Dave Hammer

I've made several forges with moving metal (some lined, some not) doors. Seemed like a good idea at the time. The problem I had was that, over time, the heat would warp, and/or deteriorate them.

I choose to use firebrick to keep this from happening. I also need to be able to move my forge out of the way easily.

These photos show the method I use today on my forges. 3 inch channel iron, welded on the end of the forge. It allows me to put the forge on a pedestal and easily move it... Soft brick is EASILY cut with a hand saw of any type.

Hummingbird

Well..... That's embarassing.... Maybe it IS a fish mount. Let's see, HMMMM

Jeremy... Thanks.... I had the same thought about making some keys....

Wesley..... I must have been mumbling a little bit (or maybe a lot). I said "Fish Mouth". I was refering to a defect in the forging that was forming on the end of the bar. When I want to put a really short taper on the end of a rod with a power hammer, if the initial efforts don't push the center out (forward), the sides will push out over the center and form a hole in the end of the bar. This is often referred to as a 'fish mouth'. It kinda looks like one if you are rounding the taper as you make it. One way to avoid it from happening is to start a taper back further to ensure it doesn't happen. I probably could have avoided this if I had made a square taper to a point, then rounded it after I was close to the shape I needed.

The consensus that you need a blower is correct... The suggestion that you find someone with experience with propane forges to learn from is priceless. These forges are relatively safe for folks that know what they are dealing with. They can be widowmakers for someone who doesn't.

First "Project" on the Nazel 3B.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZxSZmwPqbg&feature=channel

Thanks everyone... for the nice comments..

Kieth Gartner.....

The big box stores USED to carry Butchers bowling alley wax.... Now I have to order it online (Google with name).

Some hardware stores carry it, but I can't find it where I live... Be sure you get CLEAR wax.

I put another video on YouTube. This is a fairly elementary forging project, but it produces a nice product.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbL6I1DPCkU&feature=channel

Email coming your way....

These documents are awesome.

Neat!

Life is Good!......

Thanks everyone...... for the nice comments..

Videos

I put a couple new videos on YouTube.


The first video shows how I make cowboy hats. I have taught several folks how to make them. This should broaden that list a bit.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRt-UdnYrhw&feature=channel

The second one is just a little more action (still drawing) with the 3B. I should soon be playing with tooling on it.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6zq1218zO4&feature=channel

A 25# Little Giant is about 5' tall or less, and weighs about 750 lbs. A 50# is at least a foot taller and weighs about 1800 lbs.

If the brake is the same as a Fairbanks hammer, the brake sits in the back of the drive wheel. It is a steel on steel expansion ring and is installed as the pictures show.

As the belt tightener is taken off the belt, the cam on the end of the upper pin tightens the brake. As the belt tightener tightens the belt, the cam on the end of the upper pin releases the brake.

There is a second pin below that comes through the frame and holds the bottom of the brake ring in place.

On some Fairbanks hammers, this assembly might be on the forward side of the drive wheel.

Thanks for the comments...

Ric.... The die was loose. When the ram is up, it's way up in the guides. I think the sound was the die hopping in the dovetail, but with a hollow sound because it was up in the chamber. I didn't realize the die was loose at first. When I did notice it, I shut the hammer down.

I have since worked on the drift. I used the hammer this morning a little and the drift held for me. No extra noises today. I did hear a tapping before also. It was the popit valve.

The next problem came to the surface today. The breaker in my main panel (supporting the 15 HP converter) tripped this morning. I had a 50 amp breaker on it. I replaced it with a 60 amp breaker and made some current measurments with a clamp amp_meter. The hammer ran without tripping the breaker (I didn't run it long). I need to beef up my electrical support a bit. The circuit was drawing (at the main panel) over 70 amps. My idler motor is drawing a lot more amps than I had anticipated.

Sam

Nice looking hammer. Is this a speciality hammer?.... or will you do general forging with it?

Nathan Robertson makes a line of hammers like that, but I think his are intended to be used by knife makers.

Lots of interest in your experience with it..... and your learning curve to use it.

Yesterday, I finally hit a little hot steel with the 3B I've been working on. I had problems with the drifts (die keys) coming loose, so I didn't get as much done as I had hoped. I did however, put together a little video that is now on YouTube. For any interested, you can find it at

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3gPMX2d_Gs&feature=channel

I have worked on the drifts a bit and hope to be putting up more video later.

I had a Fairbanks model C. At this moment, it's in an 1860's blacksmith shop that is being restored in New Market, MD. It is rated a 100# hammer. I suspect yours is a 100# hammer also.

There is more than one school of thought about what should be weighed to determine the weight of the hammer. Some believe it is all the falling parts. I believe it is the parts that deliver the energy by being "flung". Look at your mechanism to determine what parts those are.

Nice find Kerry!

If the propane place doesn't want to work with you, take your hose to a welding supply... or a gas supplier and have it done there.

Another excellent supplier is http://www.zoellerforge.com/

I agree that a five gallon pail for a forge is overkill... I have several propane forges and the one I use the most is eight inches in diameter and 8 inches long. The body was cut from part of a large oxygen tank.... The channel for the soft brick on the ends is just 3 inch C channel. The slot was cut with a zip disk. The shelf for the brick on the slot is 1/4 inch plate. All the brick are soft brick, which can be cut with any hand saw.

There are MANY good designs for propane forges. The atmospheric show below has evolved to be the most useful design I have made. If you want to consider a blown forge, I would recommend looking at Jymm Hoffman's design. I put one inch of kaowool around the entire inside first. Then I lay the floor in, then put a second one_inch layer of Kaowool in from the right side of the floor to the slot. I hold the Kaowool in place with hi temp wire. Coat the Kaowool with ITC-100 or Plistix-900.

Both Ellis and Zoller sell all the supplies you will need.

If I made another one, it would be 9 inches long (so I could use a full length soft brick for the slot).

If you have a 2HP motor, use it. If it's anemic, replace it. If you don't have a motor, buy a larger one. DO look for a low RPM HEAVY motor.... The heavier the motor, the better....

A HP is not a HP is not a HP. Not all HPs are created equal.

As far as advice for a foundation, do you know where you are going to put the hammer? What type of floor does the building have? If it has a concrete floor, how thick is it? If the floor is concrete and at least 5 inchs thick, you could probably just put a wood base (4 inches thick or so) under the hammer, then epoxy anchor bolts into the concrete. Doing it this way, however, may cause enough vibration and rattle stuff off shelves. If you want the best case, use a concrete saw and cut out a space in your floor, maybe 30 x36 inches, then dig a hole 30 inches deep and fill it with concrete (with rebar reinforcement). Isolate the foundation from the floor with two tar spacers (like they use on sidewalks). Let it cure 30 days, then still use the wood base and anchor bolts.

If you don't know how thick your floor is, just drill a hole under where the hammer will be with a masonary bit... When it breaks through the floor, you will know.