14 replies to this topic

[NeatGuy]

I just acquired a 25lb Canadian Giant power hammer and would like to add a break to the fly wheel. So if you have a break design I would like to see it.

brad

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Well, ya had me going, you want a brake not a break! Makes a big difference. Seen many different styles, ya kinda gotta design it to meet your own needs and abilities. A simple pad works for some, others make wrap around band. Shoul be some interesting posts coming.

[Sask Mark]

I seem to recall Frosty building a nice one for his Little Giant. He posted a picture of it a while ago. Hopefully he will chime in soon with another picture for you.

[NeatGuy]

Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver, on 10 March 2010 - 10:16 PM, said:

Well, ya had me going, you want a brake not a break! Makes a big difference. Seen many different styles, ya kinda gotta design it to meet your own needs and abilities. A simple pad works for some, others make wrap around band. Shoul be some interesting posts coming.

oops did I say break ??? well I meant brake ... sorry.

brad

[Sprockets&Cogs]

Brad,
I have to apologize to you. I was cursing the unknown buyer of the hammer I was going to see the next day. I didn't expect to join IFI and find the culprit! I have been moping around the shop dreaming of the lost hammer, my wife told me "to suck it up buttercup" Wait until I tell her you already have a 50 lb LG. You are in big trouble mister. Just kidding around and hope you got a good deal on it.
Erick

[clinton]

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Here is mine 75lb commonsense hammer it is attached to the side of the control arm and it just rubs on the flange of the drive pulley, very simple design and it works good
Hey Grant don't "Freak Out" on the brain police dude just go chill in joes garage, may be some catholic girls over there

[SGropp]

A 25# hammer doesn't need much of a brake.

Extend the arm that engages the clutch until it is under the center of the flywheel. Weld a short section of pipe to the end vertically. Make a brake shoe that closely matches the curve of the flywheel. Line this with leather, brake shoe material or belting, using glue and/or rivets.

Fabricate a bracket with a pivot on the back side of the shoe to hold a short section of threaded rod that fits closely in the pipe section on the arm.

Put a nut on the threaded rod, drop the brake shoe and threaded rod into the vertical pipe and and put another nut on the bottom. Use these to adjust the brake shoe up and down in relationship to fly wheel.

The hammer and clutch should be adjusted to work as designed, with the brake out of the way. Adjust the brake shoe up towards the flywheel so it engages when the clutch disengages when you ease off on the treadle.

A small adjustable spring from the top of the brake arm to to one of the top bearing bolts helps with the action ,as well as some kind of simple slotted guide for the arm.

The flywheel must turn into the brake shoe to work properly. Grind or file any casting irregularities off of the flywheel. Keep the flywheel clean of oil and grease.

I know pictures would be helpful, but try it as described. Most of the linkage is already there and the fact that inboard [ towards the operator ] end of the clutch arm goes up when the clutch is disengages allows for a pretty simple and elegant solution.

Like I said , a 25# hammer doesn't need a very large brake to work, the one n my 25# LG is about 8" long.

This type of brake should work on the smaller size hammers, but does not have enough engagement for 100# and up hammers.

[jason0012]

I had a full wrap around break on my 25. Unfortunately I don't think I have photos anymore. I sold that hammer in 1997 ! The design I used came out of the Alabama Forge Council newsletter. I believe that it was a variation on the Clifton Ralph design. The band anchored on the left side of the hammer on a 1/2 inch pin. On the right side it was anchored to a pivoting arm . The arm had its own spring and pivoted off of the gaurd. The band was lined with 1 1/2 " belting, glued and riveted in. The band wrapped the flywheel to within about 3 inches, and wrapped over the top. Grease was occasionally an issue and the band had to occasionaly be wiped clean. The break would stop the hammer instantly, and gave treadle hammer level of control to the machine. I carved wizard and animal heads under that hammer( that requires very,very short tools!) As I also used that hammer for my production forging it got quite a workout, running at about 520 bpm. I do miss the control of that hammer, though it was very under powered.

[oakwoodironworks]

You can contact Sid Suedmeier at littlegianthammer.com for plans that he has for a brake on the Little Giant hammer. I know that he puts brakes on the hammers that he rebuilds. He dosen't sell brake kits but will give you plans to build your own. Hope this helps.
Mike

[NeatGuy]

SGropp, on 11 March 2010 - 12:10 PM, said:

The flywheel must turn into the brake shoe to work properly. Grind or file any casting irregularities off of the flywheel. Keep the flywheel clean of oil and grease.

The flywheel appears to be tappered very slightly; maybe a casting irregularity. Do you think that it should be machined as I have a lathe.

brad

[SGropp]

Neat Guy

I think the flywheel on mine is very slightly tapered as well. I would just form the brake shoe to fit. Getting rid of any bumps on the casting will make the action smoother.

If you had the flywheel and shaft off the machine as part of the rebuild you could turn it true, but I don't think that is really needed unless there are gross irregularities in the casting

[Geoffm]

My Hattersly and Davidson doesn't have the flywheel like a LG - it is part of the driven pulley.
I was thinking of making an adapter for a scooter disk brake and disk, to be mounted on the far end of the hammer shaft. It hasn't got to the top of the list yet - anyone done something similar?

Attached Files

•  hammer side.jpg   61.96K   110 downloads
•  hammer spindle.jpg   52.01K   108 downloads

[NeatGuy]

Geoffm, on 14 March 2010 - 03:34 AM, said:

My Hattersly and Davidson doesn't have the flywheel like a LG - it is part of the driven pulley.
I was thinking of making an adapter for a scooter disk brake and disk, to be mounted on the far end of the hammer shaft. It hasn't got to the top of the list yet - anyone done something similar?

When I was first interested in a brake I though of using a master cylinder from a car so if you go this route I would like to hear about it.

brad.

[monstermetal]

Geoffm, on 14 March 2010 - 03:34 AM, said:

My Hattersly and Davidson doesn't have the flywheel like a LG - it is part of the driven pulley.
I was thinking of making an adapter for a scooter disk brake and disk, to be mounted on the far end of the hammer shaft. It hasn't got to the top of the list yet - anyone done something similar?

Boy that thing is a tank! never seen a hammer like that!

[Glenn Gilmore]

They is a smith in NC that has a 100# LG and he took the front disk brake from a motorcycle and mounted it on the shaft in middle between the bearing housings. Used the master cylinder from the brake lever and it worked great.