#### HAMMERS

Hammers come in four basic types — machinist's (ball peen), plastic (soft faced), sledge, and dead blow. The basic hammer for a mechanic is the ball peen. If you already have a good claw hammer, keep it with your carpentry tools, it won't do for automotive use.

If you are going to buy a hammer, get one with an 8- or 12-ounce head that is drop forged and heat-treated. The handle of a quality hammer will be hickory, ash or fiberglass.

A soft faced mallet is useful in situations where less force is required, rubber mallets are good for installing snap-on hubcaps, and other jobs where you don't want to mar the surface.

Fig. 1: A variety of hammers are useful for different applications — Ball peen, soft faced, sledges, and dead blow.