mike-hr

Howdy, My leaf spring is 20 inch centerline eye-eye x 2 inch, with a 2 inch arch from the center of the eyes. 1/4inch thickness is sort of spazmotic. 5/16 would be good, but a lot of spring shops don't work with it. I used 3/8 thick, and am quite happy with it. Have it made by a good spring shop. This part is not a good candidate for re-purposing a rusty junkyard find. If you can't find a spring shop, go to a 4x4 off road custom shop, they will have a contact for you. Feel free to ask questions about your build. These are great hammers. The reason they aren't as popular as they could be, is nobody makes money off the idea... Thanks again, Ron Kinyon!

It is really difficult to get a pic to come out without flash or sun burn. My friend Gina took the picture above, it took her a while to get it to standards, I didn't want to ask her to go through it again for the other side...I did get some sub-par shots on my eyephone, apologies. Raw billet, 1st etch after forging, side 'B'

John Emmerling and Peter Clark watched over me all day at a recent hammer-in, this was the result. 1095, 1060, and 15n20. All fluxless welding in a propane blown ribbon burner forge with a thermocouple and temperature readout. Came out pretty nice. mh

Howdy Scott, I'm in KFalls, also a machinist and weldor, and do mostly art smithing (forged railings, hinges, sculpture) for a living. I think my burb has more smiths than the rogue valley, don't know why. Anyway, you're welcome to come over for a Saturday if you get inclined. Look up Olene Machine on the google, you'll find me.

It should run great on 100psi. Can you post a picture of how it's plumbed, especially the master valve block with all the hoses running in and out. They aren't that complex, we should be able to walk you through it. If I'm in the right mood, I can strike a wooden match between the flat dies without crushing the match, yours should also. Nootka, Are you using a remote oiler/air dryer close to, but not mounted on, your hammer? Is it flowing the correct direction, first drying, then oiling. Does it consume the oil out of the oiler? keep turning it up until a puddle forms under the treadle exhaust after a couple hours work, then turn it down a bit. I heard marvel mystery oil eats the glands in the spool valves. I been using air tool oil from the NAPA auto parts store, doing fine for 3 yrs. ,

My favorite don't do that again moment was the time I decided to see what would happen if I put a golf ball on the flat dies of the power hammer, and stomped the treadle...Right into my guts at 300mph.

I drilled and tapped the end of a pipe cap 1/4-28, many MIG tips have this thread. If I want to go bigger or smaller holes in the Mig tip, I just unscrew it and install another one...

Interesting. Does your air cylinder still have 3/8, or 1/2 inch holes? I can see how increasing the flow to the roller valve would help speed up transitions. Thanks for the update.

I'm restoring a 100# LG old style. It had been sitting outside in a coastal zone, and, among other things, the pockets the toggle arms ride in were crusted up pretty bad. It is fairly inaccessible to reach inside to shine it up. I cut some round stock that is a bit smaller diameter than the toggle arms and contact cemented emery cloth to it. I found a used power steering belt from my sons old Subaru to use as a drive belt. The knurling on my cordless drill chuck was enough textured to drive the belt. Worked good, fast. mh

I was hanging out with Mark Kochen at a hammer-in and liked his blower mount. I recently copied the idea setting up a forge and blower for my friend Gina. 2 chunks of 1-1/4 angle, 2 chunks of flat bar, a piece of plate and some drilling and tapping. I made slots in the flat bar for adjustability, but not really necessary. mh

DSloan, thanks. The one I'm working on is #P501, circa 1919 old style. What's got me scratching my head the most, is how to clean out the 'hidden pockets' that the tee bolts ride in. This machine lived outside by the puget sound for a few years. It's crusty inside these pockets, and I'm struggling how to get rotational power tools inside to buff off the high spots. Adair, I'm going to make a jackshaft and shoot for 220 bpm. This machine is going to be donated to a working musuem, and I feel folks learning to use it would appreciate a little time to think between blows. I realize this might affect the harmonics, and possibly the 'sweet spot', but it should still thump good.

Hello, all. I'm currently restoring a 100# LG to better than working condition. This thread has helped a lot, saved me from asking more questions. We should all remember, a thread subject not only helps the immediate folks with an issue, but helps many down the line when using the search function. Keep it up, mike

You asked a very loaded question.. Are you located on a sand bar, river alluvium, old lake bed, volcanic plug, desert, rainforest, over a subway, etc. You cant expect a good answer for your personal location by someone who lives somewhere else. I think i read that most hammer foundations are based upon building on river alluvium, because historically, most industry sprang up by the rivers. If you decide to just mount the hammer on the shop floor with some belting underfoot, consider cutting in to the slab a couple inches around the perimeter of the hammer. If it decides to chunk out the concrete and settle in, it will do so in it's own sandbox, and leave the rest of the floor unfettered. You can pour a new foundation in the old cracked out area.

Is that the small 'shuttle'valve mounted up on the ram with the ramp that pushes the switch in and out? If so, I've been involved with 2 cases of failure. Both times, the valve was mounted too close to the ramp, and the whole body was distorting, until they failed. I can't answer your question, but if you remake the mounting bracket to where it only gets action enough to work, the valve you have been using will last a long time. mike

You have a good eye, and are obviously enjoying the ride.. I approve. Carry on, Mike

I have a 1908 mechanical hammer with dovetails and wedges. I also built a new style Kinyon air hammer with (4) 1/2" bolts/die. I figured 4 is twice as much as 2, and two works fine. Everything previously mentioned is great advice. I would add, that if you want to do artsy, or industrial work, having the upper and lower pallets skookum in line is a good thing. Dovetails and wedges will take some flitzing with to achieve alignment each time, so you may lose in the big picture to changing 2 or 4 bolts per die and knowing they are where you want them.

Really nice. It's not art, but surpasses craft. I'll bet, whomever made it, could fix a potato digging machine, whatever was broke, better than it was manufactured, and in time to keep harvesting tomorrow morning. I hope to be close to that person someday. Hey, we can all hope for something, right?

With the cross bar design, if anything gets to mushrooming, the dies will stick. You're also excluded from welding larger fuller bars on, for different effects. The tool looks very effective, easy to make, and fast. everythings a tradeoff. mike

Howdy. I'm down the road in KFalls. I'm doing some work for some folks in Redmond, should be going up there to deliver it in a month or so. I've got some extra leg vises I could sell to you cheap, if you don't mind making a spring or mounting plate. Don't matter to me. If you're down this way, you're welcome to look me up. Just not during deer or elk season.

That's real pretty, and a good design. I'd be proud to get elk blood all over it..

That should sell real well. I would suggest, since you live in the USA, you make the next piece 32 inches betwixt boltholes, then you can market it as being friendly with conventional framing practices.Ironwork mounted with plastic sheetrock anchors will irritate customers in a couple years.

I got my belt grinder 2 or 3 years ago, can't remember. It has seen a lot of use in that time. It has the mail-order aluminum drive and idler wheels, I think from beaumont tools. Anyway, the last month or so, it's been hard to keep from throwing belts under a load, and the belts would fly off during start-up, run across the floor, and try their best to climb up the power hammer. I was getting ready to tear the drive wheel off and re-cut a crown on it, because it had worn flat. I called a buddy who has several grinders to see if I was doing the right thing. He told me to wrap 4 or 5 wraps of black electrical tape about the center of the drive wheel, and go back to work. By golly, it starts, runs, and tracks like it was new...Thanks, JE! mike

Way cool! Can I get a viewing permit in a couple weeks during the hammer-in? I just bought a 30 hp hyd pump from John E. Oh, by the way, we're gonna lean on you to find a forklift to move this pump out of John's truck, into mine,,, Buddy!

Nice! you made a top shelf piece there. You have great hand skills. I will throw out a critique, feel quite free to disregard at your convenience. I feel you are losing efficiency by choking up on your hammer handle. I see you driving to the centre of the anvil, rather than whipping your wrist and letting the hammer rebound on its own. This may sound subtle, but when you turn 50, I feel your elbow will be tired. Can somebody chime in and try to quantify this move? Like I said, ignore me with pleasure. Nice welding, blending, and execution. mike

Quality Ulfbert swords, in about an hour....