ogmios

Greetings! I'm a bit late in posting this update, but just to let you all know, I've now got a replacement ram guide! Two pics attached of the piece. It fits like a glove, and the ram moves perfectly up and down. One step closer to the dream :) Now, waiting for juuuust the right motor to go on sale... Patrick

Wow, thanks folks! Ciladog's diagram is awesome, thanks for taking the time! FYI, I put the whole thing back together last night, ram, broken guide, and all, and cycled by hand after adding oil. Runs very nicely, if with a bit too much play owing to the broken guide. Still, makes me smile just to stand there turning the thing, after a decade :) Patrick

Toronto, Ontario For those that were asking, here are three sketches with the measurements... Oh, and here are two shots of the hammer's frame, to which the ram guide mounts...

Agreed, there are several approaches. My concerns were as follows: 1. Somebody local, so that I could provide the original part. 2. A single piece construction, to minimize stress to the frame. 3. Preferably someone familiar with power hammers, who would understand the stresses involved. 4. Someone that could provide either solution, and provide multiple quotes. For those that have offered alternative approaches, could you suggest an estimate of what I might expect to pay? P

Good question. I've spoken with a few folks, and the costly aspect with a fully machined piece is the sheer amount of material that must be removed. In contrast, casting it, and then a bit of machining is relatively simpler, and today's cast iron is (I've read) much better than in the past. You could make a ram guide from multiple parts, but I think that this would put too much stress on the mounting plate on the hammer's frame...and if that breaks, it's a whole different level of problem/cost. It makes me wonder if the ram guide was actually meant to be a "disposable", high-stress piece...? Any other perspectives? P

Hi folks, Got a quote back tonight. Steep, but within means. Cast iron, and machined to spec. Anyone else in need of a ram guide? Patrick

Hello folks, Just a short update on my progress... 1. I've found a local gent who's putting together a quote for me, to cast/machine a replacement ram guide. 2. I oiled up the works this morning, and it made a world of difference! Without the ram being in place, the hammer cycles by hand with very little effort. All seems clean and tight. 3. I've bolted the original ram guide pieces to the frame, and will reinstall the ram today, more oil, and see how a manual (only) cycling goes. Thanks to all for the helpful notes, P

Hi folks, I've heard from several of you, which I appreciate immensely! Just to put it out there, I'm looking for a vintage ram guide (rare as they are), or recommendations for a fabrication company that could create a decent replacement for me. And yes, I've spoken with Sid at Little Giant...he's fresh out of such parts ;) Regards, Patrick

Hi again folks, Just realized that I was remiss in not answering a few points above... Thanks for the rust/paint removal tips, but I think I like the "leave it alone approach ;). Other than cleaning out any crud on moving surfaces. My hammer is a 30#'er, I just took the bathroom scales out to the garage. Thanks for the reference to the two books above. In fact, I already have them! The dies appear to be unremarkable flat rectangles...? Happy to post more detailed pix, as might be helpful in your own efforts. Looks like many people are interested in the photo's, so here are two more: 1. a side view of the dies that came with the hammer 2. a top view of the ram guide. Cheers, Patrick

Gentlemen! Thank-you for all of the advice and assistance! As promised, attached is a pic of my newly reassembled Kerrihard. Very happy to see it standing on it's own again, after ~12 years. A great way to begin the New Year. I've now removed the (broken) ram guide, and am hunting for a Toronto-area fabricator that can make a replacement for me...any idea what I might expect to pay for a piece like this? After that: install a motor, lots of grease, and away I go! Patrick

Hi folks, At long, long last, my Kerrihard is coming home :) I bought a used 25# Kerrihard power hammer about 12 years back (from a gent that had bought it from the original owner 40 years prior, but never used it himself). It has sat in my parent's garage since then, unused and disassembled. Now I have a garage/shop of my own, and I'll be going to fetch my hammer in a few weeks! Dreams can come true ;) By all accounts, (with a motor added) it will still function; but it has seen better days, and been patched somewhat in the ancient past. I'll post pictures in the near future, but was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on restoration? Specific initial questions that I have include the following: 1. Suggestions for a motor? 2. Best way to clean off the ancient, congealed grease? 3. Best type of grease to use now? 4. Any point (aside from ascetics) in painting it? 5. Options for replacing the little oil/grease reservoirs that screw in on top? 6. Tips or opinions on bolting it to the ground? 7. Advice on assembling a safety cage around the spring/ram mechanism? Anything you could offer would be most appreciated! I am hoping to have it running again for 2014, it's 100-year birthday! many thanks, Patrick

Good morning gents, Thanks for the feedback. John, in answer to your question, my hammer is (in theory) functional as it is (once I add a motor). However, given the central role that it plays in my future plans, I figure that now's the time to start actively keeping an eye out for spare parts. Currently, the most obvious bit of damage is on the cast iron chassis itself. The ram guide rails bolt to a square facing on the upper chassis, and a small-ish corner chunk of this facing has long since cracked off. The original owner (in fact two owners ago), worked out a fix, but of course if I could harvest a replacement chassis from a non-functional hammer, I could bring my unit back up to ~100%. Patrick

Hi folks, I was lucky enough to acquire a 30lb Kerrihard power hammer (see pic) about ten years back, and it's looking like in the near future I may finally have some shop space to use it. So I was hoping that I might ask for some advice... 1. Although my hammer is reportedly functional, it has been repaired in the past. To that end, if anyone knows of any non-functional hammers or orphaned spare parts out there, I'd love to hear about them for possible transplanting. 2. How do I got about selecting a motor to drive my hammer? Many thanks, Patrick Toronto