knots

JHCC thanks for the reply. Well, yes I did do a file test, and the cuts are clean with no slag. Basically, at least from this source I will need to assume increased hardness from this supplier and start and finish the cuts with abrasives. I tried to anneal the metal in my oven without success so it could be an alloy . I called the supplier - they were clueless. Thanks Kozzy. Yeah I guess I just need to accept the hardness and grind finish and start to accomoate a good source of materials.

Every now and then I will purchase plate drops from my local metal supplier. On acouple of occasions I have encountered hardened edges. In a couple of cases the edges were hard enough to destroy the usefulness of a band saw blade. Is this a comon problem ? Just wondering how the best way to test for hardness before starting to cut and how deep to expect the hardening to extend away from the edge.

Thanks for the tutorial. This is for a home shop with, occasional use, so the refrigerated system is not practical. The question is then: It seems unlikely that all desiccant type systems are created equal - so how should I evaluate the functional quality of the available systems being considered ?

Take me to school on the subject of moisture removal from compressed air.

The Kuhn KO has a 26 Kg Tup weight, purchased new in 1992. The oiler is OME "Celer" brand. Ill give the cotton wool a try. It has always been a problem to keep adjusted so just thought that I would give another brand a try, but it seems from the comments that my experience is more the standard than the exception Thanks Ian.

It is either on and flows or is off . Will not drip.

KUHN KO

The drip oiler on my power hammer no longer provides a reliable flow of oil . Any one have a suggestion for a specific replacement selection ?

I have a hitch ball installed in my loader bucket. When I unload heavy machinery I just use the loader to move my loaded trailer into place and then raise the bucket to make a ramp out of the trailer bed . The last little bit of distance to the end of the ground can be ramped with blocking into the shop or ground. And yes I have used two anchor bolts to anchor a chain into my shop floor. Worked for my come along just fine. When I moved my Gorton mill into the shop I had the same problem with the door clearance so I removed the motor assembly . I doubt you will have the option to make your hammer shorter. Let us know what your final solution is. Opps Just now saw the whole post. Looking good.

Thank you all for your comments. I failed to explain that the Kuhn Hammers of this vintage are constructed in two parts. The hammer machine body is basically a hollow steel shell with an open botton. The oil that it consumes is principally discharged from the machine drive piston into the interior of this shell. This, of course, means that the mat will be continuously exposed to lubricating oil when used. The pad provided with the machine is, I believe, neoprene which is oil resistant. The mat needs to be oil resistant which I doubt that floor mats or conveyor belts are. As stated above the hammer is constructed in two parts. The machine body and the anvil. The connection is designed to keep the two parts connected but allows a small amount of movement between the two parts. They however were designed to sit on the at the same level so the pad extends under both, otherwise I would bolt the bottom directly to the concrete base and place a pad under only the anvil. As I recall the pad which is only about 1/4" thick and 13" x 44 " cost close to $200 . Fabricca Products seems to be a good lead. However if anyone knows another source, or alternate product it would be nice to be able to shop $.

Yep - can't complain - But it does need to be fixed

When I bought my Kuhn KO back around 1992 I installed it on a hard rubber base pad recommended by the MFG. This pad has now aged out and is crumbling and needs to be replaced. What is currently considered to be the best material and source of this pad replacement ?

Is it possible to convert my Oxygen/Acetylene "Gassaver" to Oxygen/Propane ?

Thank you for your response.

Does any one know what the plating metal for generic locking pliers is . I am preparing to modify a set to use as an anvil hold down jig. I suspect that the plating is nickel but have heard opinions that chrome may be what is used. Since I plan to do a bit of welding to complete this chore I would like to have a definitive answer before starting.

M Cocrhan and Hillbilly thank you for your inquiry about progress of my project. I have not made those cuts yet. For now I have postponed this and other projects because of the passing of my wife. I plan to be back in my shop for some quality time beginning in May. I have settled on testing an alternate approach not yet discussed and will report the outcome of this trial when tried.

If you are lucky enough to find a machine with a 3phase motor and need to convert to single phase, my preference would be to use a VFD instead of a static phase converter. The VFD will provide speed control which is a big benefit. One of my DP's is fitted out this way which is especially beneficial when drilling larger diameter holes. You can even use hole saws without a lot of drama.

Corten weathering steel ???

I bought a Brooks new like that one back in the early eighties. Mine was just short of 80 pounds. Used it for demonstrations for years. It was great little anvil. I would advise keeping the Brooks because that one is an especially good anvil, and having a smallish anvil around is always a good idea. Having that Brooks will allow you to take your time to discover what size and pattern you really need and then to find one. The Brooks is a keeper.

All of the above is good advice. There is another thing to consider that can cause rapid cooling of small forgings when forging in a cold environment . If your anvil is cold the small forging will cool to below forging temperature very quickly The anvil will suck the heat out on contact. When forging during cold spells pre-heat your anvil . There are a lot of posts discussing pre-heating your anvil . If forging only small pieces in a cold environment , like leaves, it could take hours before your anvil warms to a decent working temperature without pre-heat.

My favorite place to find electric motors is at motor rebuild/repair shops. If you live in or near an industrial area of city there are usually motor repair shops with a variety of used motors for sale.

I wonder if Polarized hood inserts are available. Prescription eyewear can be a nuisance when welding.

Have you tried cutting thicker material with multiple passes. My thought is that a properly jigged cut guide to keep the cuts in line, and using multple light cuts could produce accurate cuts if applied with care.

Thanks guys

The Bosch blade is rated for 5800RPM. My saws rated speed is rated at 4900RPM. I think you are correct that the larger blades are rated for a lower RPM to hold cut rates, that is surface feet/minute, within an acceptable range for the cutting surfaces . However my blade and saw are a much smaller diameter than most of the cold cut metal saws, so the RPM can be increased to compensate for the smaller diameter blade to maximize the radial speed.