USE/CARE OF HANDTOOLS & MEASURING TOOLS - OD1621 - LESSON 2/TASK 1
strike the nail with the center of the hammer face. Do not strike with the
side or cheek.
Sometimes the grain of the wood, a knot, or a hidden
obstruction will cause a nail to bend slightly when it is being driven.
Striking a nail with the face of the hammer at a slight angle will also
cause a nail to bend. Changing the angle of the hammer face will help to
straighten the nail out.
If a nail bends excessively when it is driven,
pull it out and discard it. Start another nail in its place. If the second
nail also bends excessively, inspect the work for a knot or other
obstruction. Drive a new nail in a new position, or drill a hole past the
obstruction and try again. Tacks and small nails (brads) can be driven with
a magnetic hammer, upholsterer's hammer, or a light carpenter's hammer. The
bell-faced claw hammer is used to drive nails flush, and even slightly below
the surface of the work, without leaving marks.
The basic procedure for
driving nails is described in 1 through 5 below.
1 Grip the hammer handle firmly, with one hand, near the end
of the handle (figure 3).
2 Hold the nail near its point with the thumb and forefinger
of the other hand.
3 Place the point of the nail on the work at the exact spot
in which it is to be driven.
FIGURE 3.
HOLDING HAMMER CORRECTLY.
16
Previous Page
