maltesehunter Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 I can't believe this is my first post in 7 years of being a member. I joined this forum when I was in high school and was always into old iron and blacksmith equipment. You see, my father raised me with old iron in my blood. He always loved blacksmithing even when he was my age and before he got married. He passed that down to me now- I too love blacksmith equipment and line shaft stuff. He has always had a complete shop from the time I remember. He just never had time to use it working all the over time, and trying to keep the family under a roof. Now he is getting more into it because of me and my brother. I recently scored a helve hammer and a Champion no. 203 drill press. I just thought I would share some pictures with you guys. I already have a common sense no 2 so I am not sure if I need the helve hammer, but I am still undecided. It is a 40 lb. model. They both need some work of course, but they shouldn't take a whole lot to get running. I am glad that the wood beam is still ok, as I thought I was going to have to replace it. The helve hammer has been stored inside a barn for pretty much its whole life. God Bless and Happy Holidays, Jake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Interesting hammer, thanks for the photos. I think you should fix it up. It might be better than the one you have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimenickel Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 don't see that everyday... .. very cool design thanks for pic's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 What a darling hammer! Restoring it should be easy and seeing it running off a hit or miss engine would be great at a old time engine show. You may still need to replace the beam though as wood does age over time. Far better to change it out now than have it fail in use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan P. Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Also the helve has some strange in-lets (whatever you call them; bits that were chiselled out), was it turned around at some point in its life, the way you might turn around a grinder belt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 The cut-outs might just mean the beam has been re-purposed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Tinsley Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 (drools) that is neat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltesehunter Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 I am pretty sure that it has a stroke adjustment too. It originally came with a handle that would be able to adjust the stroke on the run. I know of another blacksmith who has one and have to get some measurements and detailed pictures from him so I can fabricate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I don't see anything in the design that would allow for stroke adjustment on the fly. Not saying 100%, but I don't see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 I don't think the stroke is adjustable at all. Obviously one can adjust the rod length with the turnbuckle and move the stroke's effect up or down and the beam travel could be increased or decreased by moving the rod/spring attachment point. Neither or those seem feasible to do on the run. Regardless it is a very cool hammer. -grant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltesehunter Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Here you go. This is nearly an identical hammer but by a different maker. Pull the handle and the stroke is adjustable, hits harder or lighter.http://books.google....9%2C1277&edge=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Glad I didn't say 100%! Looks like it has the attachment points, although it doesn't have the obvious slot in the connection to the beam shown in "Pounding Out The Profits". On top of the beam where the toggle links attach, is the a slot that the cross-piece can run fore-and-aft in, like 4-5 inches? Can't quite see in your pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefarm39 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Looks to me like you wil need the stroke adjustment mechanism before you run the hammer, otherwise it may just float around in the slot and the stroke may "adjust" itself when you least expect it! Great looking hammer! It should be a ton of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I think that hammer has had a replacement helve arm added to it Jake. I thought you might like these patent drawings and descriptions..might come in handy when you get around to restoring it.http://www.google.com/patents?id=E_9iAAAAEBAJ&pg=PA1&dq=Hathorn+power+hammer&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=1#v=onepage&q=Hathorn%20power%20hammer&f=false Super little hammer BTW. If you get a chance to photograph the spring mounting on the helve arm I'd be interested in seeing some details.I can't tell how the spring ends are attached to the top bracket. Good Luck fixing things up ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I found an ad picture with some info on it for your hammer ...It clearly shows how the "adjustment" is configured for the Hathorn Helve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Jake..I thought you might enjoy this photo of a Hathorn driven by an old motor & belt drive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 That is such a cool hammer! Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maltesehunter Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Mudbugone, thanks for finding the drawings, ad, and picture. All three will help when I am restoring the hammer. And yes, I am sure the wood arm is a replacement. I will try to get a close up shot of the spring mounting this weekend. Take care, Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 You're very welcome...hope it comes in handy with the restoration. ( I really like this hammer design!) Concerning the adjustment feature both your hammer and the one with the motor seem to have the same attachment for the spring. It looks like that plate is an open slotted plate. I'm only assuming the spring is mounted using a leather strap thru that mounting plate and if the adjuster arm was re-attached then the spring could be moved front to back about 6" to control the stroke. I'm sorta amazed there is so little info on that hammer including any shots of the crank assembly or the adjustment feature.. It's a shame since the design is so simple and could easily be replicated. Simpler than other similar designs anyway. Your pictures seem to be the most detailed I've been able to find... Please keep us in the loop as you restore that baby. I know I'd be very interested in how it works and how it was built in more detail. Thanks for making at least one reader drool...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Well ...I've found at least two more of these Hathorn Helve Hammers .... this one is being used http://www.stevenrandallmanufacturing.com/about-us.php and the other looks like the fancy green one I posted earlier if it's not the same hammer. The link above shows a restored hammer that still has the adjuster in place. Many "Thanks" to Jake for information on these hammers. It should be very helpful in fabricating a clone of a similar helve hammer. The only complicated (and it's really not) portion might be the adjuster on the helve arm....and it could actually be eliminated ,but it's a cool addition to the hammer. All the examples I've seen actual photos of all have the adjuster as seen on the hammer that Jake originally posted.... The only example with the curved "slot" adjuster (thru the helve arm) is the original patent drawings & the advertisements.... I have no idea if they changed the design for some reason or if that modification was done by some previous owner. It seems unlikely that "all" the surviving examples would have the same modification though...so I assume the factory made this change to the original design. I assume the slot cut thru the helve may have weakened the helve arm and may have caused the arm to break so they changed the design to "fix" that issue... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Really bad youtube video ,but it is a Hathorn hammer in action... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo8t8dTAU4g Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Another Hathorn with an antique engine attached... this must have been a common assembly since this is the third one I've found built this way... It's located here http://www.chucksimonian.com/process.htm for better picture resolution... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudbugone Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Found another example of a Hathorn Helve in the gallery mis-labled as a Hawkeye Helve...http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/17571-hawkeye-helve/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.