smfg_mendo

This is one of my grandfathers old hammers.  I just re-hung it today and I was wondering what its called and the use of it with the pattern on the face? Also who is the manufacturer?

Thank you for the historical information seems like a low production number compared to others like trenton.  Maybe that i why I don't see many out here.  IMO tracking down the historical information is one of the best parts about restoring this old equipment and bringing back in to service.  I found out so much about my grandfathers power hammer just by calling up Little Giant, and no price would ever get it from me!   I just moved into my new home and the garage isn't finished yet so not all my equipment is here yet or running, its driving me nuts to say the least I need to build faster!  so here are some more poser pictures with some of my tools made by Aaron Cergol.

A farmers dagger, a 4 pound rounder, and a punch handle is cocobolo, I made the sheath from an old pistol holster.  made a para-cord lanyard with a stainless shackle at the end.

appreciate the information! I need to get that book.   how many Arm and hammer anvils were made overall? what's the highest serial number? I don't see as many of them around like some of the other manufacturers

can anyone tell me if the AIA book gives an exact date for this anvil or just a range 

SN 49586

I cleaned it up a bit today after I got home. I love all the character and forged marks from the factory. I read they were forged with steam hammers here is a pick of the steam hammer forge finish.   I left some of the paint on it, I like the look of it that way. perfectly flat not one dished area.

I think that happens alot. case in point the guy i bought this anvil from had very little interest in smithing, just loved collecting anvils?!.  he was into hot rods and car building so he occasionally used them for that.  Everything I got from my grandfather has clearly been well used minus the power hammer.  He cared for all his equipment well,  because he made a living with it so its still in good working order.  I think some of the hammers are even my great grandfathers based off the markings.

Nice anvil skitzboy and welcome!

thanks. it will last my lifetime and more I think.  it's a solid workhorse 

yes, I have heard about him.  he tried to buy the arm and hammer I just got (according to the seller).  the sr guy came to view the collection when it was close to 100 anvils.  the guy I bought from didn't care for his business practices,  nor has anyone else I've spoke to.  I know where he is located my family still lives down in sr.  I don't know anything about him or what he has  just what I have heard from other people.  he has some ads on craigslist. have you bought stuff from him?

Prices are pretty inflated here in california as well and sellers are not budging.  I got lucky i guess and finally found an Arm and Hammer from a friend came with a few hardies @ 208 lb for 600$ it was more than i wanted to pay but i have been looking for one like it a long time, and its in great condition.

nice, i dont go down south of chico very often. I used to live in santa rosa for quite a while when i was going to jr college, i liked it for the most part. i cant wait to start working on it and get the power hammer up and running. My time is limited during semester but I still get a little done.

What type of steel is the face made out of?

Are the top and bottom pieces cast or forged?

Looks forged to me

208 LB Arm and Hammer Just got it today. took me 2 hours of haggling and shooting the xxxx to get this from a local older gentleman who originally had over 100 anvils. He is now down to only 14 of his best ones. he said he wasnt going to sell anymore but he finally did. I heard about him from a friend so I had to call a few times then drive up into the mountains an hour or so to get it.   He was a very nice guy and it was well worth the drive.

Great information thank you so much!!!!  Do you see any concerns with condition that I may have missed?  The rust is all light surface no pitting anywhere.

I pulled the trigger on an anvil today weighing in at 208lbs!  Its looks to be in ok condition.  A couple shallow imperfections in the top.  Its an Arm and Hammer brand which is exactly what i was looking for.  The only thing that really stuck out at me was a clear seam between the upper and lower half.  it also has some rough large forging/ hammer marks on the back underside.  I was reading that the rough look of the arm and hammers is normal due the way they were made.  but is the seam normal looks like two pieces of metal were used to make the anvil or it was broke in half and put back together.  Sorry for my ignorance on this subject!  Any information will be great and Ill keep reading through the foums.

Thank you for the great advice.  I had to pass on this one he wanted 800$ for it. and upon closer inspection it has some damage that I just dont like.  It has one spot of weld or brazing,that biggun also noticed.  It looks like a crack was ground out and filled, but its hard to tell.  Then was going to trade him a rifle I just built that sells for 1500. I told him i would trade at a 1000 dollar value and he wasnt willing to put any cash up on his end a straight across trade was all he would do.   So its been on craigslist for the last three weeks because he wont take offers.

I am looking at a peter wright now.  Which is what I really want because the old post vise i use from my grandfather is a peter wright.  Right now it a trade deal.  the anvil and new lincoln 180HD welder from my rifle.  Hopefully it all goes through.

~140 lbs

i dont have a pic of the bottom, what is a fair price for an anvil this size and by this mfg?

I have been searching for hours on here and Google but cant seem to determine the mfg of this anvil

~32" long tip of horn to heel

weighs in at 254 pounds i was told

​Im assuming these are gozinta's?  Nice job on the foundation.  So the rebar is welded to the square tubing. does the square tubing go into the ground or just sit flush on top.  Is the square tubing beneath the concrete or flush with the shop floor surface?

​The foundation Im working on is for the shop.  But I think i will put it up on a block pad like yours.  My father in law works for pg&e and gave me a huge stack of 8 ft 6"x8" power pole cross supports that will make a perfect pad i think!  Plus Im 6'6" so my back will thank me for having it up off the ground a little more

Thats a very nice looking set up you have there to.  That looks alot like the motor mine has. Is it three phase?

Thanks everyone for the great information.

​Thanks for the great advice it means alot!  I have a picture with him and all his friends together in the first shop they started together it was taken early 50's. Its one of my favorites.  They were structural steel mostly so the power hammer was not a heavy work horse for them.  i think my grandpa used it alot for making and repairing leaf springs back before you could just order and set online and have them shipped to your doorstep!

I use a lot of bar oil for the exact same reason and was thinking today why wouldnt it work on these hammers?  Thank you for the confirmation on that.  I called them today and talked to Roger I believe, he was extremely helpful.  He told me how to order parts and he also told me my hammer was shipped july 1st 1925 to Dunning Iron Store in Los Angeles.  I found the company in a 1921 engineering directory under california hardware wholesale company. so there is no way to tell who they sold it to, that part was blank on his end of the records.

I printed all the information off the website today and made put together a binder of manuals and pictures (yes i still do this even with all the technology).

The toggle links are loose I loosened them up when I was checking to make sure it was spinning freely.

I have it stored at my uncles shop right now until My shop goes up this summer.  Im working on the concrete foundation as we speak!  Its only 20'x26'x9' but its all I need.  I hope it will be enough space!

Thank you everyone for the great information

I have heard they need to covered in oil to be happy!  It has an old three phase on it but it is very large, old and tired, so i will probably be changing over to a single phase.  I will look into the dvd's. I will be sure to get more pictures and post them up as I go along with this project.

I cant quite tell is the serial number is 4702 or 1702

I just recently inherited this little giant power hammer from my grandfather.  It has sat unused for the past 30 plus years. It looks to be in very good condition. I couldn't find any damage cracks or broken components. Has a set on dies on it and a large hollow cone anvil that came with it as well as a swage block that weights around 150lbs maybe more.

I plan on doing a refurbish rather than a full restoration.  I want to convert it to a timing belt and timing pulley from mcmasterr-carr and stop using the flat fiber belting.

Any information on the machine, condition concerns, advice, questions or comments are welcomed.  I am young and learning so criticism is good too!  I will continue to read through this great site as I get started on this awesome old piece of equipment. 

Does anyone know the age it or original purchaser, I have not been able to find any information. I posted a picture of the serial number.  I also sent an email to someone at little giant a few months ago but never received a reply.