power-hammer arms...

[FabienC.]

hello guys......
I have a answer for you, I have an old power-hammer but I don't know if I must compress the springs.
the two arms who maintain hammer are not horizontal, hammer is heavy (150lbs!), but when I watch several power hammer pictures on google, many of them have horizontal arm.........http://www.eptingknives.com/Photos/PowerHammer.jpg
http://www.tipsonart.org/images/phot...09_lars_sm.jpg
but sometimes I see other like this:http://home.comcast.net/~paabasec/CoopPH1.jpg
What's the best ???

[JimG]

Get yourself a copy of Dave Manzer's the powerhammer cycle if you can. The Powerhammer Cycle by Dave Manzer

[FabienC.]

thanks Jim, i'll buy this video with the other one.........
I have try compress the two springs and I have a better control at slow speed.........
but no-one have experience with this ?

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

If you post a pic of your hammer, and we can see the set up we will be able to tell better if you need to have your arms horizontal or not. Some hammers were designed with some slant to their arms, some with the arms flat, you can't make one into the other without risk of damaging your hammer and you... Since your hammer is ~150# then I will assume it is NOT a Little Giant, since they never offered that size to my knowledge, so you cannot compare how a LG is properly adjusted to how your hammer is properly adjusted 1 to 1... You will be able to learn about mechanical hammer systems and apply that to your hammer.

[JimG]

Not seeing the hammer, and if it has the same type of arms as the ones in your links, if it was mine I'd adjust it so that the arms are as close to horizontal as possible. If your hammer has adjusting nuts on both arms aim to get the arms as close to the same length as you can.

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

If your hammer is a Little Giant/Murray/Murco/Mayer/Mulloc It is likely rated as a 100# hammer even if it does have an over sized die that weighs more than it specs out at... and it should be able to be adjusted to have the arms horizontal, and if you can't get them were they need to be you might need to get some new replacement parts from Sid...

[FabienC.]

hello !
my hammer work better at slow speed in this position spring, I hope they accept this new stress .......
have you any remarks........

[Fionnbharr (finn:-)]

Unless there is a way to tighten the springs on the top of the arms, it would seem that this is how the hammer is suppose to be set up since there doesn't appear to be any way to shorten your toggles. This is an unusual variation on the standard dupont linkage which normally has the springs inside the arms forcing the toggles horizontal. Replacing the springs might? support the ram better and improve the performance of the hammer, and then again it might not, and could be dangerous? I looked up Hercules power hammers up in the book "Pounding Out The Profits" and the Hercules Patented Power Hammer had a bow spring linkage... I am puzzled is this a latter model, a Little Giant Hercules Hammer? Or a mechanical hammer made by a European manufacturer. I have seen a couple of drawings of LGs with a hole through the frame like this one has, but I don't remember any of the LGs I have seen having a hole through the frame? Probably me being oblivious, and that part of the hammer being dirty... But in my own defense I often can't remember stupid obvious details that I should be able to ;-)

Could you post one more picture of the full side view with the cast in names and numbers of the hammer? Just to satisfy my curiosity... ;-)

[FabienC.]

hello !
sorry I have not precise it is an old english hammer,
Hercules 160 lbs, Samuel Patt ltd........
I have try to found other information, but if we can found some detail Samuel Platt 's life, it is impossible to found something on this hammer..... (except some guys on british blades forum who have the same or the smaller size, Goliath 60lbs...)
That's right, hole through the frame,I take a picture and I post it this afternoon......
before I tense springs (on each side) I haven't very different blow at hight or slow speed, this hammer strike metal with hammer weight.
now at slow speed, hammer is retain and more controlable......
I hope my posts are not too difficult to read, my english speaking ....

[Ed Thomas]

Fabien: I don't know about your specific hammer. The arrangement of yours is much more like the Little Giant or Fairbanks opposing coil springs than the leaf springs in the Beaudry hammers with which I am familiar.

But in principle, the springs should always be in some tension. A mechanical power hammer works by throwing the weight up and down without a direct link to the frame. This prevents the impact of the hammer from repeatedly shocking the rest of the hammer.

In order for this to work properly, the weight of the ram must be always under the control of the spring. If not, there will be at least one part of the travel where the spring is slack and the hammer can be unpredictable. Finding the right tension is part of tuning it for best performance.

Here are a few links that aren't much direct help, but do show pictures of other spring arrangements if you rummage around:

Little Giant Hammer- Nebraska City, NE

Forging Hammer Sales and Service Network

Wendy Gardner and Power Hammer

The last one was to see if you were paying attention.