looking for "oliver" treadle hammer images/history

[dablacksmith]

Ive got the book pounding out the profits and it has got me wondering about olivers .Anyone know how far they go back in history? anyone got any pictures of old historic ones? I do historic reinactments of various time periods so I prefer to use historicly correct tools when I can.. any info is appreciated.

[ThomasPowers]

I don't recall any examples earlier than the 19th century. I would not say they were common even then---you just used a striker! If I was looking for them I'd check Diderot's encyclopedia, there may have been a variation for file or chain making where it wasn't worth the extra cost of a striker.

Your historically correct equipment should include at least two helpers at the forge!

BTW what time periods do you do? I have a Y1K set up with a cube anvil and two single action bellows; the forge gets built from local clay as needed. My Renaissance forge has the T stake anvil; but I gave away my double lunged bellows when I moved and have to build a new one. Luckily a lot of the hammers and tongs are good from roman through modern times!

[patrick]

There are some photos of oliver type hammers in a publication on Chain Making in the Black Country of Britian. These were used on the small diamter chains. Since they are in actual photos, rather than drawings or woodcuts, they may be from a later time period than you're interesed in.

Patrick

[Gerald Boggs]

I've a 1850s' book on divers subjects. One of which is blacksmithing. He writes a bit about hammering jigs, with the stated opinion that the Oliver design is the best and really the only one that works very well.
The book is over at a friend's house. Next time I'm over there, I copy the information.

[fat pete]

chk the gallery for pics

[dablacksmith]

Originally Posted by ThomasPowers

I don't recall any examples earlier than the 19th century. I would not say they were common even then---you just used a striker! If I was looking for them I'd check Diderot's encyclopedia, there may have been a variation for file or chain making where it wasn't worth the extra cost of a striker.

Your historically correct equipment should include at least two helpers at the forge!

BTW what time periods do you do? I have a Y1K set up with a cube anvil and two single action bellows; the forge gets built from local clay as needed. My Renaissance forge has the T stake anvil; but I gave away my double lunged bellows when I moved and have to build a new one. Luckily a lot of the hammers and tongs are good from roman through modern times!

I do mostly 1790-1840 time pereods but my shop at the museum ime using 1910 as my timeline ..also looking into doing a few renisance fairs in the future ... My portable forge has a 2 chamber bellows and is a bottom draft..tryed side draft and found it took to much playing with fire for my purposes...( I know its more period correct but....) i was thinking of building a simple oliver using a sledge hammer as a new tool for demo.. ive seen a few dezigns but not much old dezigns .. thanks for info guys

[MooseRidge]

I'm trying to remember where I saw a woodcarving of a variation of wood lathe setup.... one where a strong sapling was bent over with a rope and when you stepped on a board the sapling bend down.... normally, the rope would be wound around a beam which would turn, allowing the beam to be turning to shape....

In this case, the end of the sapling was encased in a metal sleeve with a large end (probably due to the accuracy!), allowing the smith to free his hands for holding the metal and tools....

Probably not good for large forgings, but should work for chasing and repousse work....

Just a thought....

[irnsrgn]

These are pictures of a Salesmans Sample I copied off ebay.

[Jose Gomez]

Here is a chain making video with a short clip of an Oliver style treadle hammer in use. YouTube - Forging of chain by smiths (2) - blacksmithing The hammer is 2:25 into the video.

[irnsrgn]