# Best Homemade Tools >  Bench top power hammer for blacksmithing

## rockmike

Hey guys and gals this is a video I made of a small power hammer I built to save my shoulder a bit.

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Andyt (Jan 31, 2019),

aussie (Oct 27, 2018),

baja (Jan 31, 2019),

billd (Oct 26, 2018),

brianhw (Oct 31, 2020),

bruce.desertrat (Oct 24, 2018),

cmarlow (Jan 30, 2019),

CookieCrunch (Nov 1, 2018),

emu roo (Aug 30, 2022),

Glueman2 (Nov 1, 2018),

haz (Nov 17, 2018),

high-side (Oct 25, 2018),

Inner (Jan 30, 2019),

IronPig (Oct 25, 2018),

johnnielsen (Nov 1, 2018),

Jon (Oct 24, 2018),

JRock (Oct 25, 2018),

Just a splinter (Oct 24, 2018),

lassab999 (Oct 31, 2020),

MountainMan (Oct 27, 2018),

mr95gst (Oct 26, 2018),

Nick Jonkman (Nov 1, 2018),

old_toolmaker (Oct 27, 2018),

Philip Davies (Oct 28, 2018),

PJs (Oct 29, 2018),

rdarrylb (Oct 30, 2020),

rlm98253 (Oct 24, 2018),

rossbotics (Oct 27, 2018),

Saxon Violence (Feb 1, 2019),

Seedtick (Oct 24, 2018),

sossol (Oct 26, 2018),

tacman (Nov 2, 2018),

that_other_guy (Nov 1, 2018),

TheElderBrother (Oct 31, 2020),

thehomeengineer (Mar 5, 2020),

volodar (Oct 24, 2018),

will52100 (Oct 24, 2018)

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## CharlesWaugh

gee... thanks... a lot... 
[frowny face goes here]

Now I have YET ANOTHER PROJECT to do!
:-)

This'll have to come in behind my 24" disk sander with full variable speed (via VFD) and tiltable DISK so it can lay flat for 'lapping'

I'm making it with MDF faceplates that can be quick-changed for different grits, and even polishing and lapping.
:-)

But, this little hammer is a beauty!

I'm a touch concerned about the longevity of the spring, and about the exciting time when it breaks. 

Maybe putting a tension spring on each side of it would keep the frame centered some yet allow for drift side to side as it goes whammo!

Hmmm... 

I also LOVE that it cost you around $100 to build. Those are the most fun projects.

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Philip Davies (Mar 25, 2022)

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## Jon

Congratulations rockmike - your Benchtop Power Hammer is the Homemade Tool of the Week!

Tough week to win! This will be a useful tool for a lot of guys, especially with so much of it made from repurposed parts.

Some more nice picks from this week:

Multitool Blade Recycling by olderdan
Lathe Carriage Stop by rossbotics
Miniature Machinist's Clamp by mklotz
Chainsaw Bar Oiler by sdunt
Miniature Anvil by Mikhandmaker
Bevel Grinding Platen by benny_chapman
Router Table by threesixesinarow
Table Saw Push Stick by Downeast Thunder

rockmike - we'll be adding your tool entry to our All Homemade Tool of the Week winners post. And, you'll now notice the wrench-on-pedestal award in the awards showcase in your postbit, visible beneath your username:



You'll be receiving a $25 online gift card, in your choice of Amazon, PayPal, or bitcoin. Please PM me your current email address and gift card choice and I'll get it sent over right away.

Nice work!  :Thumbs Up:

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olderdan (Oct 27, 2018),

PJs (Oct 29, 2018)

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## rockmike

Glad you like it man.It really does work well.The Ca$h spent on it was for the pillow blocks/bolts and I had bought two small motor pulleys.The step down pulley was from an old benchtop drill press that broke,glad I kept it,the step pulley off it worked out great.Thankyou,Mike.

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## rockmike

WOW! im blown away,Thankyou so much.I consider this a great honor and very much appreciated!

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## rossbotics

Great build, congradulations on your win

Doug

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## MountainMan

Awesome build man.....I wish I had 8" bar stock in my junk pile. Congrats!!!!

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## olderdan

Well deserved award, I like the design and the use of repurposed materials.

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PJs (Oct 29, 2018)

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## aussie

What a fantastic setup! Thank you for sharing!

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## Philip Davies

Very impressed! I am surprised that a compact powerhammer like yours doesn’t bounce about. I did not catch the channel’s name you mentioned which you found so helpful. Also, how do you prevent wear on the main spring?

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## InspBLAIR

Well done. 
I've been kicking around the idea of building one but to be honest i've been a bit intimidate buy the whole thing. Now I think I will give it a try in the near future. 
Thanks for sharing your monstrosity with us.

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## DIYer

Thanks rockmike! We've added your Desktop Power Hammer to our Power Hammers category,
as well as to your builder page: rockmike's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:















Desktop Power Hammer
 by rockmike

tags:
power hammer

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## stillldoinit

Very nice build, extremely ingenious use of metal just laying around in stock inventory. It isn't scrap until there is no further use for it and even then would still be useful for ballast. After we moved to Buffalo N.Y from northern Illinois, I still haven't recovered. Still have a lot of stuff still in storage back in Illinois and wife just had hip revision so I am not outside as much as I would like. Gotta build a treadle hammer, power hammer, get lathe running. The 5hp rotary phase converter I built just isn't big enough to start in high speed so undecided on building a 7.5 or buy a vfd. Just so many projects. Closing. I will say again, very nice build.

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## Glueman2

Nice build Mike. A question. What happens to the drive belts with the brake on?

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## TomBuildsStuff

Very cool power hammer. I really like the setup you used for the brake. Very clever.

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## Ralphxyz

Does it ever work? I quickly scan through the video maybe I missed it.

Ralph

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## bastimento

Yea it works. Watch the complete video  :Smile: 

Great work!!

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