Dave Hammer

Please be aware that using a small pulley (directly) to drive a large pulley isn't always a simple matter of calculating pulley diameters. Each application has a minimum "belt surface" contact requirement to work. For example, you probably couldn't drive a machine which requires a ten horsepower motor with a two inch pulley on the motor and a twenty inch pulley on the machine (even if you could find a two inch pulley that would fit on a motor that size). There probably wouldn't be enough belt contact on the small pulley to get the machine started. The motor pulley would probably spin without moving the belt (and ruin the belt). I expect this type of requirement is part of the reason slower RPM motors are used with some applications (where the designer doesn't want to use a jack shaft to reduce the (driving) RPM). A conversation with a technical support representative at an industrial supplier (such as Applied Industrial Technologies or Motion Industries) will help you determine what the minimum belt contact (on each pulley) will work on your application. How far around the pulleys the belt is wrapped is significant in this calculation. If you have a copy of "Machinery's Handbook" (and a mechanical mind with great patience), you may be able to find the information in there also.

That's an ambitious project. I'm not sure I'd tell you NOT to try it, but I'm also not sure I'd make my first time trying to make a spring.... for a power hammer.... especially if I didn't already have experience with heat treating.

Arftist.... I'd be interested in seeing a picture of your hammer....

If you can find HEAVY C-Channel, you could fabricate a frame and use several pieces of channel for the top. Set them apart a bit to form slots.

The only thing you should need to know is where the bottom of the upper die is when the ram is fully extended (lowest position). The top of your lower die should be an inch higher than that.... Make your sow block and dies and position your anvil and hammer frame accordingly.

How heavy is the ram (falling weight) going to be? The weight ratio between the anvil and ram should be at least 10 to 1. The higher the ratio, the more efficient the hammer will be (at least up to 25-1). Personally, I would recommend a solid anvil.

Sounds like you have been given some good advice about your symptoms. I realize you didn't ask for fire info, but better forge and fire management will minimize the smoke in the future. This advice is for your forge and fire.... It's not clear how your forge is designed to handle smoke (other than the obvious, up the flue), but I've had best luck with sidedraft setups to take the smoke from the fire. It also helps to get the smoke started in the right direction if you wad up a newspaper light it and put it in the sidedraft opening. This will provide rising heat and associated immediate updraft to start the smoke going up the chiminey.... Good luck with your personal symptoms.

Nazelhammers.... Thanks for that generous information. I'm off to Spring Fling in Berryville, VA...

Nazelhammers.... Thanks for letting us know how you remove the ram cylinder head. Much better than my suggestion. Will you share the process you use to determine the needed wear guide thickness (which may be different for each side) using the position of the ram when the plug is in the cushioning bushing? I'm not sure I understand where and how you would measure. It seems like you would have to measure distances right up close to the top of the thinner part of the ram, which would be above the ram guide. Without the guides in place, it seems like there would be "wiggle" on the lower part of the ram when the plug is up in the cushion. It's not clear to me where you measure to determine needed thicknesses. Also, do you recommend machining the wear guides so NO shims are used? Thanks in advance for your guidance....

Ric Nazelhammers discussion is about removing the lower ram guide, not the ram cylinder head (I incorrectly called the ram cylinder head the upper ram guide in my post above). I still believe the ram cylinder head could be pushed up (out) using a hydraulic jack as I described above. I think he is concerned about my suggestion to use the ram (with a hydraulic jack) to push down the lower ram guide. Although I always respect the experience of the factory rep, it's hard for me to understand that a ram would be so far out of alignment (worn wear plates) that it would bind in the guide (or cylinder) if you tried to push the lower guide down using the ram. The top portion of the ram would be sitting on the lower ram guide and by default it would be squared up by contact (unless the top of the ram guide is not true). The ram will be sitting on the top of the guide and both will be pushed down by the jack. The ram should be loose in the guide area and should not bind in the cylinder area. After the lower ram guide is lower than the frame, my suggestion was/is to pull the ram up through the cylinder. In any case, I only suggested a method to removed the lower guide (if it is stuck) if you want/need to remove the lower ram guide. To troubleshoot your current problem(s), it should only be necessary to remove the ram cylinder head and the ram....

Ric.... It sounds like you are having trouble removing the top ram guide on your 3B. If that's the case, it seems like it could be pressed up from the bottom using the ram to push up against it. Just push the ram all the way up (block up as normal), secure it with a wood post (on the side). Take off the muffler stuff and then remove the bolts holding down the upper ram guide. Put a block of some type on the lower die with a hydraulic jack sitting on it. The top of the jack should be just below the upper die. Pump the jack to push up against the center of the upper die. It should push out the top ram guide. A couple inches of movement should push out the guide. Take off your upper die first (and just push against the ram itself) if there is any chance parts will touch the lower ram guide as you push the ram up into the lower guide. If the problem you are having is with the bottom die, you can do something similar from the top after the top guide is off. Take off the sow block. Let the ram down till it hits on the lower ram guide, then put a bar across the top of the ram. Put a post on that bar with a hydraulic jack on top of it (reaching almost to the top of the cylinder). Put a bar across the top of the cylinder frame (held down using the bolt holes that hold on the top guide). Jack up against the bar that is bolted to the top of the cylinder (you need to use a short pump lever, just figure out what will work). This will force the lower ram guide down (be sure you are able to release the pressure in case this doesn't work). Remember, the ram will be coming down with the guide. I would have a structure of some type in place (built around the ram) that would stop the lower guide after about 2.5 inches of drop (the lower ram guide should be free of the frame by then. Remember the structure needed to hold the lower ram guide from falling needs to straddle the ram and be stable enough to hold the ram guide in place after you pull up the ram. The ram will be sitting on the lower guide. After lower ram guide is down and loose, I would take the stuff off the top end (bars, post and jack) and pull the ram up from the top so I could remove the lower ram guide. Make the bar that sits on top of the ram so it cannot score the cylinder walls. Be sure what you use to hold the lower guide and ram from falling is STABLE and cannot be knocked over (build a frame and be sure it sits stable on the anvil). I'm sure you are aware that all these parts weigh hundreds of pounds, so plan accordingly. You don't want anything to fall. I have a 3B apart here... Looking at the parts, I don't see anything you will damage as long as you are pressing in the center of things. It should just press the guides out. I would do what is necessary to get some penetrant in as far as I could.... Nazelhammers should be able to comment on the suitability of using this method for removing stubborn guides.... I can also suggest, if you are interested, a small modification of the ram guides that would make removing them much easier in the future (think about how some brake drums are removed).

Sewell Coal source *** Green Valley Coal Co. (The old Lady H Mine) -- Leivasy, WV.. 1-304 846 8061***

Some of the major suppliers sell flat belt pulleys. New may be pricy, but they are available. If you have a lathe, you could also make one..

I like to use a round canvas bag with a leather bottom. I think they are meant to be used by carpenters. They can be bought in big box stores or Harbor Freight. Some folks use a five gallon plastic pail.

I think Nathan has both a 75 AND a 150 Kickass.

"pry it from my cold dead fingers" ??????????? That could probably be arranged.....

Might I remind you that.... if it weren't for computers, we wouldn't have these conversations the way we do....

Richard Furrer... If you can handle 3 Phase 40 HP, someone (on ForgeMagic) has mentioned a Nazel 6B is available.

Are you hoping to install it as a steam hammer? If so, is steam available at the new location?

You better scarf that up.. It's less than 60 cents a pound. MonsterMetal.... You'd better get ready for about a hundred requests... or more.

There are tools designed specifically to extract broken taps. This site has one example: http://www.waltontools.com/products/extractr.htm Seems to me... using the proper tool would be much safer.

Richard Furrer... Using Grant's guideline of 25CFM per 100# of ram, it would seem to... IF it has been properly converted for air. $4400 for a 250CFM compressor (good brand name) is probably less than a third of the cost of a new compressor (diesel screw). If patient though, you may be able to find one for less money. I just picked up a running IR 160CFM diesel screw compressor (towable unit) for $1500. Also, keep in mind you will probably need a LARGE air tank with the compressor.

Paul Bunyan's key fob.

Make your handle and send it out to get a brush directly put on it....

Green Valley Coal Co. Leivasy, West Virginia.. 1-304-846-8061 Ask about their blacksmith coal. I doubt you will find better coal than this.