How to make a hammer handle from a thick-walled plastic pipe
We clean the hammer head from many years of rust and other deposits using a stiff metal brush, and then with a grinder, holding the head in a vice. Using the same grinder, we remove a small layer of metal from all surfaces of the hammer head to remove work hardening, cavities, deep scratches and other damage.
We process the hole (hole for the handle) with a round file, wrapping the part of the hammer that is in contact with the jaws of the vice with cloth so that they do not leave marks on the surface of the product.
Using a hacksaw, we cut off a piece of thick-walled plastic pipe to the required length, heat one end of it with a construction hair dryer and flatten it between the jaws of a vice to the required size.
At the outer end of the flattened section of the pipe, we make a conical chamfer along the entire perimeter by planing the plastic material with a construction knife.
We again heat the flattened end of the handle blank and the metal around the hole with a construction hair dryer, and insert it into the hole of the hammer head.If necessary, we knock the handle from above so that the flattened end comes out on the opposite side of the entry by a certain amount.
We again heat the plastic protruding from the head of the hammer with a construction hair dryer and drive a wooden wedge, previously prepared in size and shape, into the oblong hole of the pipe blank until it stops.
We cut off the part of the plastic pipe and wooden wedge protruding from the hole with a hacksaw for metal flush with the surface of the hammer.
The end of the handle is slightly ground in diameter and length on an abrasive wheel.
We wrap the handle tightly with profile tape almost from its end and approximately to the middle, wrap flat elastic tape on top and finish wrapping the handle with somewhat rough fabric tape.
Coat the hammer head with steel bluing agent using an old toothbrush. We close the machined end of the handle with a suitable plastic stopper after painting it black.
Now the hollow space inside the handle can be used to store electrodes, nails and other items without fear of losing them.
The hammer with a plastic handle turned out to be not only aesthetically attractive, but reliable and easy to use.
