ajclay

The bottom line is, I hope it works as well as a rusty-twisty-rough flamecut tacked together hammer... Thanks, Aj

I know I'm getting a little carried away on the project, but I like building things. I quit thinking of this as a junk yard hammer even though it may fall into that category. I've never been one to pick up parts and just weld things together, or at least not for a long time. I use to years ago, but it doesn't take that much longer to just build it from scratch. Make the parts, and go forward. My mentors beat that into my thick head.... Welding the side plates of the guide box was a big hurtle. I was scared I wasn't going to be able to keep the sides square with the bottom plate. It took me a day on and off to get it done. Making several tack welds first was the key. Tacked on both sides and it stayed square. I alternated tack welding one side then the other. Then when I started welding I only welded an inch or so and then checked it with the calipers to see which way it moved. Then I'd weld and inch or so on the side I wanted it to move to. I kept letting it cool off so I could get accurate measurements. In the end I was able to keep it within .005. It was a happy day. The other photos show the UHMW Polyethylene plastic and the steel plates. The allen head adjustment screws will push on the plates and hopefully I'll be able to adjust the slop out of the ram and keep it out without to much maintenance. The trick to keeping the bolts tight are a bunch of small things. But the main thing is they need to be drilled an taped straight. That will allow a good torque and give a sold clamp. And too, the parts have to be cut and finished straight and square. Good surface contact, no springyness... Is that a real word?? Anyway, the fancy JYH is a step closer... Thanks, Aj

I've made some progress on the guide box. Finished slotting the plates so the box sides would stay parallel to each other. It helps a lot to have them plug into each other. I made the slots .125 deep. The main rear plate was T.I.G. welded to the extensions. I kept the welds relatively small and neat to keep things from warping, but they still moved... That's the draw back to welding, it's hard to keep things from moving after they cool off. Weld shrinkage... Machined out the plastic bearing material and counter sunk 6 brass flat head screws to hold it in place. The other three sides are going to have 6 adjustment screws on each to push the plastic in to give a zero clearance on the ram. I deviated from the plans on this. The plans called for using shims to push / hold the plastic in next to the ram. The adjustment screws are a better way to go and will help make up for the guide box squareness too. I'm sure it's going to be out of square somewhat after the sides are welded to the rear plate. The front plate will bolt on to make it easier to install and service the ram. I'm going to use 8 - 1/4 x 28 button head bolts for that. I still have to drill and tap those holes in the side plates. Thanks for checking in. AJ

Bob, I like how you think. We're just about on the same track. I wanted to put some hardened washer's under the bolts, I've got some, but just couldn't put my hands on them. I always like to use them to help the fasteners torque correctly. (and they will get torqued) I'm going to have this thing "together and apart" several times before it's all said & done, so I'll be sure to use them. No go on the lock washers that's for sure... And the loctite, that's a good idea. I short cut the job and made the holes the same size as the bolts. Drilling and tapping in the mill makes it easy for a zero clearance fit, or close to it. It's not as good as your suggestion though. I might just have to do that anyway after a few weeks, but right now I'm happy that piece of dung is out of the mill. I really had to watch the weight on the table, so much hanging off of one end... I'll have to make another kind of support before it goes back in.. Something with balls suporting the weight so the tube can move in two directions. It's nothing like a good project to get me excited and put spring in my step. I'm in no hurry and hope to have a nice working hammer and a good looking one too. With the help of you guys, I'll get there! Thanks for the pointers.... Aj

Sure Bob, I'm always up for suggestions. As with all my projects, when finished, I'll know what not to do. Isn't that the way is usually goes when someone is building a tool they have never used...?? Thanks for taking time. Aj

Got a couple more pieces to bolt together today. They turned out better than I expected. It just takes a lot of time no matter how it's done. Thanks for the comments. AJ

Here's a drawing with one side removed showing the guide box spacer assembly.

My business has been real slow, so I've been trying to do something on the hammer project each day. It's slow going working on such heavy parts. Real easy to hurt yourself or damage equipment. As luck would have it, the main support tubing was about 5 inches short. I added on to the top of the tubing where the spring shackles mount. I put in a few cosmetic changes while I was making the parts so maybe the overall appearance of the hammer will improve. The "guide box" and spacers that hold the ram, I decided to make them bolt on to the main support. I cut .025 deep slots in the tubing to lineup and locate 1in square cold rolled bars. These bars are what the guide box spacers will bolt to. So maybe in the end, the ram will be closer to straight and parallel to the main support. The next day or so I'll have more photos showing the spaces, I'm just about finished with them. The 1.5in thick base plate is cut (24in x 36in) with four 1in diameter mounting holes drilled in the corners. I welded a temporary lifting ring in the center and used a forklift to put the plate in the mill. It's always fun to drill the big holes. Slow turning and big chips.... Thanks for checking in. AJ

You know what the say about assuming something. "It's the mother of all screw ups!!" I've made my share of emmmm... and I'm sure I'll make some more. Aj

The air cylinder pulling the hammer down will add to the force of impact I'm sure, but the main thing is to have enough weight in the hammer to do the work in the first place. There is always someone wanting to forge a bigger piece of steel, They may need a bigger hammer. It's in my opinion, we need to have the right size tool for the job at hand. We all have to be realistic on what we're going to use the hammer for. Bigger steel will work slower, or maybe not at all in this hammer. I'm no expert, just an opinionated SOB... Thanks for the comments. We are all thinking, and that's a good thing. Happy New Year!! Aj

I was cross threaded, I don't multi-task well.. I ment to say 30 times a minute... I forgot to carry my one... Aj

Someone mentioned that earlier that the spring will flex and give a little wipping action to the ram. I haven't gave it much thought, but it does make since that 75lbs going up and down about 1.5 times a second would surly flex the spring. I'm hoping it will move that fast. We're going to find out. I'm going to keep the thread goind during the assembly and first use for sure. I know I'm going to need a lot of pointers for you guys with the experiance on how to use it.. Thanks, Have a good new year! Aj

JE, I've found the tubing, it was a little easier to find than the 4 x 4 solid. I've read that the anvil to hammer ratio of weight has a lot to do with how effective the hammer will work. I'm no expert, so I'm trying to stay close to the original design that Ron Kinyon came up with. He's built a bunch of the hammers, I've never built one even used one.. So I'm going to follow his lead. One thing about the tubing I like... it has a 6 x 6 1.5 plate welded to the bottom to allow longer dies to be attached. That seems like a good thing to me.. Thanks for the comments! Aj

Thanks for the kind words. I've got the base plate cut and tomorrow I'm going to drill some 1 inch mounting holes through it.. I've got the "spine" or main support cut and chamfered ready to weld too. I'll have a few more photos in a day or so. Maybe soon it will start to look like something. Have a good New Year!!! Aj

That's a shame on the anvil. It was really looking up. It looks like you've got the hard work done with the ram finished, or at least fitting. I was just about to give up on finding material for mine and then I just got lucky. Drink a beer and relax till after the new year and I bet something will turn up. I found more shafting and round bar drops than you could count yesterday, but the guy wouldn't sell one piece. That stuff was so hard to find I was going to get an extra piece for someone, but I couldn't make it happen. You're hammer is looking good!!! Aj

Just for grins, thought I'd add a couple of photos of the anvil. That took a while to weld those pieces together. Glad it was cold yesterday afternoon. After 5 passes it was giving off some heat. It sure doesn't look like anything, but it took a lot of time to make it.. I figure the total weight of the anvil is about 690lbs. It gets welded to a 1.5in thick base plate later. ... Aj

One thing for sure, you guys are bringing up things I never noticed or thought of about the design. That's one reason I purchased the plans from Paul, because I didn't want to re invent the wheel as someone put it a while back. I want it to work when I'm finished... The location of the air cylinder shaft on the spring may have very little to do with the speed of operation in my opinion. It would seem the further away it's from the ram the faster it may operate, but there's only a few inches of adjustment in either directions so it may not make much difference. I don't see the spring "whipping" the ram down to the anvil either with respect to everyones opinion. The over all stroke of the hammer is about 10.5inches. The 24 inch piece of tubing is needed for that much movement and to keep the overall weight of the ram down. The tubing is 4in square 1/2in thick and that will make a nice place to attach the 6in square 1.5in thick plate to the bottom without a bunch of overhang. The stroke length can be adjusted by changing the location of an air switch not drawn, not by moving the air cylinder ram. I don't have that part of the CAD program figured out..... I don't know how to draw hoses... Thanks everyone. Aj

Yep, that is my take on the new design, it's not as hard on the cylinder. It doesn't have a direct connection to the ram. I didn't really pay a lot of attention to the cylinder angle in the drawing. I was doing good to get it in there and have it operate. I straightened it up a little and changed the mounting bracket on the bottom too. I attached an .avi movie file showing the operation of the hammer ( I had to "zip" it because the site wouldn't allow an .avi movie file to upload. ) I'm moving it manually in the movie so don't be to critical about the jerky movement. Also, the air cylinder has more power pushing than pulling because it doesn't have the shaft on the push side. That may let it operate a little faster. Thanks guys... Ajkinyon movie.zip

The oil without saying is a bad thing in any kind of welding. It's got to be clean. When a guy has most of his experience on steel/alum and he goes to stainless he will usually be to aggressive and weld with to much heat. The welds should have a golden color when finished. If it's a possibility of the weld going penetrating all the way through as in thin material, you'll have to rig up some kind of temporary system to get argon to hold on the back side of weld. Thin sheet metal, cardboard and duct tape, what ever works. With thicker material, like 3/16 or more, you don't have to back purge. I did a bunch of stainless the other day, 1/4 in thick material 312 alloy, I used a 3/32 316 rod and about 80 amps. Remember stainless doesn't transfer heat, so you don't have to use as much heat as in steel or aluminum.. And the welds will usually be smaller overall, because, bigger wider welds use more heat, not a good thing. A one pass weld is what you want to do. Once the metal is burnt, black and contaminated, you got problems.. Just my two cents.. AJ

Arftest, Yes this is the New Kinyon design. I drew it using the materials I've found over the last couple of weeks. The overall design is like Ron Kinyon drew up. Every one has to figure out how long the pieces should be before they're cut. Some do it in their head, on paper, on the steel table with chalk, I do it on computer. I's just easier for me that way.. The ram is made from 4in square tubing 1/2in thick with a piece of 1.5 in plate welded to the bottom where the dies bolt on. This seems to be a touchy topic about a ram being hollow. I'm by all means no expert, but it seems to me as long as the wieght is there, there shouldn't be a problem. Ron has it layed out using a 24in piece of the tubing. When the ram is complete it'll weigh about 75 lbs. So you think that will really matter?? Thanks for the in put!.. Aj

One thing I know, my hand anvil I'm using now is to low... It kills my back if I spend a day working, so that's why this is really important. I haven't seen a lot of power hammers in person, but a lot of the one's I've seen on the net, the anvil appears to be way low as you pointed out. The smith is hunched over.... The heaviest material I'll work with will be around 1in square bar so I'm making the power hammer anvil height about 40in like yours. I'll be able to put the steel in the hammer and it'll be about waist high. That will make it easy for me to hold and my back will be straight. That's the main thing in my book.... Then the other thing, it will keep the anvil weight heavier. The longer the heavier. A few inches makes a difference when we're talking about 8in solid bar. I'm going to cut that 8in round beast tomorrow. Thanks, Aj

Bob, Yep I know what you're talking about. And that's what I wanted, just went about it wrong. This site is so good... I've read just about anything and everything in here about power hammers and settled on the kinyon design because it's pruven and not to technical. Seems to be a good first hammer. Still have some questions though. What's the optimal height for the anvil?? I know it's a personal preference, but I would think a little high is better than low? What you think.... about "hip" level?? I don't want to cut that big hunk of steel off and wish it was a couple of inchs longer... Thanks for the comments!! Aj

Ok... you guys... it has to be within your ability and knowledge.. That's where I'm coming from. I know what my ability is. It's so much I don't know. We all have to use common since and know our limits. Some people just think they know and can do more than they really can. I've already built that hammer on the computer and I know what it takes. I'm going to need you to show me how to use it though.... Yawl are tough today... Aj

I couldn't stand it, I had to do something on the project. I used a Doall Silencer MPB 3-4 pitch blade with 10deg rake to cut the solid. It took about 25 minutes to saw though it without messing anything up. Blade speed was a little slower than recommended for the 4140 alloy. I welded a couple of lifting rings on the bar to help handle moving it around. AJ

I've gone as far as I can with the drawing at my skill level with Autodesk Inventor. The cylinder is on and it all functions. Ron Kinyon had a good idea when he designed this hammer. Take a quick look if you care. My belief, "if you can draw it, you can build it" It always nice to have a plan.... Merry Christmas!! AJ Kinyon 3.pdf Kinyon 4.pdf Kinyon 5.pdf