Electric planishing hammer?
 

So I come from a background in sheet metal fabrication. I was at a reunion about a week ago with some old school buddies who work at an MRO about an hour from where I grew up, and one mentioned that I should look into getting an A&P license as my background would make me perfect for sheet metal.

Intrigued I did some research and found A&Ps earn on average about 75% more than I do currently. There's a couple of regionals near where I currently live and the majors near where I grew up which I could probably find work at once qualified.

I've been watching some Youtube videos on aircraft sheet metal work to see if it is like what I currently do (and for the most part it is) and found a guy using a pneumatic planishing hammer, wearing ear protection and all. At my work we use an electric planishing hammer run from the wall, which I'vealways found to have more control than even the highest quality pneumatic ones and our one at least has some like antivibration tech or something that seems to take a lot of the noise out of our work (not that it makes much of a difference at an airport) and also means my arms dont get as tired from the vibrations going through my hands/arms. How come you guys don't use that? I know you guys tend to prefer pneumatics for tools and whatnot, but is it just that his place hasn't gotten round to replacing it yet or something else entirely?

You'll find in field level sheetmetal work on aircraft most repair work is performed without the need of a planishing hammer or even an english wheel. While those items are found in some shops unless you are performing extensive fabrication work, you'll spend most of your time with layout, bending, drilling, and riveting vs flattening out metal.

As to the A&P certificate, its not a simple test and you have it. It can take from 24 to 30 months to obtain the experience required depending on what route you follow to qualify for it. And if you only plan to concentrate on the sheetmetal side, perhaps look into only pursing the A (airframe) portion of the certificate which would take about half the time.

Couldn't help think that you guys must work on some seriously bent aircraft, if it takes hours of planishing!

Anyways, my favourite metal-works channel: Yorkshire Car Restoration - YouTube, amazing to watch the fabrication and fitment process.

You might find WW2 aircraft restoration facilities a home from home.

For aircraft sheetmetal work, you do not need a licence at all. Getting it in EU or UK is not that simple, for big airplanes it takes 5 years minimum (if no previous experience is credited), costs quite something (including you need all type ratings on wich you want to sign-off your work) Plus, you need to "exercise privileges" of your licence at least 6 months in last 2 years, and doing only sheetmetal might not qualify with some more picky Quality Managers/ CAA inspectors.
Good aviation sheetmetal workers are pure gold, I always admired some guys at my place.
Regarding your question on electric hammers - I dunno. Pneumatic seems tradition everywhere - there must be a reason.

The reason for pneumatic tool prevalence is that the sharp unfinished edges of conductive structures and electrical power cords don't mix.

Nowhere in the previous 2 posts do they say that they do that.