That was before I framed out an exterior wall. It was a short enough wall--a mere eyeblink for a pro--but a momentous thing for me. Even in those 20 feet, a framing hammer came in quite handy.
A framing hammer is essentially the same as a regular claw hammer except:
- It is longer
- It is heavier
- It may have a ridged, milled hammer face
- It may have a flatter claw
Length of the framing hammer also may cause wrist strain. Inexpensive claw hammers run about 10 inches. Framing hammers add another half-foot to this to do the job effectively.
Finally, some framing hammers may have a ridged or milled hammer face. I say "may" because regular claw hammers may have milled faces, and vice versa, there are framing hammers that may not have this. However, if you are pounding nails into noncompliant lumber, you need all the help you can get. And the ridging sure helps you pound harder without fear of the hammer slipping from the nail head. The ridging is not appropriate for most renovation projects where appearance matters. Hammer face ridging only works where you can pound away and not care that your building material surface is steadily getting pockmarked.
A framing hammer is not for everyone and not for every home renovation project. If you shell out for a framing hammer, don't be surprised if it sits in your tool bench for months before you find occasion to use it. And if you don't have the hand and wrist strength to swing 28 ounces, you may find that it sits in your work bench forever.
Buy Direct from Tool King - Pull'R Holdings D024C Deadon
Buy Direct from Tool King - Great Neck SP28F Framing Hammer
