Fig. 25
Bamboo can be used to make a handle for a permanent hammer. It is a good material for making the handle if a strong type is available. It is also very easy to make a handle using this material.
You will need the following materials:
One piece of bamboo which is between 30 and 40 cm long and with a circumference between 12 and 16 cm.
Fig. 26
One large nut and bolt (See Temporary Hammer for dimensions)
Saw
Temporary Hammer
Chisel
Making the Hammer
Saw the bamboo as shown in Diagram A. Make two small cuts in the bamboo 2 cm apart as shown on diagram. These two cuts should be near the end which includes the joint (where the branches once grew). Use the chisel and hammer to remove the piece of bamboo so that there is a hole. Now do the same thing on the other side of the bamboo so that the bolt can be put through the opening and the nut tightened.
Diagram A
After the bolt has been put through the bamboo handle, and the nut screwed on until the bolt is not loose, the hammer is ready for use.
Making the Hammer into a Nail Remover
Sometimes when hammering nails into wood, it is necessary to stop and remove the nail because it is bent or will not go into that particular spot. You can cut a slot in your bolt which will enable you to use it as a nail remover. You can only make the nail remover if the bolt is sticking out about 1 cm or more from the nut.
Fig. 26
In cutting the bolt with the hacksaw, first make a vertical cut about 1 cm deep. Then cut between 2 and 3 mm away from the first cut. (mm - millimeter; a millimeter is one tenth of a centimeter.) This second cut should be a diagonal one. It is important that the cut be made no larger than 3 mm. If the cut is wider, it will be difficult to remove any nails.
The slot should be wide enough so that a 6/½ cm nail can fit into it, but not wide enough for a 7/½ cm nail to fit. If the slot is wider than this, the heads of smaller nails will not be caught by the slot. Since the pupils work mostly with 4 and 5 cm nails, this is very important.
If the piece of metal does not come out after you have made the cuts, move it back and forth until you can force it out with a nail or other small pointed object.
Fig.
27