

Drilled a hole

I am playing with the thoughts for a plane hammer for a while now. First I had another design in mind. But that would require a lot of metal work. Anyway, I had bought some brass material a few moons ago.

Now I cut off a piece, planed the cut end as good as possible by hand and established a tiny chamfer.

Brass cylinder

Now, guess what. Yes, yes, the round thing into the square one....

Inserted brass head

So far, so good.

Actually I haven't decided how to shape the head, so I will let it as it is for now.

Making the handle is next. My first attempt went south. The piece of beech I grabbed from my scrap box was somehow brittle. Paring down a round tenon ended in a mess. 

That was one of the moments when you recognize why you put a piece of wood into the scrap box.

I don't like to throw useful pieces away. But sometimes it is better to get rid of it immediately.

The good thing is that I have practiced how to make the tenon. So, prepared for the next try.

Now then, hammer handle and shaping will be next. I'm curious to see how it will come out.

Stay tuned!
Stefan