Foot Helve sketch, design finalised

[ApprenticeMan]

Here is the finalised design sketch. The hammer head and anvil will be made from 2 3/4 round, It is what I have, I would use bigger but I do not have it. The hammer head is roughly 20 pounds, the anvil roughly 60, so I guess a 3:1 anvil to hammer ratio? AGain not ideal but it's better than tubing. The dies are going to be 3 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch thick and 1 1/2 or maybe 2 inch tall. There is the F (front) R (right side) and L (left side) veiws, garage door spring holds tension on the pedal in the up position, keeping the hammer head up, I might need to add another spring, we'll see when it is built. Notice the attachment plate for the pillowblock bearings, there will be room for little spacer plates to be added between, to make the helve arm adjustable for working larger stock, which is usually the downfall of the helve design. Coarse thread bolts and nuts will make changing in or out an adjustor plate quick and easy. Bolt on changeable dies as well.

I know, all this thought and effort to a little foot powered hammer when I could probably build a tire power hammer or rusty type hammer, but I like the foot powered machines, not as efficient as a powerhammer but I feel there is more of a connection left with the foot powered stuff. The goal I have for this hammer is for it to atleast move more metal than the arm is capable of without risking injury to the arm. Hopefully I can pull that off. Comments, critique, questions welcome.

[rfb343]

Looks pretty cool to me, if it works well, post some scale drawings I'd love to try one but I'm pretty machinery stupid.

[ApprenticeMan]

Thanks RF. WHen it is all done, there will be a set of plans complete with measurements, as well as a BP to go along with it.

[philip in china]

On youtube there is some 100 year old silent film of chain making in the British Midlands. A smith on that is using a foot helve to forge weld every link. Very interesting.

[arftist]

That looks good. I think building this hammer will give you valuable experience towards building a power hammer, and they actualy serve different purposes anyway. I too await your blueprint.

[simmonds]

If anyone can pull this off, you can. Keep a photo journal as you go. Chris

[rlarkin]

Looks good, but I have a couple observations, as I am in the first stages of laying one out.

1) Seems to me that the connection from the treadle to the hammer arm should connect to both both sides of the pivot to eliminate any one sidded stresses.

2) Shouldn't the hammer arm have some flex to it?

Like I said. Just observations. So far I have 2 different springs for the return, a complete spring pack from a 3/4 ton cheby, a several lengths of I beam, C chanel, and 4" square.
Now all I need is the time.

[ThomasPowers]

A lot of the ones I have seen have the back tube extend up and the pivot mounted on a piece of tubing that slides up and down on the back tube so you can adjust height without taking things apart. The spiffer ones use a crank and a track so you can adjust on the fly.

Also having the force to return the hammer up supplied at the very end of the lever arm will take a lot more spring than if you can attach it somewhere in the middle.

[Frosty]

Sam:

Is there a reason you're building a helve instead of adding a second arm and having a perpendicular head hammer?

Along with sensitivity to height there's the fact that top and bottom tooling never matches. You'll need spring tooling for any but the most basic processes.

The increase in complexity is almost nil but the improvement in efficiency is pronounced.

The simple mod, leaving all else the same is to extend the post a foot or so and mount your pillow blocks on the face rather the end. Add a second arm and attach the ram with pivots.

Everything else can remain the same.

Nice sketches regardless and a together design. I don't see an obvious failure issue.

Frosty

[ApprenticeMan]

Thanks for the input guys.
Rlarkin, I don't think it is needed if everything is solid enough, there shouldn't be any twisting action or undo stress. I don't think the helve arm needs to flex, atleast not with a foot powered one.

Thomas, that is a good idea. Trying to keep it as simple as can be, If I were to make it with the screw adjust I would have to make it very very nice with the turn handle at a right angle coming to the front of the machine, I'll keep it in mind as a possible mod, or for when I build another, larger one. Part of the design idea for this one is lift on the truck and go, simple light yet hard hitter for basic forging processes, simple to build and fix if needed. I still haven't figured the exact position of the link between the pedal and helve itself just yet, that will come when it is built.

Frosty, cause I already built one of those. I have the treadle for the more advanced tooling work, just want this one to do one thing, basic hard forging. Draw tapers, draw length IE tong reins, work down larger bars, stuff like that.