I built this Rappel Hammer in 1991 out of galvanized pipe and steel plate. The spool piece is 2-inch pipe, and the shaft is 1-inch. The shaft passes completely through the spool and is welded at both top and bottom. The end caps were cut from 0.2-inch steel plate. I soaked and rinsed the device in salt water several times to give it an old, rusted look.
The Rappel Hammer design dates from the days of natural fiber ropes. The Rappel Hammer is often rigged by looping the rope once around the spool on one side of the shaft, and once or twice in the same direction around the other, so that the rope path is a helix. A superior rigging is to rig it like the rope path on a Figure 8: bring the rope down one side, pass it under the horizontal spool (90° bend), 180° around the vertical shaft, and then back up and over the top (270° around the spool). Passing the rope this way around the shaft helps keep the rope on the spool piece.
Warning:
There is no guarantee that the rope will stay on the Hammer.
When I built this Rappel hammer, my intent was to mimic the poor design and construction found on some very old, home made devices. Later, I made another version and took more care in its construction.
Considering its size and weight, I can't imagine anyone making and using a Rappel Hammer except for academic interest.
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©2007, Gary D. Storrick