power-hammer arms...

[FabienC.]

thanks for yours very interesting links Ed
this is the picture hole frame (6 inch diameter, I can work large billet )

[FabienC.]

another mistake

[Ed Thomas]

Fabien: The Fairbanks has a hole in the same place. I've never seen anybody use it, but it does look cool. Maybe it provides a safe spot for mice to watch as you forge.

[FabienC.]

with a small stool, it's a good spot

[frogvalley]

Originally Posted by Ed Thomas

Fabien: The Fairbanks has a hole in the same place. I've never seen anybody use it, but it does look cool. Maybe it provides a safe spot for mice to watch as you forge.

LOL , mice, now theres an image.

I have a Fairbanks with the mystery hole and I find that I use it frequently. Its where I designed all of my spring / clapper dies to go. The frame that holds the interchangable tooling I have fits around the die on top of the sow block and the clappers fit into a "hardy hole" in this frame. Not by coincidence is it the same size as my actual hardy hole.

Anyway I also use it to put flats in middle of large round rods occasionally. Sometimes you just need a twisty in a roundy thingy.

Of course no one else I know uses theirs very often but I seem to.

On the matte of the original post- If there is no adjustment to the springs to level up the arms , then the springs may be in the beginnings of failure.

Crystallized brittle breakable dangerous. Find replacements.

Very cool hammer BTW and with that crossed arm mechanism it is a thing of beauty.

[FabienC.]

Frogvalley, thanks for your advice about springs, I 've find two industrial "plastic" spring, I'll try them later.....
Have you any picture when you use this "hardy hole"?

[jeremy k]

Fabien,Ed,Frogvalley,
This really isn't a mystery hole - it is an area that long stock that is being forged can be passed though. You'll notice the dies are perpendicular to the frame, this design was changed as years went by - as in the little giants - so the dies were turned at an angle so that wagon wheels could be welded with the power hammer, and the frame would not get in the way. I have a 50lb Little Giant that was made in 1900, and it has this same hole in the frame (which is level with the bottom die), and my 1912 model 50 has the dies on an angle. This information was read in the book "Pounding out the profits" If I recall correctly. I'm sure others will agree or have a better description of what it was used for. -JK

[mplatt2]

Originally Posted by FabienC.

hello !
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...)

G'day guys,
Just joined this forum after a Google search for Samuel Platt.
Samuel Platt was my 5 x great-grandfather.
I've been researching my family history for about 15 years now, and have collected a bit of info on the Samuel Platt foundry & the equipment made by them.
I have a few photo's on my website at SAMUEL PLATT LTD
I don't know a lot about the machinery but if you have any questions regarding the foundry I'll try and help.
I'm in touch with a bloke in England who has collected a few of the hammers and is a blacksmith. He seems to know quite a bit about these hammers.
Cheers
Malcolm.

[rusty_iron]

Gday Malcolm.

Nice hammers mate.

Where in Qld are you?

Rusty_iron,
Brisbane, Oz.

[FabienC.]

Hello!
I'm happy to see my hammer is'nt orphan
you can take my pictures about it for your website
I 'll take pictures about my friend Goliath Hammer....
your pictures said me I was in right when I said arms must be straight!
thanks a lot !!!!!