Home made fullering dies

[imagedude]

I've got about 4 feet of rail track in my scrap pile. Would this be suitable for making fullering dies for a powerhammer? Would it require further HT? I was thinking of using the upper part of the rail only i.e. the half round(ish) section.

[easilyconfused]

I've read that they make wonderful fullers and such for hand hammers so I don't see why they wouldn't work for power hammers. You can heat treat them but you'd need to experiment starting with too soft and working up. Always remember to use your head and check things over for cracks and chips. I'd also test them by hand, just to be safe as I wouldn't want a shattered piece of cold steel from a power hammer flying across the room.

[Dodge]

I used rr for my dies. I just preheated both mounting plate and die to about 400° f before welding, then air cooled. Works great! I used 1/2" mild steel for the mounting plate.

[R Funk]

Yes they are appropriate steel for a power hammer die (not high volume production however)

Just make certian that you have a good fit.

If you fit is not correct you could whallow out or even break your hammer head or sow block

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

You can also use the small sections as paddle tools with very thin handles especially under that Blacker;-)