SGropp

Andres, If you mean by ''links '' in your back as broken vertebrae, take heart. I did something similar almost 40 years ago, crushing 3 vertebrae in my back falling off a cliff. After several months in a brace I did recover, although an inch shorter. It never slowed me down with a full long career as a logger, fisherman, rock climber, long distance rower, carpenter, blacksmith and parent. Take care of your back! Nice looking hammer, raise it up so the bottom die is about waist height. Good luck and speedy recovery.

128# Peter Wright ,no chips ,cuts or bad dings although well used. Bought in 1991 for $150 160# Soderfers with several torch cuts but otherwise in great shape. Bought in 1994 for $130 plus $35 to have the torch cuts welded up by a certified welder who knew what he was doing. 40# Trenton in great shape. Bought in 2000 for $120 shipped 260# Czech Double Horn , bought new from Old World Anvils in 2001 for $675 plus $125 for shipping. This is my main shop anvil and I really like it. Size, weight and the double horn configuration are just right. 55# double horn stake anvil also bought new from Old World for about $150 about 7-8 years ago . This is a very good anvil for its size, the long horns are useful for fine work and the heavy stake below the body of the anvil gives it a surprisingly solid blow for such a light anvil. 4120

Beaudry or Bradley ? Motor driven [with clutch ]or belt drive [ Flat belt and idler driven from motor or lineshaft mounted above ?] I have copies of the factory literature for both styles of Beaudrys if that is what you have.

I use way oil on my mechanical hammers, not so sticky as bar oil but doesn't run out as quickly as motor oil. It's made to lubricate the heavily loaded /slow speed moving parts on lathes, mill and other machine tools. I think the brand I use is Vectra 2. I get it from Enco in 5 gallon buckets. It's often on sale for about $45. Lasts me about a year and a half with 3 hammers in a full time shop. This is the best stuff I've found for the purpose. I oil my hammers every 4 hours of use. Any oil is cheaper than new parts or downtime.

I just bought 3 tons of what was called "smithing coke" from Utah. I bought it with a group of smiths here in the PNW to get the price down to a reasonable point. I am not sure of the exact origin as I was not part of setting up the deal. Good quality coal seems to be no longer available in our region, since Harry's Leather stopped carrying Cumberland Elkorn a few years ago. The coke is very clean, all about the size of a walnut , with virtually no fines. The clinker is harder and glassier than from coal. I am having a hard time getting it to burn as really as hot as I was hoping for. I am using a standard rectangular Centaur/Buffalo firepot with a Dayton electric blower [not sure of the CFM] which has worked fine with all the tons of coal I've put through it. My question is ; do I need a bigger blower? deeper firepot ? deeper fire? modified technique ? I've been experimenting with different methods of burning this coke but so far my success or not has been sporadic. I only use the coal/coke forge for small work,welding,short heats or pieces that will not fit in the gasser. The gas forge is so much more efficient for longer heats and multiple pieces, but the coal/coke forge is an an essential tool in the arsenal. Anybody here have any advise based on real experience with using this type of fuel? :confused:

Buy it.Buy it now.

I have 3 oxy/fuel torch setups all with Smith gas savers. Well worth the money if not for the gas saved but for the time [=$] saved and efficiency. I use them a lot with big cutting tips for spot heating while heading tenons or making precise bends. They won't handle the high pressure oxygen needed for big propane rosebuds but the rosebuds seem to work fine at less than the recommended O2 pressure [40 psi, I think ]

I find that Vactra 2 [ or equivalent ] way oil is the best all around lubricating oil for the bearings, linkages and guides on my various mechanical power hammers. A five gallon pail lasts me about a year and a half, maybe a bit longer.I get it from Enco. Oil is much cheaper than new parts or downtime.

I finally got tired of the poor performance of the standard propane regulators and just switched both my NC 4 burner and Chile 2 burner over to using ''Smith'' brand high output fuel gas regulators. The difference is literally like night and day, those forges really roar and put out the heat. I was advised that a standard acetylene regulator cannot safely put out the volume and pressure to run a larger size propane forge or oxy/propane rosebud. The Smith regulators ran about $75 each at my welding supplier, but have paid it back in short order due to higher heat output and faster forging cycle time. The forges and torch are plumbed into a line system of 3/4'' iron pipe with a shut off valve and a dirt leg just before the regulator. The line is fed by a 500 gallon tank at an output pressure of 35 psi

The die height on my 100# and 200# hammers is 36''. This feels right for both free forging of heavy stock or top tool work. The bottom die on my 25# is at 38'' which feels right for lighter work and occasional set tool use. The anvil of my 90# treadle hammer is at 38'' to allow a full throw of my leg without hitting my knee on the work. The power hammers are on heavy timber riser blocks which provide a cushion and bring them up to the right level. Having the die height too low is a killer on the back , too high puts a lot of strain on the elbows. My large anvil is at 34'' which is at the wrist bone with my arm hanging loose. I also have a heavy stake anvil at 38'' which is just right for fine work. On a good day I'm 5' 11'' tall.

I'd go with an inverter welder, they have the highest ratio of input power to welding current output. Some of them ,like the Miller XMT 304 CC have an auto link and can run single or 3 phase. Also they are multiprocess machines and can mig, tig, stick and gouge with the right accessories. They are only DC output and run a very smooth arc. Not cheap,[ US$3000 and up ] but worth it IMHO These are rugged industrial machines but do not like wild fluctuations or spikes in the line power supply!

Why aren't his clothes on fire ?

Check out this site: Industriefotografie, Industrial Photography This is an amazing collection of photos of steel mills, and BIG forge shops at work. My favorite photo shows a huge 10,000 ton press swaging a chunk of hot steel about 3' in diameter. Notice the large cracks in both the top and bottom tools .

I appreciate the input on the subject. I too was trained in the tradition that the most cost effective [ time or money ] way to do a job was properly the first time around. However, not knowing any better, I plumbed the compressed air in my shop with hoses, which has worked fine for years. I got to thinking about how to do the job properly recently as we've had a long spell of below freezing weather and I've been having a lot of problems with ice blocking the lines. This means a lot of time spent clearing them or not being able to use air tools which has cut my productivity [$] for certain jobs. On overbuilding, yes it is quite possible to go to far, but we are craftsmen first and foremost and everything we do, artistic or utilitarian should reflect that skill and care and thought. If you are a professional and you have clients visit your work space , the whole set up; tools ,equipment and building should reflect that professional competence. It pays off in giving the client confidence that you can do the job you promised. And ultimately it is safer and more efficient . IMHO. I hate seeing beautiful old power hammers and industrial equipment cobbled together with whatever was laying at hand simply to'' get her done ''.

I was advised that an acetylene regulator will not safely handle the higher pressures and flow needed for an oxy/propane torch of any size. Using a oxy / propane rosebud uses dramatically more oxygen than a similarly sized oxy / acetylene tip, somewhat offsetting the savings in fuel. The advantage is that you do not have the high tank withdrawal problems using oxy/ propane that you have from pulling a lot of acetylene out of a tank [ you should not withdraw more than 1/7 of the actual content of an acetylene tank per hour or you risk withdrawing the acetone base and risking a dangerous flaskback ] For big heating tips I use a propane line supply with a propane regulator and 2- 250 cu ft O2 tanks manifolded together . The hose and tip is designed to be used with propane fuel gas . The gas saver is very handy and will pay for itself in short order. Get them from a welding supply house. Victor and Smith are both reputable brands. My advice on any kind of high pressure fuel gas equipment is to buy professional grade ,name brand gear from a reputable dealer. It will give years of safe and reliable service if taken care of and parts will be continue to be available and it will retain it's value if push comes to shove and you have to flog it. If you can find it, Chemtane 2 [ propane with some kind of additive ] give a hotter flame temp and less oxygen consumption than regular propane. Use equipment rated for propane.

The rule of thumb with punching is that you should not punch a hole smaller than the plate is thick. In other words you can punch a 3/4'' hole through 3/4'' plate if the machine has the tonnage but it puts a lot of stress on the punch to do it.Better to go 13/16'' with a sharp bottom die with extra clearance. Cleveland Steel Tool is the place to buy tooling and they can give excellent advice for any kind of application. I do not know if you can limit the stroke on a mechanical ironworker. Usually with a flywheel driven machine it must complete its stroke or you risk serious major damage. I have a 50 ton Cleveland/Edwards hydraulic ironworker which does have an optional stroke limiter. The depth of stroke can also be controlled with the foot operated valve. I think you are better off getting a fly press to do hot stamping operations.

Since the hammer is swinging in an arc , there is only one point where the face of the hammer and the anvil are parallel. This could be a problem if a lot of different thicknesses of stock or heights of tooling is used. This could be compensated for by having the hammer pivot point be adjustable vertically up and down. This could be done as simply as having a series of holes in the vertical post with an easily removable pin or something more sophisticated such as an acme thread or ratchet. The rack and pinion crank mechanism used on the original ABANA treadle hammer design would also work very well and allow quick height adjustment. What seems like a limitation in the action of this style of hammer could actually be an advantage : the ability to strike a powerful and controlled angled blow, something no power or treadle hammer or press can do. This would make it more akin to having a human striker without the wages or back talk. By making the pivot axis adjustable vertically would allow one to adjust for either a parallel or an angled blow.

There's a lot of discussion on this forum about linseed oil finishes. If you take the time to read the instructions on the can , there is a clear warning about the proper disposal of the oily rags in respect to fire danger. This warning is there for a reason. A few years ago I was working as a subcontractor on a large estate project. After the tile contractor finished a large slate floor, it was decided to use a ''traditional'' linseed oil and turpentine finish to seal it. After the finish was applied, the rags were carefully laid out to dry in the sun. At the end of the week , someone spread them out loosely on top of a fully loaded construction dumpster. Monday morning, we all came back to work to find that the rags had caught fire by spontaneous combustion. The steel dumpster was a completely burned and twisted wreck, even the wheels were melted. Two plastic garbage cans that had been next to it were puddles on the driveway. There was a full 500 gallon propane tank about 30' away which was unharmed as well as the clients brand new home about 50' beyond that, also unscathed. To top it off the linseed oil ''sealer'' was a complete failure, and the whole sticky mess had to be stripped off at great expense. Whoever did the stripping job did not grasp the lesson of the dumpster fire and piled the rags up in a corner inside the building. As I was leaving that night, I smelled smoke and traced it to the pile of oily rags which were turning brown and starting to smolder . I picked the pile up with a shovel and flung it out the door where it burst into flame. Two close escapes from disaster is too much for one job. If you use any kind of oil finish, burn the rags immediately or submerge them in a bucket of water and dispose of them in an airtight plastic bag. Other rags with paint or solvent residues or lube oils should stored in an approved airtight safety can or burned.

This morning I was cutting out some plywood templates for the glass for a set of fireplace doors. The magnetic switch on the bandsaw in my woodshop was acting funny, so when I was done,I disconnected the power, pulled the cover to clean out the sawdust that manages to get in and sometimes causes problems. I blew out the dust and for good measure sprayed the guts of the switch with electrical contact cleaner. I blew it out again , wiped things dry and waited a couple of minutes before putting the cover back on. I plugged the saw back in, pushed the on button and the whole switch box burst into flame ! I tried to smoother the fire with a rag ,but this did not work at all. I could see that things were getting much worse very fast. The bandsaw is against the wood framed wall of the shop with wood stacked around it and sawdust all around, even though I try to maintain a clean shop. The situation wasn't helped by the fact that all the rain barrels, slack tub and buckets of water that I keep full for just such an emergency were frozen solid ,The frost free hydrant had a frozen hose still attached, that I had forgotten to drain. The local fire department would have no chance at all of getting up my road in the snow. Luckily I did have a proper fire extinguisher and even though it was at least 10 years old,it did work and put the fire right out, although I had to pull the hot metal cover off the electrical box to get at the fire inside. The dry chemical in the ABC rated extinguisher almost gave me an immediate respiratory seizure which would not helped the situation much. The lesson: I got off cheap, the actual cost; a few hundred bucks for a new magnetic switch and fire extinguisher and some lost time. The potential loss: The whole building ,$100,000 worth of tools and the entire livelihood for me and my family. It's easy to think about fire when working with torches, welders, forges and hot metal, but there are are plenty of other ways for a fire to start in a shop environment and when it does, things start getting out of control rapidly. Look around every day and think about what could start a fire and how you would deal with it. Happy Holidays !! Mod note: Water is not to be used for electrical fires, this man is lucky it was frozen, that may have saved his life.

Ptree, Are you suggesting I put the secondary receiver tank right after the compressor tank ? or further down the line? I have heard both success and horror stories about using PVC in compressed air systems. Is it better to use galvanized steel pipe with galvanized fittings to minimize rusting problems or is it not worth it ? Thanks for all your help, this is the kind of information I was looking for.

Anybody out there have some real life experience / advice on how to properly plumb a compressed air piping system for a shop? I have a bunch of 1'' shed. 80 gray PVC water pipe. Is this okay to use in a compressed air system ? I thought the larger size pipe would give less restriction to airflow and some increased storage volume. The maximum line pressure would be 125 psi or less. I was going to use glued fittings for joints and elbows with IPT bushings for the outlets. Which way should the line drain ? Back to the compressor tank or towards the filter /regulator end ? How should the drain points be constructed and where located ? I have a secondary 80 gallon receiver that I want to incorporate into the system ,where in the run should this go ? The compressor is installed out back of the shop with a run of about 30' to the forge / fabricating area. I am not using the air to run a hammer, just small air tools , plasma cutter and paint sprayer. I am looking for help on doing this right, maximizing air flow and pressure at the work end and minimizing moisture and and condensation / icing problems in the line.

Scale removal: I have a short piece of 4x4 angle mounted right by the forges and each hammer. There is a pair of butcher block wire brushes screwed into the inside of the angle iron making a trough of wire bristles. Drag the hot iron piece through the trough as you pull it out of the fire and before you put it back in. The brush mounted by the hammer allows you to take a quick swipe as the stock is worked. A quick scrape with an old coarse file works well at red to clean up on the finishing heats. Hitting the bar hard on the edge instead of the face works best to get rid of the mill scale on the first heat, then you aren't having to fight the heavy mill scale through subsequent operations. Keep a horse hair brush handy to keep the dies and anvil clean. An air hose with a long nozzle is handy to keep fixed clapper dies clean, but watch out for hot drops and high pressure air hoses. Any scale left on the finished work can be blown off with an OA torch. Use a big [#2] cutting tip with a neutral or slightly oxidizing flame with plenty of pressure . A quick pass over the cold surface will pop the tight scale right off. If a second pass is needed allow the steel to cool completely before hitting it again with the torch. Pickling with an acid can lead to rusting problems down the line if the acid is not completely neutralized, rinsed and dried and is limited to the size of the pickling bath. I personally don't like the surface quality of work that is heavily wire brushed with hand or stationary power tools.

Another note on concrete versus dirt floors: It's been in the low teens here all week and the dirt floor is noticeably warmer to stand on . The only disadvantage is that it is harder to roll things around on dirt, but since I built my jib crane that is pretty much a non issue.

Pottery supply houses usually have all kinds of refractories ,kaowool ,ITC coatings ,firebrick, kiln shelves etc. They often will sell in small quantities. They usually rate material on the ''cone'' scale . I think 2350 F [welding temp.] is cone 10.

I've found that for a small hammer, the most useful dies are combos with aggressive fullers on the left side and flats with rounded edges on the right side. Also crown dies [ double fullering dies, radiused both directions ] work well in a hammer with some speed and snap. On a big hammer , I like long and wide flat dies with eased edges and corners. These are good for driving tools and swaging operations and can draw and smooth with a lot of control.