Every electrician’s tool kit should include a good hammer.  The most common hammer that you will find, and the one that will meet most of your needs while performing electrical work is the claw (general carpentry) hammer.

The role of the hammer in home electrical construction or renovation is not quite as relevant as it used to be in years past.  When all we used were metal device boxes for receptacles and switches outlets, it was commonplace to nail the boxes to the studs with 3-1/2″ hardox nails.  We used to carry a box of nails on the service trucks, and used many pounds of them in the rough wiring of the house.

We used to use wood screws to fasten octagon (light outlet) boxes to the trusses, and screws for range, dryer, and junction boxes, but with the advent of plastic device boxes for just about everything now, using a hammer has been relegated to adding bracing or backing for the mounting of outlet boxes, or for moving, adjusting, or modifying studs to make room for outlet locations.  The hammer is also used to pound in staples that fasten the wires to the framework.

If you’ve every wondered about the history of the hammer, or the different styles, types, or materials used in the making of hammers of all types, check out this interesting info-graphic, provided to us by Grainger.

The following infographic was provided by Grainger.com, a provider of industrial supplies.

NOTE:  This is a thumbnail of the infographic.  Click on the image to enlarge and view the interesting history and random facts about the hammer.