USE/CARE OF HANDTOOLS & MEASURING TOOLS - OD1621 - LESSON 2/TASK 1
(a) Wear safety goggles when using a sledge.
(b) Do not use a sledge whose head is worn round by overuse; it
may glance off the work and cause serious injury.
(c) Make certain the area behind you is clear, so that on the
backswing the sledge head will not strike anyone.
(d) Take a practice swing first to help you
gage
distance,
balance, and contact of the sledge with the work to be hit.
(e) Before striking a chisel bar with a sledge, attach a disk to
the bar about one-fourth of the distance from the top of the bar. The disk
will protect the hands of the helper who holds the chisel.
(f) Keep hammer and sledge faces free from oil or other material
that would cause the tool to glance off nails, spikes, or stakes.
(3) Using a Mallet.
A mallet is swung in the same manner as a
hammer. Never use a mallet to drive nails; it will spoil the face of the
mallet. Never use a wooden mallet on sharp corners; it will mar the work
and the mallet.
e. Care of Hammers and Mallets.
(1) Storage. If a hammer, mallet, or sledge is used often, it should
be stored in a wall rack when not in use.
Clean, repair, and oil metal
portions of tools before storing them for long periods of time.
Store
wooden mallets out of direct sunlight and away from all sources of heat,
since excessive drying will cause cracking and splitting. A light film of
oil should occasionally be placed on wooden mallets to keep a little
moisture in the wood.
(2) Maintenance. Faces of hammer heads should be regularly dressed
to remove battered edges.
Hammer and sledge heads should be securely
attached to a good solid handle of the proper type. Make sure the steel or
hardwood wedges are tight and in place. If wedges work loose, drive them
into place. Replace missing wedges. Never use screws or nails as wedges
because they may come out or split the handle.
Keep the claws of all
hammers sharp enough to grip nail heads firmly. See that
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