Local woodworking wizard Larry Walden is at it again.
His latest creation, a 15-inch cam hammer, follows the design made famous by its inventor. You’ve probably heard of him: Leonardo Da Vinci.
The cam hammer, or Da Vinci hammer, features a remarkably simple design, but with exact specifications to ensure it works.
Walden’s hammer mechanism rests upon a wooden cam. As the cam rotates, it lifts the hammer’s head until the cam suddenly drops off. The force of gravity pulls the hammerhead crashing onto its target.
The cam hammer became a staple in metal forcing factories until the development of rolling mills, with water providing the turning force for the cam.
Walden’s hammer, conversely, uses a small electronic motor shipped from China.
Walden hesitated when asked how long it took him to finish the hammer.
“I don’t keep track of time,” he responded. “I just keep busy.”
He is uncertain where he will take his hammer. He’s considered donating it to USD 257. He also wonders if it could find a home in the yet-to-open technical education center at the old Diebolt Lumber buildings in LaHarpe.
Perhaps an industrial arts teacher might consider a class project in which students create their own, Walden suggested. The project could entail physics (designing the cam takes longer than it looks, he admits), history about the hammer’s use through the years, and of course woodworking skills.
Walden also has set his sights on his next potential project.
“I’m not sure what I’ll make next,” he said. “Maybe a guillotine.”
