hammer

[Andy B Cumming]

I know this is a dumb question but what hammer does everybody use for putting down tack strip.And have you ever used the pole hammer or slammer hammer for concrete. I think it is a piece of junk.

[rusty baker]

Have never tried the pole hammer or slammer hammer. I use a Stanley hammer that I bought about 1980.

[Andy B Cumming]

this is the pole hammer or slammer hammer i was talking about Gundlach 870 Concrete Nail Driver

[Al Gladden]

i use a 16oz plumb straight claw for wood strip.. i use a 20oz estwing for concrete strip, also a crain magnetic tool for installing metal on concrete.. to me it is a must have tool.

[BrianM]

30 oz. Plumb hatchet........oh and I need that magnetic tool too for the back-up stubbies.

Amazon.com: Plumb Hickory Handled Pole Hatchet: Home Improvement

[Barry Carlton]

BrianM said 30 oz. Plumb hatchet........oh and I need that magnetic tool too for the back-up stubbies. Amazon.com: Plumb Hickory Handled Pole Hatchet: Home Improvement

In Fresno we called it a 'riggin' ax. I had a terrible time finding it when I asked for a 'riggin' ax. That's when I learned it is a plumb hatchet.

Later in my career it turned into a hack trademark. (but I still have 2 and use them) I just lean way back on my haunches to make the arc of the swing safe for the wall and base board. And with this tool you do not need strip cutters.

[Jim McClain]

You can get a Half Hatchet (same as a Pole Hatchet) at one of our sponsors, Hardware World LLC for only $11.59: Item # YB7L4X Click the banner above.

They also have a nice looking Rig Builders Hatchet with a 17" handle (seen at left), weighing 28oz. for 27.28 (look for Item # 9W7AAB).

Hardware World also carries replacement handles and other nailing devices. It's like YOUR local hardware store - online.

I used a hatchet for carpet installations all the time. I ground down the edge a little so it wouldn't cut the carpet and used it as a carpet spreader tool. It worked very well for tucking and, of course, anything you'd use a hammer for. I didn't, however, use it for cutting tackless. A strip cutter was much neater for that and I didn't worry about my less than perfect aim.

Jim

[Don Monfils]

I have used a 20 oz.Eastwing w/ leather handle for years.
I have 2 stand up nail drivers. I use them occasionally.
I had a guy smash a window sill with the handle in a new home once ,and not tell me .

[Daris Mulkin]

I have a Craftsmen 20 oz I've used for years. To the point there is a grove where my thumb rides. I love it.
I don't know how in hell you guys can use a hatchet. Not very professional looking in my opinion. I do enough damage to the woodwork with my hammer. Been a long time for that so I didn't mention it ok? I don't want ot break the chain. I saw a guy using a hatchet doing steps once now I thought that would work really well but never tried it.

Daris

[Tandy Reeves]

I have been on many inspections for loose carpet and looked at the tackless strip. Where a hatchet was used it looked like a beaver dinner table. The hatchet was so dull the strip was beat apart rather than cut. When that condition was found, nine out of ten there was loose strip.

[getoverit]

22 oz. Estwing. I had a rigging ax but never could get comfortable with it.

[Dobby Tappet]

We've had, and used, a pole hammer for nailing strip in concrete for years.

The trick is, the pole must be held 90 degrees from the floor in order to drive the nail straight in.

We do not use the pole driver on every job, depending on the condition of the concrete. Although there have beens times where it was worth its weight in gold. The greatest benefit or application of the pole driver is in securing binder bar {aka: pin bar, tap down, nap lock, etc...} as it is often difficult to hold the nails and securely anchor them properly without smashing the lip of the metal at least once.

For everything else we use 20 oz Plumb hammers with rubber handle grip.

Interesting question.

Respectfully,

Dobby

[Nick Arrera]

Tandy Reeves said I have been on many inspections for loose carpet and looked at the tackless strip. Where a hatchet was used it looked like a beaver dinner table. The hatchet was so dull the strip was beat apart rather than cut. When that condition was found, nine out of ten there was loose strip.

If you are going to use a hatchet for strip you may as well use the spike to stretch the cpt .
Just my one cent. work is slow .

[Chris Flynn]

haven't hammered a nail in tack strip in for many years... always would use an air stapler with 1 inch or 1 14 inch staples... with tri-tack unnailed strip.... on concrete I would always drill and use aluminum pins.. until Chemrix showed up...... I like the stapler because it helped to avoid any baseboard problems. And the customers always love that we never took a hammer near their woodwork... and we never did that much concrete... you would not belive how fast a stairway can be striped with an air stapler.... but what do I know ..... I am not much of a carpet guy anymore...

[BrianM]

Tandy Reeves said I have been on many inspections for loose carpet and looked at the tackless strip. Where a hatchet was used it looked like a beaver dinner table. The hatchet was so dull the strip was beat apart rather than cut. When that condition was found, nine out of ten there was loose strip.

***
Yeah, that's what happens when I try to use the hatchet to cut the strip. So I use strip cutters. But the commercial carpet guys I work with on occasion can cut the strip easily in one chop every time. They've probably pounded a couple hundred miles of tack strip on concrete to my couple thousand feet. I'm not all that great at getting the nails to go into concrete either. It takes a little while to get the angle and the pressure and then find your groove. By the time I get the knack of it again I'm all done and don't get to see another piece of tackless strip for a year or two. (if I'm lucky!)