Torin

Steel arrived today. Ram, U-channel, sleeve and two plates. Got all the steel now. Just need to put it together.

Well, it looks like all the steel is due to arrive today. I'll take pictures when I get home. I'll be able to get all the cuts but one done this weekend. I'm still looking for a good local plasma cutter though. I'm thinking of calling the one place I know that does waterjet cutting and see if they will do it.

Well, I think I'm going to get the switch and the 5-way valve from The Blacksmith's depot. I'm not sure if it is the best deal out there, but it seems to be reasonable. The 3/4" NPT version fo the Versa valve I see out there with a few hammers is $435 from my local distributor. Given that I hope to be buying a new hammer in about 5 years, I think I'll go with this level.

I think I can probably get the rest of the parts from McMaster Carr.

Well, it looks like I messed up by an inch on one dimension. Not a big deal, but it means I'm not going to be able to line the top of the two pieces up flush. Not a major problem, but annoying. The picture is of the ram spacer and the ram guide. I think I'm going to cut 2 inches off the top and leave it with 10" of ram guide. That should give me enough room to move the roller switch around for tuning the hammer blow.

The ram guide is going to be lined with UHMW polyetheylene, in 1/2" thick sheets. It will be 4" wide and have 4 screws holding it into position. I'll drill holes about 1/2 way through the UHMW for positional holding. I'll be drilling corrosponding holes in the guide so that I can weld nuts in place for the screws. I should be able to get that done tomorrow. I'll also need to drill holes on the spacer so that I can get to the screws on the backside.

I'm still trying to get a Versa VPP 5602. The dealer I called said the switch doesn't show up in their inventory s he would call the factory. I hope I get an answer tomorrow. BTW, does anybody know if the 5 way switch with 3/4" NPT ports listed by the Blacksmith's Depot is any good?

Well, I should be getting to bed soon. Oh, and the part of the H-beam to the left/below the ram guide is getting cut off as well.

I understand that these Kinyon style hammers typically use an air pilot for the switching?? I was wondering if anyone has tried an electric solenoid air switch. Would it work? Would it switch fast enough? The reason I ask is because I was given such a switch and am very interested in possibly building an air hammer to supplement or perhaps replace my tire hammer.

If I've got my mind wrapped around how it works properly, too fast would be a disadvantage. You want a slight delay in the action. Because when the ram moves up past and activates the roller switch, it is telling it to send the ram down. Once it goes down enough to let the switch move back into the open position, it is telling the cylinder to move up. So, a slight delay is actually a good thing.

I would definitely appreciate that. You can send it to torin3@gmail.com I can open most cad drawings. Thank you!

You can take exit 78, or 81 depending on which way you are going.

About Us

It's great you're undertaking this project and sharing it with us. Please document it as much as possible. Thanks so much, Phil

No problem. I'm planning on taking pictures of the construction stages.

I'm kind of leaning to the standard Kinyon control system. It took me a little bit of thinking about it to get it down as to how it works. This was from watching the video of the Coleman controls and how fast the switch works there. However it looks like there is a moderate amount of extra work with the Coleman system.

I'm also going to be using a square tubing (with 1/2" wall thickness) for the ram guide, so I may have to cut down the 12" long section of it to have enough extra room for the control switch to work on the ram.

I also need to track down somebody with a plasma cutter so I can cut out a square out of the U-channel that I'm mounting the air cylinder on. That way I can pull the ram out once it has been assembled, as I would like to be able to welding the U-channel on top of the H-beam spacer.

Edit: Also think I'm going to run the dies at 90

It isn't that close to you, but Humphrey Charcoal is in Western PA, and they make quite a lot of it. Their website is: Humphrey-Charcoal and you can order pallets of charcoal for not that much. 600 pounds for $225.

Their charcoal is good for forging, and they let us pick up from the factory when I was helping out on Flaxy's iron smelting runs.

Working out the dimensions now. Still not sure on how I'm going to do the control system yet though...

Well, I think I can get my Kinyon hammer finished in the next 30 days, so this is my thread to hold my feet to the fire. I've got the baseplate bolted down and the main upright welded. I've got a few more chunks of steel on the way, and almost no air plumping parts except for the cylinder and the compressor. Here is what I have done



Suggestions for how to do the plumbing and controls cheerfully accepted.

Hofi; I'm going to ask around at EMRTC to see if they have any used tank penetrators for making a drift from---I know they scattered a lot of U238 around out in the test area so perhaps I'll luck out. They get fussy about us going out in the desert and hunting on our own in the test range though.

Hey, if you find any, I'd be interested in one. I managed to get my hand on about a 3-4 ounce sample of DU, but I'm looking for something larger to go with my 4# chunk of tungsten alloy.

And yeah, the dust is nasty, so no grinding or cutting without proper protection. The radiation is just alpha, so as long as you don't eat it or breath it, your skin stops it.

Millermatic 251 for most welding, though I also have an old Lincoln AC only buzzbox tombstone, and a Victor clone oxy/acetylene setup too.

Hey, good to see you here. I'll tell Sandy 'Hi' for you if you would like.

All you need to make a second arm is a length of 1 1/2" square cold rolled, a drill and a tap. After you've drilled and tapped to match the arm you already have, all you have to do is grind a radius on the end. That is it and you are good to go.

He was going to come to the hammer in but he had a martial arts tournament he had already signed up for. It was killing him.

We had a great time doing the demo. Marion and I and possibly Drogo and Oonagh are looking forward to seeing all of you again in November. We are trying to see if we can get a few more people from down here to make the trip.

-Eric

HEY!!! I know you! At least I know Drogo and Oonagh! My wife is Sandy, Drogo and Oonagh's friend from Markland!

I'll point her to this tonight!

Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure if I should go for iron or copper. At least I knew enough to not use PVC. I was planning on using the oil my compressor manufacturer recommends. It runs about $13/gal and my compressor takes 2 1/2 gallons.

I would assume that you would rather have us wait until it is assembled if all it is right now is a collection of parts?

Reil burner gas forge I built with some help from Ron Reil. 3 burners, but I normally only use one or two. Built in 98 or 99. Yeah, I need to replace several of the 'door' firebricks.

Wow ...nice compresor 20 HP i wish for one too How big is the tank ?

200 gallons. Got some more literature on it. If it has a 20 HP motor on it, it would put out 67 CFM at 175 psi.

I could almost run 3 kinyon hammers on that....

Speaking of Quincys, I just bought one myself. Found out that even though it has a 15 HP motor on it, it is a 20 HP model. Now I have to figure out some way to power it in a single phase shop. (VFD / replacing the motor are my top options at this point)

One Source Metal Products

Canadian store...don't know if they will ship to the US, and their products aren't broken down more than general categories. Too late to call today.

Discount Steel - The widest selection of steel, aluminum and other metals at discount prices.

List 1045 in their barstock section, but don't break it down. Too late to call today.

Impact Metal Products - Steel, high yield strength, low temp charpys & abrasion resistant flats
Has 1045 rounds, and says to call and ask about other shapes. Too late to call.

Tried a few other places on the phone, but none had 1045 flat bar.

I've got a 473# double horned anvil with the upsetting block. I bought it at the Abana2K conference from a Canadian supplier, but it is the Old World / Euro style. It bounces a 1 1/4" ball bearing almost as high as it was dropped from and shows no dents from it. I haven't really been able to use it though as it has been in storage most of the time since then. Now that I've got my shop just about set up, I can't wait to use it.

I'm planning on getting my 473# anvil blanchard ground this weekend. While it was in storage, the area got very wet and despite my covering it up and coating it in oil, it got rusty. After a touchup with a scotchbrite pat it was obvious it had gotten pitted. It isn't deep, but it is pervasive across the face.

The place I'm getting it done has appearently done it before. They told me they will skim the bottom first to make sure it is parallel to the face, then do the minimal grinding necessary to get below the pits.

I'm going to make @%#$ sure it won't get rusty again!

Already know about the message boards. There is so much garbage on them I figured the video would have a better chance of getting heard. Do a search on samurai sword to see all the people who insist that you can cut through a machine gun barrel with a katana.