KNeilson

Very interesting, I too saw the demo in Seattle......... It was EA Chase

A lot of these cheap, transformer type machines have a thermal overload switch also. Your duty cycle is probably about 10-20% at the settings your using. It may have gone off. Also an electrode with an ionized salt in the coating (6011,6013,7024,7018 AC) is needed to stabilize the arc.. just my .02.......Kerry

Nice job. Thx for posting.Kerry

I think he took a torch and quickly warmed the kaowool and crucible Then put it in the nuke.........Woulndt the plastic sides melt after 30 min of red hot wool and metal being in there...K

Grant, I have done lots of this. One of my biggest improvements came with using a Loupe (10x) to check the shape of my tools before the final polish. Depending on how big of a radius your wanting, try drilling a accurate row of holes increasing in size along a scribed line in 16 ga alum. Then saw almost in half (along the line) and file to finish. This should make you an accurate radius tool. If you can find a cheap drill guage this same idea will work also. Shape should come first, then finish (polish). Check between grits with the loupe to ensure quality. Final finish with a cloth and metal polish. If you cant see flaws with a loupe, I can guarantee you wont notice with a naked eye.Frosty wrote this is good advice, if your doing it by hand, hold the tool vertical, the file or emery paralell to it, and file in a downwards motion rocking the heel of your hand to level ( or more) as you work. This will give you a better radius than holding the tool horiz. and filing towards the tip. Hope this helps...... Kerry

Hi Frosty, just saw this thread...........Sorry for your loss man, not too many words can convey the deepness of emotions at these times......Kerry

Fairly recent is a relative term, man has only been on the planet since fairly recently if you look at the big picture. I ran across this site the other day, and it will show pattern welding as it happened in the 18-19 century. Lots of neat information as well as pictures. Also a good look at the industry of making gun barrels back in the day........ Kerry Damascus-Barrels Forge Welded Barrels Research & Information

Dead horses remain dead even when kicked.........K ROTFLMAO........K

I could say theres a few around surrey BC....Kerry

Hi Frosty, heres are a couple pics of the guard I built based on the previous discussions. If you look at the crosshead pins (new ones I made), you can see where I drilled and tapped holes (1/4 x20)to mount the guard. Also the custom knuckles and T-rods to adjust tension from both sides. This was the biggest improvement other than the brake on my machine. The arms are not guarded tho, so no-one (myself too)is allowed to stand in line with them as the machine is operating. No ones mentioned an arm or pin breaking yet, this causes the arms to flail. I forgot to say nice job on the wood base before, mine just sits on a rubber pad (belting). Ive always wondered how much more efficient the mass of the suggested foundation would add to the hammer if any at all. Most Ive tried (and thats not very many) were just sitting on the floor......Kerry

Hi Frosty,I agree with this statement. The spring flying out or breaking is the first concern it seems from newer LG owners. I know a man that has over 20 PH`s in his shop, majority are mechanical, most being LG`s. I asked him this question and his reply....In the factorys and shops in the past, these hammers were used at relatively rapid BPM`s as opposed to artistic work (usually in the 200 bpm or so). They also ran them 24-7 as one man would step away and another took his place. This type of use would overheat the spring from plain use and they did break on occasion. quite often flying out and hitting the top of the operators head. A spring rarely breaks with a nice flush/square fracture, so besides getting walloped with a big chunk of metal a good cut or more was usually the case. He had guards as described in place on ALL the mechanicals with the exception of a Bradley (rubber springs) . The idea is to deflect the potential breaking spring sideways or out the rear rather that have them come straight out and bean the operator. I have also seen a light cable looped thru the spring to hold on to the bits should the same happen. A small hammers spring may hurt you, but a bigger one may kill.....I will post a pic of my guard for you.....Kerry

Hi Frosty, it is an "Iron Store Giant" with early 50# LG ram and bow/strap. Seen on LG website as "early 50#". Basically a mix of old parts that still works OK. No spring makes for a "slappier" blow and not quite as versatile. But it does the job..........Kerry Your right Judson,Mine has a screw grease cup to lubricate the clutch brng....K

Hi Frosty, heres a couple pics of brakes on my powerhammers. They work excellent, and almost a bit too good as they like to be oiled along with everything else. If you go to a full circular band, Id just make sure the band is trailing as opposed to leading when you make it. On the Little Giant I made it leading at first and it would stop solid (self tighten)at the least bit of use. Learned my lesson there......hope this helps.......:)Kerry

Made up some firesteel, found some flint at the local gemshop, got the charcloth made in a shoepolish tin and got success on the first try. Thanks to the contributors to this thread, Ive really enjoyed this experience.....Kerry

Mike, thanks for the info and insight into the past. Ive really enjoyed this thread as this is something Ive wanted to try for a while now......Kerry

I agree, this thread is great...Msr`s.. Hofi, B Brazeal, Gerald and others .......thx a lot, great explanation and awesome pics..................Kerry

I have a similar story, about 5 yrs ago when I started my forging addiction I would scrounge in a similar manner. One day while getting my propane filled (in a station in the "scrapyard" area of town) I noticed a junk man unloading a 100# Fairbanks of a scrap truck. By the time I get turned around and come back hes got it behind the plywood and propane bottle wall that surrounds his pile. I work my way past a snarling dog and get his attention, and holy cow, I see his "collection". The Fairbanks, a steam hammer about 10ft tall, 3 25# Jardines laying on there sides and countless other forging and machine goodies laying around. This is a collectors yard now, not a working shop or area. I ask him if hes interested in parting with anything and the answer is a flat NO!! But.....xxxx sell me a business and equipment. No thanks I say, got a business, just looking out for a PH. Ive been watching the yard since then and recently noticed the city is forcing him out. Still not interested in parting with anything(these can do a lot of work is his reasoning). So now the machines are deteriorating, and will continue to do so, and more than likely will go to scrap along with the rest of the stuff. It frustrates me, but more cause I think there being wasted than anything else. I just keep reminding myself that one mans junk is anothers treasure and just leave it at that. If your that hard up enuf just make one(as I did at first), keep looking (how I found my 25 and 50#) and when you can afford it by a new one..(starting to consider a 165# Anyang).............:)Kerry

Check this video out, as much for the clock as the "Grasshopper Escapement" that it illustrates. This wall clock is pretty cool .......................:)Kerry

Hi blksmth, thx for your comment. As far as the temper, the pic does make it look bronze, I hardened and tempered only on the bottom 1.5 in or so after it was forged and annealed tho. I am planning on hardeneing the striking end as they are dead soft now, they`ve only been used once and you can see the upset starting to form. I am excited with the hole they produce, as ive tried just slitting and always got a rag in the hole. Ive tried a slot punch, but not with a striker and usually got it stuck or miss-aligned, just never used the two in combination before.....:)Kerry

Thanks to the more experienced smiths that contributed to this thread, All arguments aside I made these over the weekend......beautiful clean hole on the first try, no rag or burr like the previous attempts....Not really sure what type of material they are but there is enough carbon to harden so a good file wont touch them, I`m quite happy...........:)Kerry

Does anybody know if springs are available anywhere for Beaudry hammers? Or is this something I`ll have to make or have built?........Thx......Kerry

Little Uglies is the title of one of Gene Chapmans books......http://www.oakandiron.com/......Kerry

Sundials are a really cool item, I found lots of info here.......Sundials on the Internet hope this helps.......Kerry

If this is the picture... it is for cutting files.....Kerry

I found this subject quite interesting, been playing at it for a month or two now. I made a short video, more to play with my new camera than explain the whole process but here is the result........YouTube - Filecutting :)Kerry