DIY Aluminum Bronze Hammer: Golden hammer for Black Smithing

[@PaulsGarage]

Want to use your 3D printer to learn Sand Casting in your home shop? paulsmakeracademy.mykajabi.com/joinus

[@JoyeuseCurtana]

Fortune Teller: "I see you... I see your garage... I see a lot of spring clamps... Jesus that's a lot of spring clamps..."

[@mhypersonic]

LMAO!🤣🤣🤣 I WAS SO SHOOK WHEN HE JUMPCUTTED TO HALF THE LENGTH WITH SPRING CLAMPS! That's like $100 worth of spring clamp

[@KeeperofTheMountain]

I know very little about casting but, I do know a little about making videos. Nice job! It was very watchable. No shaky cam, no pointless rambling and quite informative. I enjoyed watching it.

[@PaulsGarage]

Oh i love pointless rambling, there just wasnt as much as usual in this particular video

[@BUZZKILLJRJR]

For hammer Handel length i use Elbow tip to the your first inside finger knuckle, not the knuckle join touching your palm, the one after so your fingers can go over the top a little bit.

[@PaulsGarage]

interesting, thanks for the tip! I actually have to make a new handle for this hammer. I was using it as a pry bar and broke the head off. Woops!

[@_emory]

I’m about to do my first casting and found your videos, I love the laidback, “happy accidents” style. Really encouraging and inspirational

[@PaulsGarage]

Good luck! If you have your own happy accidents, just don't get discouraged. Stay safe and try again.

[@_emory]

@@PaulsGarage your channel is super helpful in not getting discouraged, it’s really cool to see someone just trying what they want to. Mistakes will be made surely lol but that’s how we learn

[@tosselton291]

When making the cope and drag always cut a keyway to stop the sand from dropping out I learned that quick!

[@GunnySGT1911]

Love your captions. Great video, semi informative and fun to watch. Nice to see someone else learning as they go and not taking themselves too seriously. Now I want to check out more of your videos.

[@PaulsGarage]

Glad to hear it, hope you enjoy them

[@gilberttorres2002]

You are rapidly becoming my favorite channel. Well, favorite "metal working stuffages" channel. Thanks for the great video!

[@Argosh]

The long handle was perfect for a warhammer!

[@TrojanHorse1959]

"Tappie-Tap-Tap" LOL! Have you been watching AvE too? Nice Bammer too!

[@mytuberforyou]

I love the way you articulate the diagolue most of us who make things have constantly running in our heads, subscribed!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks and welcome! That inner monologue never shuts up for me and often becomes an *outer* monologue 🤣

[@mylarhyrule904]

Check into adding a little nickel to the mix, and mold vertical so any shrinkage can be cleaned up easier!! Great job!

[@amgironworks9091]

The thinness in the neck by the hammer head is for allowing the head to have a spring affect. That lessens the stresses on your elbow wrist etc.

[@steveaubinofangers7391]

I just made out your wedding picture ! Wow, you had some golden locks didn't you. Cheers.

[@PaulsGarage]

Still do! Just have it pulled back now

[@AlumiTube]

Great!!!!!! Good video paul, fun to watch...

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed :D. Aluminum bronze is awesome

[@backintheworkshop954]

9:00 "...can't touch this..." 🤣 Wow I'm 2yrs behind... someone must have said that gag already

[@teh0theif]

Nice hammer! Another reason for the taper getting thicker away from the head is sweat. When you are forging, you sweat, sweat makes hand slippery slippery hands and smooth handle = hammer flying away. (I've been a part time black smith for ~9 years)

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks for the tip! Makes sense.

[@eugenetan7323]

Quick question is aluminum bronze viable for a forging hammer ? Wont it melt once it makes repeated contact with the hot steel?

[@jeffharper410]

Ok, I saw both videos of both hammers. I want your hammer,I like it. It is not just a great blacksmith hammer but also great for a machinist hammer, automotive ect.. Yours is a go too tool, when you don't want to damage the surface you're working on.

[@drewfausett5388]

Hey, two pieces of dark wood and one light one in the center... that looks oddly familiar! I’m totally taking credit for inspiring it with my hatchet handle. :)

[@ProtozoanKid]

If you want a relatively easy way to help strengthen your parts similar to work hardening, you can take a few 1/16" ball bearings and sandwich them between two strips of tape (about an inch long) in rows at either end. Glue this into a slot in a small rod with equal parts of tape out either side and use that in your drill to make a flapper peener. Using this to hit the surface of your metals will strengthen the surface so it will stand up to fatigue better.

[@fubar5656]

I like your core idea for the hammer head. I don't have a 3d printer so I wrapped the hammer handle in tin foil and filled it with plaster and sand. Same idea I guess but it was my poor man's way of doing it. Worked well for the axe I casted. Can't wait to see some of your forge videos!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! I'll get to forging one of these days, once i find an anvil shaped object

[@Zillustration]

Nicely done! That petrobond is pretty impressive! I was concerned about a collapse once the flow pressure hit it, but great to see it held. Great job, Paulie!

[@PaulsGarage]

I was happy it worked! I don’t have any sodium silicate, not time to get any for this project

[@1pcfred]

I guess now you know that you don't need sodium silicate? Petrobond is good stuff. I've heard you can make it yourself with 2 cycle oil.

[@mrgreenswelding2853]

"The harder it is the better it is" that what she said !! Lol!! Man you have some clamps!!

[@PaulsGarage]

Giggity. Yes lots of clamps!

[@TheMetalerMan]

Very well done I have seen both hammers and both have good and bad point. But as long as you had fun marking them that’s all that that matters

[@PaulsGarage]

I'll have fun using it, too :D

[@heathhinkle3833]

swdweeb's hammer looks nicer but yours is functional nice job keep up the great work. Also thanks for introducing us to swdweeb's channel.

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! He's got some good stuff over there

[@ColonelRPG]

I don't understand how you got your wife to fall for you without your beard. The world is bonkers.

[@ColonelRPG]

Scratch that, I totally get it, you're awesome :)

[@dfross87]

Every man is more awesome when he has a beard.

[@taitelennox4514]

very true

[@Robc509]

Dude I found your channel last night and so glad I did. You are really good. Just enough fun and seriousness for my liking! I like that you are a real person like most of us where things might not go perfectly but we make the best of it. Really enjoying watching these videos. Thanks

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy the videos. Personally im not a fan of the super polished “everything goes perfectly” type of videos. Id rather see what actually happens

[@iknownutting]

this bloke got the gift of the gab

[@potsy9973]

Maple and walnut are beautiful together. Excellent, well done. I never had a doubt ;OI

[@PaulsGarage]

I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news but the handle broke a few years after making it 😭. I should've just used hickory!

[@potsy9973]

As long as the casting holds up that's the main thing. I have a few hammer heads and mallets that have seen several new handles due to time and usage. I also made a steel handle for a ball peen hammer that's been around my dads house for ages. I believe they are forged, and still well used. They should last virtually for forever. I like how this man made his wooded mallets, I will try making a few of these to use in my wood and metal shop. Also a cool gift idea (for me ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnzKZGOuorF9fNU@@PaulsGarage

[@PlayNowWorkLater]

I know this is 5 years too late, but I’m voting for your hammer. Swdweeb’s may be prettier but yours is functional. And your video made me laugh more. Bonus points for your sense of humour. Cheers dude!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! My hammer isn't exactly functional anymore. The hammer head is just fine but I broke the handle off of it trying to use it as a crowbar. Whoopsy.

[@nomadichunter2818]

That hammer is gorgeous

[@swdweeb]

I've been waiting all week for this :-D Nice job!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! You too!

[@shonaoneill5151]

swdweeb Unlucky fella, what happened to your hammer was a shame. My vote would have still been with this hammer simply because it is a more functional smithing type hammer, in my eyes. I definitely use this type of hammer more in my shop than I would a ball pein. However yours was a great attempt....obviously not your fault it turned out like that, just really unlucky. Still, I like your channel and am a sub 😀

[@Error-eb9gv]

Love the use of clampige

[@PaulsGarage]

You can never have too many clamps

[@itanc1]

I like your style of humorous slight self deprecation dood. But know this, for a first time not only with Ali bronze but also making a hammer, your work has definitely inspired me to copy you. I had a steel hammer of this shape once and miss it dearly so to have one (or actually a whole family) in bronze will be a real treat. I think you would be well advised to make a pouring shank and a pair of crucible tongs. I assure you it makes the pour much easier. Nice one fella👍👍

[@MrCalypso84]

you could try to cast a stump anvil next.

[@PaulsGarage]

That would be pretty cool. Golden anvil!

[@mman6283]

Best commentary ever

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks!

[@bmb49]

You were asking what you ought to forge. First thing that came to mind is golden aluminium bronze hatchet or dagger (I like the hatchet idea better). Not sure how well this metal will take and or hold an edge but would look great regardless.

[@greghumble7306]

Thinking of doing the same. Love the initial D ae86 towards the end 😊

[@broadusthompson1666]

There’s a kind of important hammer design feature you missed and that is that the eyes aren’t straight through in cross section, they’re an hour glass shape, slightly smaller in the center of the hole than top and bottom. This way when you put in the wedges the handle expands and gets locked in place. You should also avoid tenon like shoulders at the bottom of the eye, they’re a weak point and never seat as perfectly as a taper does into the eye. Also handle length is really just personal preference, but I like as long as my fore arm, about as long as that handle is. Mistake aside awesome job for your first hammer!

[@PaulsGarage]

Didn’t know that, thanks for the info! I can always widen it a bit with a Dremel at some point I suppose

[@guyfawkes8716]

I searched for professional, scripted videos of best case project results but found this instead. It's pretty much exactly how I do things, so I kinda like it. It's better for DIY/Novices to see how things work in reality and if you're a pro, you're prolly not watching the channel. Subscribed after second video.

[@PaulsGarage]

thanks! This is a pretty old video, i make nicer things now lol! I actually have to remake this hammer. I broke the handle prying on something with it and the hammer head is done pretty poorly since I didn't know anything about gating techniques. This is definitely a "novice" type video lol

[@MathieuB05]

Thanks for sharing your endeavour! Really enjoyed the video.

[@e-vd]

Nice work! Love your casual style. We all should learn NOT to take ourselves too seriously. Really like your hammer BTW - rugged & stylish! 🔨

[@joetuinstra455]

You will have to make sodium silicate next summer. It's easy and pretty cheap to make with kitty litter. Or you know it's the stuff in radiator stop leak that stops it from leaking. We filled a few large empty alcohol bottles full last summer for projects. It's great stuff to just have around.

[@PaulsGarage]

I got some kitty litter, sounds like a fun project

[@clairewaya4915]

Paul, thank you so much I really enjoy your channel.

[@TotseInfo]

I've seen worse casts, like the time you did open face pours with aluminum. This round you did great, though. Always excited to see you try new stuff with molten metals. This pattern looked pretty tricky, but the core worked well enough for your purposes. Congrats, dude. As for the percentages of metals used, I was happy to see you throw the madness of math out the window and just freeball it. I'll give a look at the other guy's hammer video, but am not expecting to be as impressed. You really killed it making the handle. I hope it holds up as well as the block of bronze. It sure looks nice. Thanks for sharing, man. These videos are great.

[@TotseInfo]

Watched SWDweeb's video. His finished hammer is great. He even plays it more fast and loose than you do with his pattern making. He has some beautiful work, but I still cast my cot on your side. That air bubble in the face of the hammer seems like it will leave marks on the forged work. Functionality takes priority over aesthetics (but he royally kills you in that regard). Great efforts on both sides, and I've subscribed to him.

[@PaulsGarage]

His hammer looks GREAT. From the moment I saw the pattern (he sent me a pic a week ago) I knew I was doomed! Thanks for the compliments, glad you enjoyed watching us make these

[@shaperandi5158]

Thanks for being the canary in the coalmine for me

[@PaulsGarage]

You're welcome! are you going to make something out of aluminum bronze? It's awesome stuff, but it is difficult to machine it.

[@brennonhorn4199]

Hey, don’t know if you’ve found this out yet since this is 3 years ago but paint thinner should help linseed oil thin out some. Great video by the way!

[@mindofmadness5593]

"Where were *you* when I was doing this? Hmmm?" lol. Better answer than I give to my wife when she complains about how I did something 'Is there anything else I can do wrong just to piss you off?'.

[@PaulsGarage]

Lol I wouldn’t say that to my wife or I’d be sleeping in my garage! :D

[@n8hfi]

Ribs or grooves in your flask would help keep the molding sand from shifting.

[@PaulsGarage]

Yeah i need to do that. I have ribs in my bigger flasks, just not this one.

[@jbwelch89]

happy marriage tip always show off your wedding photos.....saved me lol great photo though il admit the model car got my attention lol love the hammer man turned out amazing

[@PaulsGarage]

Good plan! I don’t have a beard in those pics though, it’s terrible!

[@phillhuddleston9445]

So that's why Home Depot was out of spring clamps.

[@bilbo_gamers6417]

subbed because good fashion sense. three, four layers with the slick af coat? looks solid.

[@PaulsGarage]

As a bonus, that jacket is long and made of wool. Wool is fire resistant. Long means it covers my legs. If I spilled the bronze, the jacket would protect my shins from spatter

[@anthonyturton8091]

thank you. I enjoyed that .( not just because you remind me of Pinback from Dark Star (in a good way ))

[@LongTrout]

Dude I've watch a few of your videos. You remind me of my friend John Paul who I miss dearly. I didn't think you were capable of making a quality hammer. I am impressed. Cool

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! It's debatable weather or not this counts as "quality" lol it does work but it's ugly. I had no idea how to do proper gating when I made this. Someday I'll make another one but do a better job of it.

[@bmb49]

Just found and now love your channel. Great production and in natural humor. Wouldn't be surprised to see your channel become one of the most popular in this unique niche. I like the hammer thanks for contributing to the fun diverse education of creative do it yourselfers.

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! It’s tons of fun doing this stuff, I’m glad you’re enjoying it too. There are lots of cool diy channels out there for sure.

[@bbrown9763]

What is all of the cool translucent stuff on your bookshelf??

[@ruvyfpv4398]

Do you mind sharing the files for the hammer and the core? Great video by the way!!

[@NormReitzel]

If you re planning on doing mostly copper castings, go buy some 7% phosphorus Copper shot. It will reduce dross, and help (a lot) in the fluidity of the liquid metal. A little bit goes a long way.

[@PaulsGarage]

For sure. I got some about a year ago and the difference is crazy. Tiny bit of the stuff does wonders

[@coryburns2188]

yours is better because you can use it.. his is prettier but your def works...... you have earned my subscription good sir

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy the stuff. I can’t wait to use this thing for forging. I’ve pounded some stuff with it, but not much. Yet

[@jboshoff4048]

Found your channel by accident quite funny sir great work keep on doing it. Subbed

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! Glad you enjoy

[@ezekielbreedlove7698]

Thumbs up on your handle!

[@ColonelRPG]

The victory. The victory is real!

[@PaulsGarage]

Victory indeed!

[@rafaelperez6826]

It’s nice watching you man hope you are well , just got into the hobby and I believe I have everything I need to make a small aluminum bronze button . I’m going to use a torch and make an egg shaped incubator for my crucible so that my torch does enough , let’s see what a $40 map torch can do

[@crashwelder5337]

can you forge AlBr? how else would you work with it?

[@Codethe_Road]

I really like your videos so far; you seem like you're having fun. I'd love to get as far to casting. I am still trying to get enough heat to melt stuff.

[@ryannu1578]

You should make the rock splitting spikes and split a large rock or small boulder

[@drprepper4393]

Hammer handle length (I was taught) and has always worked well for me: Measure the length from your hammer arm elbow to the wrist bend (I measure just passed that little wrist bone spur that juts out on the at the wrist on top of the hand). SemperFi bb

[@Dsquadrant]

Hey man check out The golden tomahawk that Backyard Casting made, Pretty sweet and I'd like to see your version.

[@valerytozer]

If Jamie and Adam Savage had a baby this guy would be it! He looks like them both LOL it's Kool. And that's a good 🔨 for your first one.

[@PaulsGarage]

Those guys are pretty awesome, it would be great to meet them for sure

[@leonruvalcaba1549]

Adam and jaime dieded long ago, and took the mythbusters program to the grave.

[@thomasthecrunkengine3512]

When is there going to be more of this?

[@FranklyWry]

Love your videos, more for your humor than your skill, but also for that. Heh, well you wound up with a huge shrink deficit because you didn’t cut a feeder cup that would continue to provide more molten bronze as the hammerhead began to contract away the walls of the mold. I used to work in a bronze foundry, though we used ceramic shell molds instead; not practical for your setup, the pour cups worked as feeder cups all the same, and we seldom had any shrink deficits. However, we never casted anything solid, so I hope you like the color of the smoke I am blowing up your keester.

[@CaptainDominic]

Very nice. As a future design change you should draft the handle hole a little so it's wider at the top than the bottom.

[@JointerMark]

Nicely done Paul. About how much does the hammer weigh? It has been far too cold to fire up my furnace so casting is on hold here for a bit. Yes greensand dies freeze when it's -30C.

[@PaulsGarage]

The hammer head is a little over 2 lbs, not too far above my initial goal. -30c sounds pretty bad!

[@matfry2310]

Looks great man. I love the honest humor

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks!

[@TuxedoDIY]

Love your videos, so please don't think I'm being "that guy"... but... It's been irking me that your burner is red hot when you remove it from the forge. I thought the burner flare must be removed because the forge should be providing the Eddy Currents, not the flare. But when it's not in the forge you need the flare to create the Eddy Currents... please tell me I'm wrong :/ Nice hammer BTW!

[@SweMisterB]

Watched SWDweeb's Hammer video, and while his clearly is "prettier", it's unusable, while yours is made to be, and most likely will be, used & abused. In my book that makes you the winner. Even if you are nuts.

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! Being nuts helps for sure. BTW he redid the casting in a later video and it turned out better

[@tonkadriver1833]

That turned out really well Thanks Now I have that song stuck in my head "Hammer time Doo doo doo doo da doo da doo" ☺ Have a great New Year!!

[@PaulsGarage]

Happy new year to you too!

[@nicholasphelps9618]

try using plaster as a core works pretty good

[@heneryslayzack1271]

hey paul , i was wondering if you know why its an important tool and the purpose of a brass hammer head ????

[@PaulsGarage]

Brass heads are usually used because they are heavier/denser than steel, and softer so they don't damage what they are hitting (assuming you are hitting steel with the brass). This isn't brass, however, but aluminum bronze, so with work hardening it will be just as hard as a mild steel hammer, possibly harder. Aluminum bronze tools are usually used where magnetic tools like steel would be a problem, also sparking tools, for example around flammable gasses. Aluminum bronze won't make a spark, so it won't ignite stuff.

[@wijpke]

At what percentage of copper does the alloy look yellow?

[@pnp072000]

Is there a video of you using it?

[@mrchemistry5351]

This guy is awesome.

[@jonhatton2417]

So my dad is a blacksmith, a good hammer handle will be a size where the tips of your fingers will jus barely touch your palm. If you bought a handle it will need to be custom shaped to fit your hand. So you really aren’t out that much. Also a hammer head will greatly outlast a handle so you may need to do this again in a few years.

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks for the tips! I didn’t know that about handles.

[@istp1967]

Yep, Too True; my wife fairly bitch-slapped me when she saw me working on the car with my wedding ring still on! 😆🤣🤣🤣😅😂🙃

[@gregorychaney7604]

I'm really curious how the hammer holds up. When I first saw this video I assumed the hammer would be for display only but in a later video you were actually hammering something with it. How does it compare with a normal steel hammer?

[@duanebarrett2409]

BackyardBowyer made some blacksmithing tongs out of rebar. This seems like a good test for your golden hammer. Use your tools to make your tools. It didn't look too difficult (although looks can be deceiving), and rebar is cheap.

[@PaulsGarage]

Good idea! That’s the idea, use tools to make tools to make more tools

[@lol49031]

Maybe you should have your own version of Chandler Dickinson's need a tool make a tool, with the bonus of watching someone who doesn't know what he's doing

[@WilliamTMusil]

Tappy tap tap ... sounds familiar ... :-D

[@PaulsGarage]

I learned it at the Cockford Ollie school of hammer handling...

[@WilliamTMusil]

Cockford Ollie is a good place to learn to handle one's hammer.

[@KK-xz4rk]

Your lingo is all wrong. Its not a hammer it is a thumb detector. Back to school.

[@vmitchinson]

AvE

[@BLDROFREAL]

"Give it a little tap tap taparoo" - Happy Gilmore

[@massimoserra4787]

Hi Paul, looks nice for the first attempt. May be taking a little bit more time on the finish of the hammer head it would look awesome. Try to cast your logo as a stamp, what do you think?

[@PaulsGarage]

That would be cool! Unfortunately I don’t have any tools to polish, even sanding, all I have is a grinder at the moment

[@Zillustration]

elbow-grease and an emory board nail file.

[@massimoserra4787]

Ok, I understand. For the next piece may be. BTW: I just looked the other video and I agree, his hammer looks awesome too.

[@PaulsGarage]

Haha it would take all the elbow grease in the world to hand polish aluminum bronze!

[@1pcfred]

You have a welder, how don't you have an angle grinder too? You can get flap discs for your angle grinder. They blend, which is a transition to polishing. A fine flap disc will just about polish something.

[@JustinTopp]

Leather cord rap the handle for comfort it’s great

[@eviltwinx]

Wow! Super awesome! What’s the benefit of aluminum bronze hammer when forging? Is it to hit a harden tool, like a another hammer, without the danger?

[@PaulsGarage]

Mostly the advantage is I can actually cast it, unlike steel :D but it's a little denser than steel so it's heavier, and although it's a copper alloy it work hardens a lot so it doesn't go all soft and squishy like a brass hammer. Fresh out of the sand it's annealed, but it hardens up quickly with some work. I'm hoping i can make a bunch of tools out of the stuff. Most of the awesome properties are irrelevant to forging, it's non-magnetic, it's non-sparking, it's tarnish/corrosion resistant, but the weight and hardness is the reason i picked it as a hammer material. Most alloys i can cast aren't hard enough, except aluminum bronze.

[@tylerkrug7719]

Sweet van bro!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks!

[@seabeepirate]

I vote for yours because yours is functional.

[@fryloc359]

"When I used to make longbows..." Yeah I should have seen that coming. Don't worry, I used to LARP too when I was in school.

[@jamesgough8984]

Hi Paul I’m about to start my own channel about casting metal/ forging my question is what camera would you recommend me using? Also if you were to drill another hole on the opposite side of your foundry and add another propane tank and get a tungsten crucible I’m pretty sure you could cast steel that’s if you want to go that route.

[@rcpi9336]

Ooh yeah! Looks Awesome! Great Job!

[@rcpi9336]

You went all Brian Oltrogge on this thing, so sophistacated.

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks!

[@davemo04]

You both did a bang up job! Pun intended!

[@PaulsGarage]

Thanks! And puns are much appreciated

[@thegreenxeno9430]

Why is there a hole in the wall behind yoru workbench?

[@chrisrey9644]

Sorry, late to the game but I love your sense of humor and subbed!

[@mordantly]

Interesting project!

[@ColonelRPG]

Oh, and by the way, if you want to know what you're Copper to Alluminium ratio is, all you need is Archimedes' help :) Should be an interesting thing to do, although of course you don't need to do it with the hammerhead because that would require disassembling the hammer.

[@PaulsGarage]

Right! It wouldn’t be too hard to figure out the density and extrapolate the alloy. Would be fun.