arftist

Here is my experience for what it is worth. Used a 75# Dupont. Hits hard, not very good controll(for me). Owner could make a 3" ball in one heat. Use a 75# spring helve which I built. Hits almost as hard as Dupont. Very good controll (for me). Requires only 2hp. Use a 100(?)# Salinger(sp?) at work (yes I have a job, unbeleivable huh?) hits hard, great controll, makes funny chugging noise, must have cost a fortune, probably performs similar to an AnYang. In my opinion, mechanical hammers are the best buy in the long run. They use way less electricity than air hammers for the same work, and they have less moving parts than self-contained hammers (at least as far as spring helves go).

Sometimes it is good to have another anvil mounted, even if it's not perfect. For example, you may want to do an operation to a part, and then use a hardy cut off tool in the same heat. And since a hardy cutting tool should never be in an anvil when working on the face, by the time you put the hardy back into your one anvil, you may have lost the heat. Another Good use of a not perfect anvil is that straightening iron is easier on a swayed anvil than on a perfectly flat one. Try to resist the urge to "fix" it until you have done a lot of research. You hardly spent too much money.

Arr, the frustration. Does anyone remember the makers name of this hammer? It has the solution to the only design problem of the apalacian series(IMO) that I hadn't worked out yet. Thanks I tried calling the owners numbers, but maybe didn't have the right country code.

I tried to look at this picture again and I just keep getting blank pages. Does it work for anyone else?

Yes, you have posted much valuable and acurate information here. Thankyou. Whether a comment is derogatory or not is likely a matter of opinion. Your's and mine certainly differ. As to the power hammer tests, aside from all the variables mentioned by other posters, of which there were many, I would add that the greatest variable is one not mentioned at all yet likely most profound; that the temperature of all specimens would have to be identical for such test to have any validity at all. One's observation of "near welding heat" leaves a lattitude of perhaps several hundred degrees farenheight. As far as pressures go, 140p.s.i. is hardly a lot of pressure. The local discount store sells devices which produce 4500p.s.i. I design and install hydraulic systems up to 3000p.s.i. I have worked with waterjets at over 40,000 p.s.i.

The above quote cannot be construed as anything but derogatory. I know you are a chinese hammer dealer as I have been reading your posts for over a year. The original poster would be hard pressed to know your history however.

Out of interest John, are you afiliated with any hammer manufacturers? Would it matter? Bottom line is this; Try to contact Anyang, see how long before you get any response. Try to contact BigBlu. Compare the two times. Now think about needing an o-ring for a hammer. Big Blu, Iron Kiss, etc.,go to your nearest auto parts store, buy the one you need. An-Yang, sorry, we don't have that size. No, it is not metric either. You will have to contact the manufacturer. Good luck. Before the hits the fan, it may be different now, but when I called around, Big Blu answers the phone. Still waiting to hear from An-yang, and it has been years.

My father use to repair wood blocks when I was a child. If I remember correctly, they had wood bodys but metal shieves or pulleys. I remember him taking them apart and putting them back together, but not the actual repair. He probably just replaced the bearings and shafts. If you can wait a few days, I may be able to find one and take it apart and post some pictures.

Regular platten tables (acorn) are the industry standard, and are available used, however, they are very heavy and awkward to move. Probably the vast majority of small shops have neither and use a table made of heavy plate. I personaly use 1" plate, but as thin as 1/4" will work, though heavier is better. As far as jigging goes, clamp a section of angle to one edge of the table. This is where the cap rail will go. Lay out the rail on the table, then tack weld small short pieces of angle to the table to clamp the bottom of each post to. As you asemble the rail, clamp each post one at a time, and tack weld the top of the post to the cap or subrail. If there is a lower or bottom rail, tack another piece of angle to hold this. Use spacers or shims to elevate components properly. Pickets do not need to be fixtured, hold in place and tack each end. Use plenty of clamps from the cap-rail to the angle at the edge of the table, and when all is tacked, weld. Alternate the direction of each picket weld(left to right, then right to left etc.) to avoid warping sideways, and when you flip the rail over to weld the other side, be sure to restrain it at at least four or six points before welding.

Need to know gallons per minute at a given presure at a given rpm. The faster the pump spins, the more gallons pumped and the more horsepower required. If you know these things, then you could use that motor, but probably not directly coupled. Here is the formula: 1 gal/m at 1500 psi = 1 horse power. For example, if your pump puts out 5 gal/m at 1000 rpm and at 1500 psi, then you would need to gear the motor down by a ratio of 3.45 to 1. To acomplish this, the pulley on the pump would have to be about 3.5 times larger than the pulley on the motor. For example, if you had a 4" diameter motor pulley, the pump would require a 14" pulley. As you can see, it is crucial to know the flow curve, and the P.S.I. rating of your pump, and you must get this info from somewhere other than "that looks like about a sixteen gallon pump to me". If the pressure output of the pump is greater than 1500psi, than that must also be calculated into the horsepower equation. For example, if the pump produces 3000psi, then 2 horsepower are needed to pupmp every gallon of fluid. If you get this info from barnes, post it here, and I will be glad to help you figgure out the correct ratio. A seperate piece of info is that once you have the motor and pumped all snugly, you can then run any diameter piston. A bigger piston will travel slower but with more force.

Sales gimmick?

Jeff, try having a little space between your dies like p-tree says. On my 75# I use a 1" space between the dies for thin work, this seems to give a longer stroke, more impact.

Donnie is correct; the forging temperature for wrought is higher. Please be aware also that wrought iron is inconsistant and some old iron is hot-short, with too high sulfer content, very difficult to forge. Also be aware that a hundred years or more of soaking in the ocean has certainly both added and removed elements from your iron. For example, the grain is the pure iron with the surrounding silica eroded away, and yet in some areas the iron to silica ratio may be inverted. The ocean, while having leached out some elements has added others which may not be helpful, a mix of acid and base salts. One thing you could try, if you have the time is a long soak in a fresh water pond. A barrel or basin will not do, as the water needs to be continuously changed to dilute the salts emanating from the metal. Sounds as if you have found a wonderful resource for a remarkably beautiful material.

Although much information is covered in the replies already submitted, I would like to add a few things. Please forgive any repeats. 304 is a good general stainless steel for forging. 316 would be prefered for certain extreme enviroments, such as exposure to sea water or the mists thereof, or intallations in the vicinity of Cedar wood, and possiby other woods. 304L(the L indicates low carbon) could be a benefit for such reasons as structural soundness of welds or less chance of carbon embrittlement. Stainlees Steels should be forged at a "near white heat", and require much greater impact for metal movement. Bending can be acomplished at a bright cherry, almost orange heat. Acid passivation is not the only way to preserve the original stainlees propertys, nor is it always called for. For example, hot forged and worked s.s. retains the apearence of freshly forged iron, and need not be restored to s.s. if used in a nonrusting enviroment. Sand blasting (with clean new media) will restore properties as will manual polishing if done correctly (successive new abrasives). For those not in direct contact with Geo Pepsi, oxide colors are most visible on highly pollished metal. Finaly an aside, 303, which resists corrosion to a much lower degree than 304, is a free machining metal, easier to machine than even cold finnished steel, in fact only surpassed by free machining brass(such as 360) in ease of machining.

This being the case, is this forum not already self-regulating? An almost impossible to initiate system of ranking of knowledge seems unessasary. If it works, don't fix it. I visit this forum as often as possible. It is one of two I regularly visit. The other site deals with alternate energy. Similar strugles ensue there as well, though for the most part this site is more civil. This is a testament to the moral fortitude of Glenn and the team of moderators. Some of us are naturaly genteel, others must learn to behave in a socialy acceptable manner in a new society(which the internet is). I have paid the price of this learning in the form of remorse and embarrasment from a hasty or poorly considered post, and now hope to be considered an "elder statesman", contributing knowledge and staying above the fray. I have very important reasons for my anonimity on this site, which I will patiently explain them to anyone in a PM, as to do so here publicly would embarrass at least one prominent member needlessly. If a ranking system is initiated, I will continue to post educated solutions to enquirys, but will not submit to a ranking or pecking order, and if banned, it will only result in the loss of my contibutions, gleaned from generations of my predesesors.

When starting a bead, I sometimes hold the stinger in my right hand and hold the rod itself with my left hand. Out of position, this can be very helpful. Naturaly you can only hold the rod for a short time, but it seems to help establish a good puddle. I always try to rest my arm or my elbow on something, even my knee or thigh or side helps. And if possible, I just hold my right hand with my left hand. Good luck with your business.

Flap discs can save time, depending upon what you are doing, but they are not cheap. They are worth it if you need them. Sometimes the extra thick ones are a good investment as they may do more work before wearing out. I generaly prefer the Walter style (there is now a competitive cheaper version that seem to work about as well), because as the edge abrasive wears away, the plastic backing can be machined off and out of the way by holding the revolving wheel against a piece of metal. The best bet for economy is to skip the flap wheels, and instead use a series of other abrasives, just to their most economical point. For instance, in dressing a weld, start with a hard grinding disc and remove most of the weld, especialy the amount above the surface. Grind until you just barely start to scatch the surface. Then switch to a 60 or 80 grit sanding disc on a flexible backer, and finaly 120 or 150. this will give simmilar results to flap wheels, yet consume many less dollars worth of consumables. For some classes of shaping and edge of the wheel work, however, flap wheels are really the way to go.

A friend makes an overhand knot of 1/4" round with a hole for a key ring. Gives the shape of a heart, supposedly an ancient symbol of the blacksmith.

May be true for 7024. 93 amps is way to hot for 3/32-6011, and 125 amps is even a bit hot for 1/8-7018. Try turning the amps down a little and you may find you can weld thinner metal than 1/4" with an 1/8" rod. Also, you may need to have your welder load tested.

I am a member of another unrelated forum where this topic came up recently. The original poster posited that frequently asked questions should simply be given a link to a previous thread. Some of the respondents, however, pointed out that each time the topic is discussed, a litle more detail, a bit more info surfaces. I say, give us your links and your info. As far as trying to help the helpless, you can lead a person to knowledge, but you can't make them think.

Machine new ones, then lube with oil, not grease. Grease will trap grit which will contribute to future wear. Since this is a "total loss" system, oil it every day that you use it, twice if it is a long day.

I see it better now... it looked like it was stuck, my bad.

The rollers on the top of the hammer apear to be stuck to the spring, forcing the frame to bend to acomodate the arc that the spring end wants to travel through. Will not last long like that. Otherwise, cute, but could run faster.

Google wood gas, producer gas.

Nothing to debate. 118 is adquate for most metals including 304-347s.s,titanium,and anealed tool steels. For harder metals, a 135 degree angle (and special knowledge) is recomended.