[CAUT] Impact tuning hammers

[James Ellis]

Leslie Bartlett asked about inpact tuning hammers.  This iden has
interested me for years on end.  I even thought of designing one myself.  I
did try one of the better ones several years ago, and I had mixed feelings
about it.  I have not tried the Reyburn model, so I can't speak for it, pro
or con.

In general, impact tuning works in some cases, but not in others.  I'll
skip the reasons why - too complicated.  In my case, I have tried a variety
of tuning hammers, but my favorite is my old Hale that I bought back in the
late 1940ies when they first went back into production following World War
II.  The tip has been replaced a few times, and that brings me to my next
comment.  I cannot find a U.S.-made tip that comes up to what I think a
really good tip should be.  The first replacement tip I bought for my old
Hale hammer was a Hale, and no way was it up to what the old tip was when
it was new, nor were the new hammers either, in my opinion.  I tried every
US source available, and in my opinion, some were just down-right lousy as
far as the precision of the star was concerned.  The old warn-out tip I
took off my old Hale was better than some new ones I tried.

Back to the subject:  Impact hammers:  For a true professional, my thinking
is that it does not hurt to have a few extra tools - impact hammer included
- even though some might not get used very often.

Sincerely, Jim Ellis