Mike Romo

Hey guys and gals. Looks like our craft has been profiled on one of the most popular photo blogs on the Internet. There’s no messing around when it comes to metal working (35 Photos) http://thechive.com/2015/05/01/metal-working-blacksmith/

I'd love to see the chair also. My dad was a barber for near 50 years. I have his two old chairs, one is a Koken the other make escapes me. I plan to move them into my living room soon. Heavy suckers!! Nothing like real craftsmanship and art for function in old barber chairs.

I received my copy a few days ago and have already read it once. If I had it to do over again--be a total newbie--this is the text I would recommend. I am now on my second reading with much more diligence and skipping back and forth to cover questions and find answers. Well done Steve and thanks again. I expect my copy to have many dog eared pages, sidebar notes, and highlighting as well as scrap paper inserts.

Thanks guys. Now to go back the line them up with the text from the thread.

Is there any news on the lost photos? Could or would someone who saved them please make a post with them? Thanks.

glad this thread got more input. Stormcrow, I'll watch the vid at home this weekend. Excited to see what others have done. Geoff, I think I am going to go with the commercial spring idea--I don't know enough about fabricating/substituting for the spring. Your anvil advice is spot on, and I have a couple of local scrapyards looking out for large diameter round or square stock for my anvil. arftist, would you mind posting the dimensions of your spring on your 75# hammer? Mine will be less than half that size and certainly no larger. I'd just like an idea of what I should start the conversation with at my local suspension shop. This project has me very excited, but as always, better to know more and do it right the first time than re-engineer because I got in a hurry. Thanks again friends. Mike

Thanks Geoff. Something to ponder for sure. Swede, I figured it was straightforward. Any idea how much spring my concept would need? Just a ballpark. Tup at 25-30 pounds max. Thanks

Geoff, the idea of a spring from mild steel is intriguing. Are you basically saying I should find some flat bar and build a leaf spring with perhaps a couple of extra leaves and use that? Maybe some 1/4" x 2" by 5 feet long or so? Tup weight close to 25-30 lbs and no more. I'd love to see a pic and some specs on this.

Thank you. That clears up a bunch. Any idea how to ask for the proper size of spring? Terminology or by weight?

I've decided I want to build my own power hammer. I have settled on the design very much like Stormcrow's Gunnhilda--really nice hammer. Mine will be much smaller, closer to 25#. My first real question is about the leaf springs. I see many build referencing "straightening the springs" or "straightening the spring package". What does this mean? How is it done? Sounds like a job for a suspension shop? What is the difference between straightened springs and curved springs? Thanks much folks.

Nice build. Tagging to follow.

This is a great thread. Build pics are fantastic. Please keep posting the intricate stuff like the trenches in the roller bearings. Nice truck, too. I learned to drive a standard on my dad's old '68 Chevy stepside, four speed with granny gear and a 305. Miss that truck.

More following and lurking.

Just following this thread.

Following this thread for more information and ideas....