Jim Kehler

I like all kinds but my favourite Blacksmithing song is "Hard Working Man" by Captain Beefheart http://youtu.be/FMNSXq1VG8I

I would think they might be for cutting keyways and oil grooves and suchlike.

The guys on the right side of the pic are working on railcar couplers.

An old boilermaker once told me to use "Vicks Vaporub" said it keeps your sinuses clear at the same time. :D

Michael you beat me to it!

I agree a simple vertical monotube boiler would work the best for a hammer. As far as linking both valves I don't think it should be too complicated as long as your throttle valve is rotary, I'll try to sketch something up and scan it.

I think it was an old "Anvil's Ring" magazine in an article by Don Hawley. Not sure if I could find it but maybe someone on the ABANA website could help.

I have never run a hammer on steam but would love to. The hammer was converted to steam long before I got it, I think it's mostly different packing around the rod where it exits the cylinder. I don't think they changed the rings, which might help explain its air consumption. The compressor is rated at 175 cfm. probably overkill but I don't have 3phase electric. This compressor is similar to ones used to power pavement breakers or sandblasting units. The treadle is connected to the throttle, the motion lever is set on the notched bar and there is a "monkey tail" connected to the motion lever that is acted on by the ram moving up and down which gives it multiple blow operation. Your hammer might have a similar tail hidden inbetween the frame. I have seen a diagram that shows hooking both valves to the treadle but I haven't done it.

As requested, 250 lb. Bement Miles and 1600 lb. John Bertram & Sons in the railroad shop I use to work in.

Mine is a 250 lb. steam hammer converted to air with a GrimmerSchmidt 175 compressor. Rule of thumb is 20 cfm per 100 lbs. of ram weight, less if rings and seals are good more if things are loose like mine.

I agree a good deal. Different kind of set up on the throttle valve, might be only open or closed. The 1600 lb. hammer in the shop I worked in was similar, it didn't cycle, every movement of the motion lever was a corresponding movement of the ram. This means you have to have a hammer driver. As far as storage goes I had a 400 gal. tank hooked up to my 250 and talked to Grant Sarver (RIP) he said hook the compressor straight to the hammer, the hotter and wetter the air the better and it did run better.

Should've added that I love your work Danger, would like to do stuff at that scale.

Hi Danger, it's a 250 lb Bement Miles that came out of the railroad shop I worked at. I've got some photos on my facebook page if you do that sort of thing.

Hi Scottiblasto, If you're ever close by drop in, I'm in the Steinbach phone directory

Yes, that would be the place.

I've been lurking here for a while and thought If I start posting should probably let people know who I am. I've been at this for thirty years now, ( I'm 49), first as a hobby then in a "historical village", ten years in a railroad blacksmith shop and self-employed since 1999. Grant's passing really hit me,( I met him once in '90 and he helped me with my hammer back in the days of the "junkyard"), and I thought it will take a LOT of us to fill his shoes and I will try to do my part.

Look up Wayne Coe

My guess would also be for plow shares, I think to reset the geometry of the point and landside after reworking the share.

When I was at the railway we had the millwrights build us a table about 30" sq. with a hole in the middle, underneath the table was a 5 HP motor with a severe gear reduction giving us about 60 RPM this ended in a square socket that went through the hole flush with the table top. We put various dia. jigs into the socket and had some threaded holes in the table to hold rollers. Bent a lot of 1" round with this set-up(hot). 1/2" wouldn't take nearly as much power.