The Ultimate Hammer (Hammer + Screwdriver, Bottle Opener, Nail Holder, and Ruler)

I recently stumbled upon this instructable, and it got me thinking; what else could be done to improve the humble hammer? I had some ideas in the back of my mind, and when I saw the Hand Tools Only Contest I decided to stop procrastinating and get to work. After all, what better entry for a contest about hand tools than a hand tool itself? My updated hammer has a screwdriver with interchangeable bits, a ruler for rough measurements, a magnet for holding nails and screws, and a bottle opener for when the job is done. I've used it a couple times, and I find myself using all the features; I assembled an entire IKEA bookcase using only this hammer. If anyone can think of any other additions to the hammer let me know!

Thanks to everyone who voted for me in the Hand Tools Only Contest!

- Drill

- Hacksaw

- An old hammer

- Tape measure

- Epoxy

- A Sharpie

- Strong magnet

- A nail with a large head

- A magnetic bit holder

- Drill a hole the diameter of the nail in roughly the same position as in the first image (about 5/8" from the bottom of the head of the hammer). Drill about halfway through the hammer.

- Insert the nail into the hole and measure the depth of the hole. Add 3/8" to the depth. That is how long you want the nail to be. Cut off any excess from the pointy end.

- Insert the nail into the hole. Check to make sure the head sticks out roughly 3/8". If it does, epoxy it in place.

- The magnetic bit holder is basically a tube with a magnet about 1/2" down the tube on one end, and the bit you insert into the drill at the other. Use the hacksaw to make a cut about 1/4" below the magnet between the magnet and the bit. Keep the section with the magnet.

- Drill a hole about 1/4" shorter than the section of the bit holder you kept using a drill bit the same diameter as the bit holder. The hole should be about 1/2" deep. Make sure the hole is in the center of the bottom of the handle.

- Insert the section of the bit holder you kept into the hole. You may need to epoxy it in place.

- Epoxy the magnet onto the side of the head of the hammer.

- I put two strips of masking tape on the handle of the hammer, each strip perpendicular to the base of the handle. Then I drew a straight line with the sharpie between the two strips of tape every inch, and a smaller line down from the top strip to mark each half inch.

- I applied some clear varnish to the handle to protect the lines of the ruler.