There is a multitude of different ways that you can improve your hammering, or just make working with a hammer easier for you. If you are into home improvement or wood working, then you probably end up working with a hammer a lot, and there is always room for improvement. Here are a few quick and really ingenious tips that will help you get the most out of your hammer and the nails that you are using during woodworking projects.

Creating Pilot Holes

Driving a nail into some hardwood is much easier if you first drill a pilot hole, just as you would if you were using a screw rather than a nail. If you do not have the right type of drill bit, then what you can do is nip the head right off of a nail that is in the same size as the nail that you are intending to drive, and then chuck the nail tip tightly in your drill so that you can create the perfect pilot hole before you drive the true nail in.

Fast Driver

Another excellent strategy for easing a nail into hardwood is to first lubricate the nails before you drive them in. You can use beeswax, lip balm or even lubricating oil. If your hammer is a wooden handled variety, then you may even consider drilling a hole in the handle end and then filling it with the lip balm or the beeswax so that you can quickly and easily lubricate your nails as you go.

Avoiding Split Wood

In order to keep your wood from splitting when you are driving a nail into it, you should blunt the point of your nail just slightly. Turn the nail so that the point is facing up and then tap it using your hammer. Now when you try to drive the nail into a soft variety of wood, choose a softer and lighter area rather than the grain lines and you should be able to avoid splitting the wood in the process.

Attracting Nails

Consider gluing a small magnet to the end of the handle of your hammer. This way, when you are interested in picking up a couple of nails, all you have to do is stick your hammer handle into the container of nails, and you will have a few at the ready for you.

Mini-Claw

If you want to pull nails out of wood but they are too small for the back of your hammer to grip properly, then you can create a small miniature sized nail puller by filing a notch in the shape of a V into one of the hammer's claw tips. A triangular shaped needle file should do it for you just nicely.

Photo Credits: knitsteel

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beeswax, different ways, drill bit, grain lines, hammer, home improvement, ingenious tips, lip balm, lubricating oil, magnet, multitude, nail tip, nails, pilot hole, pilot holes, rea, screw, split wood, woodworking projects